[lit-ideas] Re: Bawer
- From: Robert Paul <robert.paul@xxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2006 19:33:14 -0800
Eric wrote:
Doesn't this indicate that there should be some sort of oath of
allegiance taken as conditional of citizenship? Maybe there is already?
What's the story on that?
There are several. One is the oath taken by those who have met the
requirements for US citizenship, just before they are so pronounced:
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 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. In acknowledgement whereof I have hereunto
affixed my signature.
(In some cases, INS allows the oath to be taken without the clauses:
"… that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when
required by law; that I will perform non-combatant service in the Armed
Forces of the United States when required by law…")
Another, although not exactly parallel is discussed at:
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/uchistory/archives_exhibits/loyaltyoath/
Yet another is found in one of the two questions asked of
Japanese-American internees in WW II:
In 1943 all internees over the age of seventeen were given a loyalty
test. They were asked two questions:
1. Are you willing to serve in the armed forces of the United States on
combat duty wherever ordered? (Females were asked if they were willing
to volunteer for the Army Nurse Corps or Women's Army Corps.)
2. Will you swear unqualified allegiance to the United States of America
and faithfully defend the United States from any or all attack by
foreign or domestic forces and forswear any form of allegiance or
obedience to the Japanese emperor, to any other foreign government,
power or organization?
Loyalty oaths are not only loathesome, but futile.
Robert Paul
The Reed Institute
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