5 U.S. Code § 3331 – Oath of office

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An individual, except the President, elected or appointed to an office of honor or profit in the civil service or uniformed services, shall take the following oath: “I, AB, 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.” This section does not affect other oaths required by law.

(Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 424.)

The oath of office for the congress of the United States.  Each member of congress must swear or affirm this statement, hence it will be his/her duty to uphold this document, this concept, this supreme law of the land…

We have bald eagles in this part of the country – not an abundance of them, but enough so that we get a chance to enjoy the thrill of watching that majestic avian soar in the Ozark sky once in a while.  When I see one, I sometimes wonder what if he really could understand the role to which he has been assigned as our national emblem.  Maybe by some Providential determination of fate, he is able to look down upon the magnificent landscapes, the mountains, prairies, the cities, and woodlands and realize the significance he bears on those great wings.  If that were so, I’d wager he is ashamed nowadays, seeing how this once great notion of a republic has failed – or better, is in the process of failing.  The eagle didn’t take an oath, but sometimes it seems like he has served our country with more dedication than many who did.

If he could understand what’s going on, and if birds could cry, tears would fall like rain when he flies over the tent cities of Denver, Portland, the garbage strewn city streets like Kensington Avenue in Philadelphia, and so many other dismal scenes – watching human beings destroy themselves with hypodermic needles and hopelessness.  If he only understood human language, he’d be appalled at the sheer volume of absurdity reaching up into his abode from places like the Rayburn building coming from prostitutes and interlopers who now occupy seats once the province of honorable men.  Wise men who came before them once debated and made decisions there that were intended to serve that sacred oath they swore.  Representation of their constituents was paramount – it’s why they were there.  The eagle has watched in abject disgust and despondence as the caliber of the people in these once-honored offices has diminished to the extent that he is ready and willing to pass off his once lofty assignment to the buzzard – after all, that nasty creature would be a more fitting icon for today’s American politicians, but then it might be unfair to demean the vulture with this undeserved comparison, for – like the eagle – he didn’t swear an oath.

The stately eagle probably frowns over all the images of himself ubiquitously displayed on money, monuments, important documents, but I’d guess the most appalling to him is his caricature on the seal of the executive.  The presidential seal.  I’m sure he would be particularly embarrassed by what passes for executive leadership and has for many more terms now than I care to recall (and I’m old).  The presidency of this country is a sick and demented joke.  Look at the caliber of men we’ve had in office since Eisenhower.  With few exceptions, they’ve all been execrable liars and many even criminals.  Some – in fact many folks believe some are unconvicted war criminals.

Carrion eaters gorge themselves on carcasses until they can barely fly.  When they are startled while feasting on some road-killed delicacy, sometimes they must regurgitate considerable volumes of stomach content so they can quickly reduce their take-off weight and get airborne faster.  I wonder if the eagle does that when he flies over Washington, D.C., of course reducing his body weight wouldn’t be why he’d willingly surrender big volumes of his possum et tu fe.  It would no doubt happen as a result of overhearing some presidential speech or a congressional debate in which the cognitive mediocrity of those speaking and debating is perpetually and unashamedly on display.

Back to that oath they took.  No one held a gun to their head and made them swear it.  They did it of their own free will. Some might believe they swore it, not because they believed in it, but because it was simply a step required for them to occupy a seat of power.  A seat they unabashedly and appallingly grovel before wealthy donors to inherit. Nonetheless, since they voluntarily swore the oath, it follows that they should be expected to perform that which was promised.  But then, following their sworn constitutional obligations often gets them cross-threaded with the desires of those same donors, so guess which path they invariably take? Sometimes you have to wonder if they even had an inkling of the responsibly that oath would require of them as they uttered it.  You certainly can’t tell by their actions in office.

I’m a U. S. Navy veteran.  Served in the pre-com and early operations of the USS Nimitz back in the seventies.  I took a similar oath to the one all of our public “servants” took.  Foreign and domestic.  Is anyone still trying to figure out why they put that word in the oath?  Neither am I.  The fact is, oath notwithstanding, many, if not most, of our leaders – to put it mildly – do not seem to have the best interests of America at heart.  What I believe makes that oath still applicable to me and other vets is the fact that we didn’t sign anything upon our release from duty that absolved or in any way relieved us of our obligation under that oath.  As far as I’m concerned, it’s still in effect for us.  Domestic – for sure!

That old eagle is bound to have figured this business out too.  I wonder if he could resign his post, because unlike politicians, such as some unnamed deputy Secretary of State, it’s through no fault of his own that his job – that of national emblem – might soon be up for grabs, and I don’t blame him.

Although the outlook for our country is dismal, there just might be a way to show our loyalty to our nation and regain the trust of that wonderful animal we have selected to represent it.  There is a movement that is gaining much traction in this country, in fact it is named Our Country Our Choice.  I’m a member, and I believe through this organization, we have an opportunity to get our legs back under us, but it’s going to take some serious dedication and work.  Our leaders have dug us into a deep hole from which we have to dig ourselves out.  We weren’t paying attention and now we’re seeing the results.  It’s way past time to start paying attention.  Get involved – there’s plenty of room on board this train.  More and more God-fearing patriots are joining daily.

The leader of this movement is one Colonel Douglass Macgregor.  He’s a retired Army officer with extensive military and political experience.  He’s a smart leader (Wow! What a novel idea!) and I think he’s just the guy who can lead us to a better future.  I implore every American, and especially my fellow veterans, to look into this – it may well be the last hope we have, and it looks quite promising – especially with a man of the caliber of Colonel Macgregor at the helm.

Catch some of his interviews – he’s often on YouTube at Judging Freedom with Judge Andrew Napolitano and many others. Check out the website – Our Country Our Choice.

Who knows? That old eagle might just get a chance to soar proudly over a nation of free people again.

God bless,

Mike K