We the People

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."


The entire Constitution was written over the course of about six weeks in draft form. At that time, it was turned over to a style committee for its final language. I think it is safe to say that the authors were unaware of the ever-changing world we live in today and how their thoughts and words would truly affect and challenge our ways and beliefs. However, in the Preamble, you can read the ultimate hopes they had for the people of the United States, but who “the people” would be someday could be a bit of a surprise.

“We the People” has a broader meaning for us today that expands many cultures and borders. The phrase “People of the United States” has sometimes been understood to mean “citizens.” A common definition of a citizen could be somebody who has the right to live in a country because he or she was born there or has been legally accepted as a permanent resident. I think the key word in that definition is ‘accepted.’ Through the years since the Constitution was first written, we the people have had to change our views regarding our concepts of who was “accepted.”

Gardner’s view on citizenship is discussed in regards to the ethical mind. “In taking ethical stances, an individual tries to understand his or her role as a worker and his or her role as a citizen of a region, a nation, and the planet.” He continues to state, “Individuals without ethics will yield a world devoid of decent workers and responsible citizens: none of us will want to live on that desolate planet.”

The phrase "People of the United States" has sometimes been understood to mean "citizens." This approach reasons that, if the political community speaking for itself in the Preamble ("We the People") includes only citizens, by negative implication it specifically excludes non-citizens in some fashion.