Celebrating Constitution Week and the Dignity of Work

On September 12, 2022, Kim Monson kicks off Constitution Week with a powerful exploration of American exceptionalism, the dignity of work, and the fight against globalist agendas. Discovery Institute Senior Fellow Scott Powell connects Labor Day to entrepreneurship and constitutional principles, while Constitution Week organizers Marc Auville, Tom Goodfellow, and Mary Zenzen share details about celebrations in Grand Lake, Lake Havasu City, and Fort Collins.

The Dignity of Work and American Entrepreneurship

Start listening at 33:55 – Hour 1

Scott Powell challenges the conventional understanding of Labor Day, arguing it should celebrate not just workers but the entrepreneurs and job creators who make employment possible. Drawing from Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations, published the same year as the Declaration of Independence, Powell explains how labor, property, and capital form the foundation of a flourishing economy. His research reveals that the word “work” appears over 450 times in the Bible, more than terms like hope, charity, or prayer, underscoring the theological significance of vocation.

Powell argues that work provides meaning and dignity because humans are created in God’s image as creators. Whether making sandwiches at Jersey Mike’s or writing policy analysis, every job offers an opportunity to serve others. This service orientation, not greed, defines the free market system. His book Rediscovering America: How the National Holidays Tell an Amazing Story About Who We Are frames American history through the lens of national celebrations.

“As we serve other people, we find more meaning and more joy in our lives.”

Scott Powell, Senior Fellow, Discovery Institute

Exposing the Roots of Fascism

Start listening at 47:47 – Hour 1

Scott Powell dismantles President Biden’s claims that Republicans and their leaders are fascists. Tracing the historical origins of fascism to Germany and Italy, Powell demonstrates that both Hitler’s National Socialist Party and Mussolini’s movement emerged from socialist roots. Fascism and communism are “kissing cousins,” both born from socialism and predicated on total state control over individual rights. The contrast with America’s constitutional system could not be starker: Americans possess God-given, unalienable rights that no government can rescind.

Grand Lake Constitution Week Celebration

Start listening at 69:25 – Hour 2

Marc Auville, president of Grand Lake’s U.S. Constitution Week volunteers, outlines an ambitious schedule for the 11th annual celebration. Daily lectures at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. feature constitutional scholars including Professor Akhil Reed Amar, Dr. Thomas Cranawitter, and Ambassador Richard Jones. Saturday’s main event includes a Veterans Memorial Park dedication by American Legion Post 88, a flyover by two F-16s, a parade, the Doc Saro jazz band, and fireworks over Grand Lake.

“If more of these towns and cities celebrated and educated the population, the Americans, on the Constitution, we wouldn’t be in this constitutional crisis I think we are in now.”

Marc Auville, President, Grand Lake U.S. Constitution Week

Constitution Week Expands to Arizona

Start listening at 72:00 – Hour 2

Tom Goodfellow, founder of Grand Lake’s Constitution Week celebration, reports on expanding the movement to Lake Havasu City, Arizona. His new “Celebration of We the People” features speakers including Rob Nadelson, Thomas Cranawitter, and John Eastman. Goodfellow notes that many residents have never heard of Constitution Week, unaware that 36 U.S. Code 108 establishes the annual observance. The expansion represents a grassroots effort to spread constitutional education across the nation.

“We’ve got to quit being ignorant Americans. We’ve got to wake up, and I think the Constitution is the way to go.”

Tom Goodfellow, Founder, Grand Lake Constitution Week

Blessings of Liberty in Northern Colorado

Start listening at 86:02 – Hour 2

Mary Zenzen details the second annual “Blessings of Liberty” celebration in Windsor, Colorado, scheduled for Constitution Day on September 17. Retired Marine Brian Ivers headlines the evening event at Pelican Lakes Golf Resort, joined by a 25-student choir, professional singer Rebecca Burley, and colonials reenacting Benjamin Franklin’s famous warning: “It’s a republic if you can keep it.” Additional events include Will Trachman from Mountain States Legal Foundation and Mylene Salabaria from Parents Defending Education.

“A lot of our strongest voices out there about protecting our freedoms are coming from people from other countries. It’s really a beautiful thing to see.”

Mary Zenzen, Organizer, Blessings of Liberty