Responsive Constitutionalism and the Idea of Dignity

Scholarship

Nov 11

“The Reconstruction Amendments responded to slavery—not only in the sense that they were intended to address the harms done to enslaved people, but also (and, I think, more importantly) in the sense that they were intended to universalize human freedom and define human freedom in contrast to slavery. ”

— Peggy Cooper Davis

Peggy C. Davis, Responsive Constitutionalism and the Idea of Dignity, 11 U. Pa. J. Const. L. 1373 (2009)

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interpretation

Taonga Leslie

Responsive Constitutionalism and the Idea of Dignity

The Second Founding and the First Amendment

“We, the people”—not we, the white people—not we, the citizens, or the legal voters—not we, the privileged class— but we, the people—the men and women, do ordain and establish this Constitution”