Noah and Rory Dumitru
The Chattanooga City Commission commemorated Constitution Week on Tuesday by inviting Noah and Rory Dumitru, students at Boyd-Buchanan School, to open the council meeting with a Constitution presentation. Council Chairman Chip Henderson extended the invitation and the young scholars were introduced by Chattanooga City Historian, Linda Moss Mines.
Noah Dumitru thanked the council members for the opportunity to speak briefly about the U. S. Constitution. “Today is Constitution Day, a day of remembrance set aside by U. S. Congress for citizens of the United States to think about our Constitution - - the oldest constitution in effect in our global community and the longest-continuously governing document in the history of the world.” He paused and included the large audience with his comments. “It is appropriate for us to meet in the Council room - - a perfect example of the idea of government based on the voices of the people - - a people who elect their representatives to speak for them and to guard our sacred ideas of liberty, equality and justice.”
His sister joined him at the podium as they took turns speaking. Rory began with a question. “What makes our constitution and our government unique? A belief in a balance of power between the national, state and local governments - -a government based on the rule of law with our constitution as the supreme law of the land - - a division of power between the three branches of government - - legislative, executive and judicial and the protected rights of the people combined with their responsibilities to be informed citizens.”
The elder Dumitru added more details about our constitution and then concluded with, “The United States remains the inspiration for people around the world who do not live in free societies. We are that ‘city on the hill’ whose light shines for liberty. We are not perfect country or a perfect people, but we work each day to live up to the dream this republic represents.” Rory Dumitru’s final statement was personal for the siblings. “Thank you for allowing us to be here today. We may not be able to vote yet but we are proud to be citizens of the United States and to live in Chattanooga. Thank you for working here at the local level to preserve the dream.”
They then distributed copies of the Founding Documents to each of the council members and provided copies for all attending the council meeting.
Noah Dumitru is the president of the Col. Return J. Meigs Society, Children of the American Revolution and Rory Dumitru serves as American History chair for the Tennessee Society of the Children of the American Revolution.