yongrel
12-08-2008, 08:16 PM
Today I went through the process of naturalization with a friend, and a the end of the whole shabang, the US Citizens and Immigration Services employees put all of the newly-approved citizens in a big room and have them take this oath:
"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."
I had never heard this oath before, and barely was aware of its existence. I always assumed folks just said the Pledge of Allegiance of somesuch other thing.
Anywho, as I was standing in the back listening to this oath being recited, I started thinking about the implications of the words. I'm not sure I have a fully formed opinion of this oath of citizenship, so I'm curious as to what y'all think.
"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."
I had never heard this oath before, and barely was aware of its existence. I always assumed folks just said the Pledge of Allegiance of somesuch other thing.
Anywho, as I was standing in the back listening to this oath being recited, I started thinking about the implications of the words. I'm not sure I have a fully formed opinion of this oath of citizenship, so I'm curious as to what y'all think.