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Prologue IX
and weights, constructed in Philadelphia, has come a living Constitution.
Those who have relied on it, from John Barren to Estelle Griswold to
Dollree Mapp, may not have comprehended all its complexities and am-
biguities, but in pleading for their rights they laid out a schematic plan
for all of us who want to learn how it works.
This book does not attempt to cover all the parts of our Constitu-
tion. It is intended to provide a background and understanding of those
pivotal issues that are raised in the television series "The Constitution:
That Delicate Balance." The aim of the book, as of the series, is not to
change but to open minds, to provide insights into how Supreme Court
justices, presidents, journalists, and others have faced up to complex, but
crucial decisions. To quote John Marshall again, "the Constitution is
meant to be understood by the public." We hope this book, along with the
television series, will provide a way for all citizens—not just lawyers and
judges—to take part in the great constitutional debates of our time.
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