Support and Defend

 

 

  I have been thinking a great deal about the various oaths that people take when they assume a position in our government; whether elected, appointed or when joining the military or law enforcement. It makes me wonder sometimes if folks listen to the words and understand the words they are swearing to.  I know that each time I spoke those words from my initial enlistment and re-enlistments right down to the last time I re-enlisted for the “indefinite status” (no end date of enlistment), those words were heavy to me. I could feel the weight and the power of the Oath of Enlistment. I wonder about our politicians who recite their oath of office and how so often the way they vote and the policies they pursue come in direct conflict, at least to me, with their sworn oath to protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. The words of the oath I swore to were heavy and held meaning. They were powerful words and I believed in them with everything in me. Recently, San Diego Police Chief William Lansdowne said that we could disarm the American citizens within one generation. Really? What oath of office did he take? Was it to “support and defend parts of the Constitution”? All across the Nation we are seeing Sheriff’s take a stand against the un-Constitutional gun laws being considered (and passed into law in New York). Those Sheriff’s understand their oath of office. They understand the weight and power of those words and they believe in the words they are speaking and the responsibilities those words carry when taking their oath of office. I salute them and encourage others in positions of authority to do likewise; to remember their oath and make a commitment each day to live up to the responsibilities of the oath they took. There are a great many oaths out there depending on the office/position, but they all come back to supporting and defending the Constitution as their basis. We, as citizens, need to start holding people accountable when they violate their oath.

  I’ve also been thinking about the citizens of our great Nation that do not have an oath to swear to “uphold and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic”. I’ve had conversations with friends about this and they will invariably say that they would proudly swear to the oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic if they had the chance. Why shouldn’t citizens have an oath? Citizenship has its responsibilities. Males (and probably soon females) have to register for the Selective Service Program when they reach 18 years old, should they need to be called up for a draft. What if, at the same time they register, they also take an oath of citizenship to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic? While looking over the various oaths of office out there, I looked at the oath the Congress takes when they are elected/re-elected. I copied it and made one small change by taking out the part of their office and replaced it with “citizenship”. It was posted on our Monty On Guns Facebook page and it seemed to resonate with folks there. Nothing says citizens can’t voluntarily take an oath. In fact, someone voluntarily taking an oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic would carry more weight with me than some politician mumbling through the words on each of their numerous re-elections. The citizens who voluntarily take an oath; who accept the weight and power of those words, who accept the responsibilities that come with it, are the kind of citizens that built this Nation. They are the kinds that step up when trouble arises. They are the kinds of citizens that go about fixing things. They vote and often vote early. They sit on our juries, pay their taxes and they perform the duties of citizenship gladly. In case you missed it on our Facebook page, here is the oath that was posted there.

"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 citizenship. So help me God."

Who is on board?

ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

 

https://www.facebook.com/MontyOnGuns

 

http://www.dailypaul.com/272361/san-diego-police-chief-we-can-disarm-americans-within-a-generation