OUR PRESIDENT IS IMPEACHED AND ON TRIAL, AND IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT "THE ONLY REMAINING QUESTION IS WHETHER THE MEMBERS OF THE SENATE WILL ACCEPT AND CARRY OUT THE RESPONSIBILITY PLACED ON THEM BY THE FRAMERS OF OUR CONSTITUTION AND THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL OATHS."
EVERY INDICATION IS THAT THEY WILL NOT; THAT REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE WILL, ALMOST TO A PERSON, ABROGATE THEIR DUTY, FORSWEAR THEIR OATHS, AND VOTE PURELY ALONG PARTY LINES TO ACQUIT TRUMP, WITHOUT REGARD TO EVIDENCE THAT HE COMMITTED A CRIME AND ABUSED THE POWER OF HIS OFFICE. THIS OUTCOME HAS BEEN EXPECTED SINCE THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MADE IT CLEAR TO THE WORLD THAT HE HAD NO INTENTION OF CONDUCTING AN HONEST TRIAL OR DOING HIS SWORN DUTY. YESTERDAY, REPUBLICANS VOTED NOT TO HEAR TESTIMONY BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN TRUTH, ONLY PARTY LOYALTY. CASE CLOSED.
POLITICS WINS AND AMERICA LOSES.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO BE LIKE THEM! WE DO NOT HAVE TO BE OATH BREAKERS. WE DO NOT HAVE TO LOWER OURSELVES TO THEIR STANDARD, STAIN OUR REPUTATIONS, AND ABANDON THE CORE TENETS OF OUR NATION BY FOLLOWING THEIR FAITHLESS EXAMPLE. WE ARE AND MUST REMAIN BETTER THAN THAT!
REMEMBER YOUR OATH!
OATHS HAVE TO MEAN SOMETHING.
RECALL WHAT YOU SWORE AND EXPECTED OF OTHERS WHO DID THE SAME.
THE OATHS WE TAKE ARE THE BEDROCK OF AMERICAN LIBERTY. THEY BIND US TO OUR NATION AND TO ONE ANOTHER.
WE WHO TAKE THESE OATHS ARE NOT COERCED, WE ARE NOT DESPERATE, AND WE ARE NOT FEARFUL OF THE CONSEQUENCES.
WE DO NOT SWEAR ALLEGIANCE TO THE UNITED STATES AND ITS CONSTITUTION BECAUSE WE MUST, OR FOR DIRECT POLITICAL ADVANCEMENT, OR BECAUSE WE EXPECT TO GET RICH OR POWERFUL THEREFROM. WE DO NOT SWEAR ALLEGIANCE TO A PERSON, OR A PARTY, OR EVEN A STATE, BUT TO ALL AMERICANS AND THE VALUES WE SHARE. WE PLEDGE OURSELVES TO THE PAST AND FUTURE OF AMERICA, TO THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE AND THOSE WHO WILL FOLLOW.
CERTAINLY, WE ALL COME TO THE TABLE WITH AMBITION AND DESIRE AND LIFE GOALS AND BELIEFS (AND, OF COURSE, WITH FEARS AND DOUBT). BUT WHEN WE STAND TO ATTENTION, RAISE OUR HANDS, AND SWEAR OUR SERVICE BEFORE GOD AND OUR FELLOW AMERICANS, ALL OF THAT IS PUSHED ASIDE AND MUTED BY THE FERVOR OF THE MOMENT. AND THE MORE TIMES WE DO IT, THE MORE DEEPLY ITS ESSENCE IS ETCHED ON OUR SOUL.
WHO OF US WHO HAVE TAKEN THAT OATH AND SERVED WITH HONOR, UPON SEEING OUR CONSTITUTION AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES WITH OUR OWN EYES, DOESN'T TREMBLE AND SWELL WITH PRIDE AND EMOTION? WHICH OF US CAN KEEP A DRY EYE WHILE READING THE ACTUAL WORDS? WHO CAN READ THAT DOCUMENT AND NOT FEEL THE URGE TO WHISPER "AMEN" AT THE END.
AND THOUGH FEW OF US WOULD ADMIT IT ALOUD, WHO AMONG US WHO'VE SERVED DOESN'T FEEL SUPERIOR TO THOSE WHO WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO RAISE A HAND AND SWEAR AN OATH TO THAT IDEAL, TO DEDICATE ONE'S LIFE TO THE PRINCIPLES SCRAWLED ON THAT PIECE OF PARCHMENT?
WHEN WE SWEAR TO SERVE AMERICA, WE HEAR AND REPEAT THE WORDS BELOW, AND FOR THOSE FEW MOMENTS, WE ARE NOT ENTIRELY OF THIS PLANE; NONE BUT THE YOUNGEST OR THE MOST CRAVEN CAN SAY THOSE WORDS WITHOUT FEELING TO THEIR VERY CORE THE WEIGHT AND OBLIGATION LAID ON THEM BY CENTURIES OF SANCTIFIED SERVICE AND THE GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS WHO SWORE THE SAME OATHS BEFORE.
OUR OATHS HAVE TO MEAN SOMETHING BECAUSE OTHERWISE NOTHING WE SAY AND DO MEANS ANYTHING! DO NOT LET THE EXAMPLE BEING SET BY OUR PRESIDENT AND REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS WARP YOUR IDEALS AND POISON YOUR SOUL. DO NOT FORSWEAR YOUR OATHS AS THEY HAVE. STAY TRUE TO AMERICA. BE HONORABLE. BE FAITHFUL.
REMEMBER YOUR OATH!
*~*~*~*~*
U.S. OATHS OF CITIZENSHIP, SERVICE, AND PUBLIC OFFICE
UNITED STATES OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
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.
ENLISTED OATH
I, _____, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR (OR AFFIRM) THAT I WILL SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AGAINST ALL ENEMIES, FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC; THAT I WILL BEAR TRUE FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME; AND THAT I WILL OBEY THE ORDERS OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE ORDERS OF THE OFFICERS APPOINTED OVER ME, ACCORDING TO REGULATIONS AND THE UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE. SO HELP ME GOD.
COMMISSIONED OFFICER OATH
I, _____, HAVING BEEN APPOINTED AN OFFICER IN THE ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES, AS INDICATED ABOVE IN THE GRADE OF _____ DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR (OR AFFIRM) THAT I WILL SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AGAINST ALL ENEMIES, FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC, THAT I WILL BEAR TRUE FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME; THAT I TAKE THIS OBLIGATION FREELY, WITHOUT ANY MENTAL RESERVATION OR PURPOSE OF EVASION; AND THAT I WILL WELL AND FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE UPON WHICH I AM ABOUT TO ENTER; SO HELP ME GOD.
FEDERAL JUDICIARY (1ST OF 2 OATHS)
I, _______, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR (OR AFFIRM) THAT I WILL ADMINISTER JUSTICE WITHOUT RESPECT TO PERSONS, AND DO EQUAL RIGHT TO THE POOR AND TO THE RICH, AND THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY AND IMPARTIALLY DISCHARGE AND PERFORM ALL THE DUTIES INCUMBENT UPON ME AS (OFFICE) UNDER THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES. [SO HELP ME GOD.]
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, THE VICE PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE CABINET, AND FEDERAL JUDGES (2ND OF 2 OATHS)
I, _______, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR (OR AFFIRM) THAT I WILL SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AGAINST ALL ENEMIES, FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC; THAT I WILL BEAR TRUE FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME; THAT I TAKE THIS OBLIGATION FREELY, WITHOUT ANY MENTAL RESERVATION OR PURPOSE OF EVASION; AND THAT I WILL WELL AND FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE ON WHICH I AM ABOUT TO ENTER. [SO HELP ME GOD.]
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
I, ______, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR (OR AFFIRM) THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.
REMEMBER YOUR OATH!
