WASHINGTON -- "Autumn in New York" -- the words cascade from
Sinatra on my iPod, and I am on my way. It is a perfect time to be
in Manhattan, and this week I shall be there for several days. "Why
does it seem so exciting," Old Blue Eyes croons on. My answer to
him, wherever he might be, is that this week in New York the 2005
Columbus Week Celebrations are underway.
There will be exuberant celebrations of Italian-Americans at
song, in the kitchen, and engaged in all the other civilized
pursuits for which they have demonstrated such flair. From the Old
Country the Italians have sent sports cars, wines, and other
specimens of Italian art and commerce. But this year the Columbus
Week will feature something at once extraordinary and timely. One
week after President Bush announced yet another nominee to the
Supreme Court, prompting another ghoulish Senate hearing, the
liveliest mind now on the Court, Antonin Scalia, is serving as
Grand Marshal of the Columbus Day Parade.
Justice Scalia is renowned for his learning, his wit, and his
love of debate. He will be around all weekend and you can be sure
that at every event he attends -- whether the elegant Saturday
night Gala at the Waldorf or the Sunday morning concert at Columbus
Circle or the parade itself -- the Justice will be a memorable
presence. Scalia is one of the most invigorating minds in
Washington and one of the most principled. He is famed for his
intellectual jousting but also for his good nature.
The jousting is almost always about serious matters, often the
role of the courts in our system of government, and the relevance
of our Constitution. In honoring Scalia, the son of Italian
immigrants (his father was a professor of Romance languages), the
Columbus Citizens Foundation, which sponsors the Columbus Week
Celebration, has put together an exceptional Supreme Court Exhibit
in Grand Central Terminal's Vanderbilt Hall. Says Lawrence Auriana,
the Foundation's ebullient president: "The United States Supreme
Court, which is the subject of great interest recently, is one of
America's most important contributions to civilization yet its
history and functions are little understood by many people."
Thus there is in Vanderbilt Hall an exhibit on the workings of
the Court with story boards that with the coming hearings on
Harriet Miers, the latest nominee to the Court, should be of
immediate interest to everyone. There is also an exhibit of old and
invaluable documents that suggest the development of the Court in
our Constitutional evolution. One such document is an exact
engraving of the Declaration of Independence dating from 1823.
There is the Connecticut Courant and Weekly
Intelligencer's original 1787 printing of the Constitution,
and there are letters from George Washington and Thomas
Jefferson.
The most interesting letters are to be found in the
correspondence of Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin with two
distinguished 18th century Italian intellectuals about the possible
development of law in America. Franklin's correspondent, the
Neapolitan Gaetano Filangieri, was a proponent of the free press,
proportionality in criminal punishment, free trade and other ideas
deemed daring in his time but soon to be part of American law.
Jefferson's correspondent, Filippo Mazzei, a Florentine, actually
came to live near him in Virginia. He has now been recognized as
the originator of Jefferson's famous term, "All men are created
equal."
Finally, along with the ancient documents is an exhibit focusing
on New York's hometown boy, Scalia. Highlighted in this exhibit is
a statement by him that illuminates the controversies over the
present Supreme Court vacancy and probably those to come. "The
Constitution is an enduring document but not a living one. And its
meaning must not be altered to suit the whims of society." That
reminds me of a testimonial delivered to Scalia recently by one of
the greatest living Supreme Court lawyers, former Solicitor General
Ted Olson. "His opinions have special weight because they are
written in a particularly engaging, persuasive and readable style.
He brings passion to logic." You can be sure Justice Scalia will
bring passion to the Columbus Day Parade.
topics:
Trade, Sports, Constitution, Law, Supreme Court, NATO
