We, the people

I carry the US Constitution with me to remind myself of its importance in providing guidelines to live by. Contrary to what some of the current sitting Supreme Court justices state, the US Constitution should be considered to be a living document, the interpretation of which varies over time.

ORIGIN STORY

In one of my civil rights cases, I was appearing in front of the late United States Magistrate Judge Robert DeGiacomo in US District Court in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I was suing the City of Gallup on behalf of my clients. City of Gallup Police Officers had used a bogus excuse that they were looking for someone who had allegedly been shot to break into my clients' house in Gallup without a warrant.

While in the house, the police officers searched through dresser drawers, including a young female client's underwear drawer, while they were supposedly looking for a body. Judge DeGiacomo sat on the judge's bench with a pocket copy of the US Constitution in his hand. He waved the constitution at the Gallup police officers, admonishing them, telling them that they needed to get a copy of the constitution and read it. The City of Gallup reached a monetary settlement with my clients.

I have carried a pocket copy of the US Constitution with me ever since and frequently handed out pocket copies of the constitution to remind people of what the constitution says and the obligations it requires us all to meet.