Berry gives 'last lecture' on Constitution, Bill of Rights

History Professor Mary Berry gave her last lecture yesterday. As part of the Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society's "last lecture" series, Berry delivered a talk as if it were the final lecture in her career. In her hour-long speech, Berry -- who recently traveled to South Africa to help the country write its constitution -- spoke about the birth and development of the American Constitution and the Bill of Rights. She began her speech, which she originally delivered to the American Studies Association, by talking about how the history of rights in America are usually taught in schools. She started with the Bill of Rights, tracing its interpretations and functions from its birth through the 1980s. The majority of her speech focused on the things that she said are not taught in the schools, such as the appointment of Supreme Court justices and their role in shaping the rights of citizens. She said that the Supreme Court deals primarily with the rights of the majority and leaves the rights of the individual up to the Congress to determine. She then discussed the conflict between those who believe the Constitution should be applied to modern day situations, continuing the framers' original intent, and those who view the Constitution as "a living document." Berry next spoke about how the American court system has been flooded with rich, white, conservative men appointed by Presidents Reagan and Bush. She said these men all follow the same pattern of judgement on the major issues, leaving the courts with a narrow view of the issues. Berry ended her lecture by saying that the necessary political transformation could occur if voters became so fed up with the lack of attention being paid to domestic issues that they began a progressive movement. "Only time will tell," she said. Following her speech, Berry opened the floor to questions, which included some heated discussion on the nation's healthcare system and the emergence of a national third political party. The majority of the 35 students at the lecture said they felt Berry was an effective and intriguing speaker. "I think that while she brings a valuable approach to the reading of American Constitutional history, equally interesting is her backround in political activism," said College senior Harry Sandick. "Even though she has clear views on party affiliation, she was able to give a general view of the process," College senior Sekar Kathiresan said.

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