Hollady Says Constitution Defies Strict Interpretation

Don Holladay, an attorney in Norman with more than a decade of experience as a Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer, has written an Op-Ed published in today's Norman Transcript contending that the "Constitution Defies Strict Interpretation." Here's a quote:

Politics aside, saying the Constitution should be strictly interpreted is a flawed proposition. Taken literally, it presents an almost impossible challenge in light of the document's actual wording. The Constitution's language, without elaboration, instructs judges to guard the "privileges and immunities" of citizenship. It speaks of our guarantees with phrases such as "life, liberty or property" without further detail. It requires "due process of law" and "equal protection" and mandates the federal judiciary's responsibility to protect these fundamental rights. These word choices are the pillars upon which our constitutional rights exist. And yet, the words on their face are hardly capable of being "strictly interpreted" as written.