Constitutional Rights: An Exploration of Originalism and Democracy

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This chapter explores the complexities of constitutional rights, focusing on the historical context and the evolving interpretation of laws like the First Amendment. It highlights the tension between democratic ideals and systemic inequalities, particularly regarding voting rights and originalist interpretations. The conversation also addresses the unexpected role of the Jehovah's Witnesses in expanding free speech rights, emphasizing the need for civic engagement in today's divided society.

In this episode we sit down with A.J. Jacobs, a journalist who noticed some striking similarities between Biblical fundamentalism and constitutional originalism, and since he once wrote a NYT bestselling book about titled The Year of Living Biblically in which he tried to live for a year as a fundamentalist, he tried to do something similar by living for a year following the Constitution's original meaning as if he were an originalist and then writing a book about it. He soon learned that donning a tricorne hat and marching around Manhattan with a 1700s musket, though fully within one's constitutional rights, will quickly lead to some difficult encounters and altogether strange circumstances.

The Year of Living Constitutionally

AJ Jacobs' Website

AJ Jacobs' Twitter

How Minds Change

David McRaney’s Twitter