I, [name], 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.
The
Oath
On December 7, 1941
people were awakened by the sounds of explosions, gunfire and planes.
Now 78 years passed, The Empire of Japan had attacked the Naval
Fleet of the United States of America while anchored at Pearl Harbor
in Hawaii. By the end of the day some 20 naval vessels were damaged
or sunk, over 300 airplanes were destroyed, more than 2400 Americans
were dead and another 1000 wounded. By the next day the United
States was at war.
It took nearly 4
years, 420, 000 American lives and $4,100,000,000,000 (in today's
dollars) to emerge from that war victorious. It remains the most
savage period in our planet's history.
Every one of the
military personnel took the oath of office mentioned above as had all
others prior to this day. They did not swear an oath to God, the
President or even to the people of the United States. They swore an
oath to the Constitution of the United States of America. Every
person who holds office in this great nation swears this oath or one
very similar. All to the Constitution. To defend it against all
enemies, foreign and domestic.
Our Constitution
came into force in 1789 and since that date every person who acts in
the name of the United States has taken that oath. It is telling
that we swear an oath to the Constitution because it is that founding
document that is the supreme law of the land. The swearing of the
oath says that we are a nation of laws and not people. That all
people are held to be equal under the Constitution. It has not
always been acknowledged in that manner nor has it been enforced in
that manner but we continue to strive to achieve that “more perfect
union.”
When we think of
those American men and women who have served, many of whom lost their
lives, it is important for us to remember the reason they did that.
It is important that we remember than it is the principles set forth
in the Constitution for which they served and sacrificed. It was for
things like Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, Freedom from
Unreasonable Searches and Seizures, Equality of Treatment under the
law, Freedom to Choose our Representatives in Congress and the list
goes on and on. Any time we deny our fellow citizens these Rights
and Freedoms we are denying the sacrifice of those who have served to
ensure them. It is also incumbent that we realize that, as citizens,
there is a requirement that we uphold those Constitutional Freedoms.
The burden does not fall on military alone.
On this day, when
our national memory reaches back to December 7, 1941, not only
should we recall the unanticipated destruction of that day and the
war that followed but we should reflect on why we found it important
to state that we would not see those Rights and Freedoms become only
a memory. That should also be on every citizen's mind as he or she
walks through life. That even in our everyday lives we defend those
Freedoms.
On this special day
our individual and national thanks go out to our Fathers and Mothers
who sacrificed in this National Cause, regardless of the means of
their sacrifice. When we consider the destruction of that day let's
not forget the real reason for the sacrifices and let's assume the
same fealty to the Constitution that enumerates those rights that our
forbears did and take up the cost of assuring them for our brothers
and sisters.
Indivisible Lake
Cumberland
