Sen. Edward Kennedy is to receive an honorable knighthood from the Queen of England for his life long work to help create peace in N. Ireland. I don’t doubt his sincerity and compassion for his desire to create peace in a country that is home to his heritage. There’s not even a problem with the Queen of England acknowledging his work and the affect it will have on future generations. (Although it may not be her right to.) There’s just one problem with getting the title of knighthood, even though he will not be able to use the word, “Sir” before his name since he is not a citizen of Britain. The problem is with that little document that is the foundation of our life and government, The Constitution of the United States.
No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States: and no person holding any office of profit or trust under them, shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state.
-Article 1 Sec. 9 Constitution of the United States
I know what some of you are thinking already. The fact that Kennedy won’t be able to use the world “Sir” before his name because he isn’t a Knight is irrelevant. I think that most people wouldn’t care about this “Title” given the fact that Great Britain is one of our friends. Normally this would not be an issue for a nonpublic citizen. The issue is that a “Title” is given by a head of state, the Queen. I think that the founding fathers understood that loyalties to another country means no loyalty to your own. Jesus was right when he said that you can’t serve two masters.
The fact of the matter is the question of loyalty and conflict of interest. Fine, Fine, Fine…Britain is a dear and loyal friend to us. HOWEVER, the Constitution prohibits any “person holding any office of . . . . trust . . . without consent of Congress” can accept a “Title”. Kennedy has been the rep for Mass. longer than I have been alive and he knows what the Constitution says. He knows what he can and cannot accept from heads of state. So what does he say….NOTHING! All he says is that it is an honor but nothing about not accepting it. Couldn’t he have just said,
“Thank you for this honor. Very few Americans have ever had this honor bestowed on them and for that I am grateful. Unfortunately, I will not be able to accept this honor so that I can stay true to the Constitution of the United States. However, if the congress grants me this privilege then I would gladly accept”
But nope, nope, nope that didn’t happen. Sen. Kennedy will accept it. Keep this in mind also, As is custom, Kennedy will be permitted to use the initials KBE — Knight of the British Empire – after his name. So what is Sen. Ed going to be called, Sen. Ed Kennedy Knight of the British Empire. Tell me if that doesn’t say anything but loyalty to your home country or really … any loyalty to any country.
This is getting more and more unnerving. If Congress wants to throw the Sen a bone to get an official title from another country then so be it. I find it better to err on the side of sticking to the letter of the law rather than what seems nice and cordial . As we all know, the government has a tendency to go further than it tells anyone it intended once it get its foot in the door. Although it is an honorable thing for what Sen. Ed did to help N. Ireland that doesn’t me he has to take a “Title” just because someone who doesn’t know our Constitution offers it. The Founding Fathers wrote this section of the Constitution so that loyalties to America are always in check. Far too many times we want to be liked and seen as valuable to and from everyone and when you are a Sen. in the American Congress then the only place you are going to find that value is with heads of state. I hope that Kennedy doesn’t accept this “honor” without the consent of Congress. It will once again show that our Government for the people and by the people is a farce and the Constitution will only apply when the selfish men and women’s desires coinside with it.
Do You Think that Sen. Kennedy Should Accept this “honor?”
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