The Oath

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