The beginning of the U.S. Constitution states several reasons for the establishment of the United States. One is “in order to form a more perfect union.” Others: “establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity . . .”

Surely these are worthy causes. Yet, at the time of this writing, most black Americans were slaves, and only white men had the right to vote. Indeed, the most active Americans generally were fairly well-to-do white men.

Sometimes words are spoken or written that are so powerful that even the speakers of the words don’t realize their power or what they really mean if taken literally.