Two hundred and sixteen years ago, after nearly four months of deliberations, a diverse body of men overcame their political and philosophical differences to create a living instrument of government that could be passed down to succeeding generations. That instrument is the United States Constitution.

This year, on September 17, our nation will celebrate the 216th anniversary of the longest-lived written Constitution in world history. While scholars continue to debate the finer points of the Constitution, which was signed on September 17, 1787, and ratified by the states in 1788, few would argue that it has stood the test of time and that our nation would not have survived had it not been for the Constitution. It, along with the Bill of Rights, continues to serve as the principal guarantor of freedom and equality for all Americans and is still the standard by which all others are judged.

It is ironic that while people in other countries are fighting and dying to secure for themselves what our Constitution guarantees every American as a right of birth, others have attacked us because of the principles our nation stands for. These attacks have only served to strengthen our moral resolve and remind us that there will always be a high price to maintain our freedom, which was bought and paid for by the blood of our countrymen in various conflicts during the past two centuries. Even now, our men and women in the Armed Forces are continuing to pay the price to ensure that the American dream will become real for every willing citizen.

Our Constitution and Bill of Rights represent the cornerstone of American democracy, but to continue their legacy, we all must work to promote the ideals of freedom and opportunity throughout our country. We can do this by actively supporting and working to improve our government's institutions, by joining together to build strong communities, and by respecting one another and learning to appreciate and understand the many cultural, ethnic, religious and social groups that make up the great melting pot that is America. On September 17, I urge everyone to rededicate themselves to the priceless freedoms and rights guaranteed to us by our Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and to exercise the reciprocal duties flowing from them.

Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto