• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About John Hembree
  • Blog

John Hembree

An Everyday Expression of Hope and Its Potential

An Everyday Expression of Hope 

An Oath of Allegiance…So Help Me God

July 3, 2012 by John Hembree Leave a Comment

In 1988 I worked as a congressional staffer for a conservative congressman. Loved my job. We were making a difference, we really were. At the time one of the areas I helped constituents was in the area of immigration and naturalization.

I do not recall the details of the case, but, there was a young person whose family was trying to get him out of the Soviet Union. There was a small gap and window of time for us to succeed. Our office was working with the State Department and other resources to be able to bring them safely into this country.

In short, we were successful and I was invited to their naturalization service while they took the oath of allegiance to become a citizen of the United States. It was one of the most moving services of that type I had ever attended. These people who came from many different backgrounds and countries were actually “swearing” their allegiance to this country.

Here’s the oath of allegiance.

“I solemnly, freely, and without mental reservation, I hereby renounce under oath all allegiance to any foreign state. My fidelity and allegiance from this day forward is to the United States of America. I pledge to support, honor, and be loyal to the United States, its Constitution, and its laws. Where and if lawfully required, I further commit myself to defend the Constitution and laws of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, either by military, noncombatant, or civilian service. This I do solemnly swear, so help me God.”

If you ever have an opportunity to go to a similar service go to it. You will be reminded as to the freedoms we are afforded in this country.

It is definitely something to consider as we go into the Fourth of July holiday.

JHH

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Filed Under: General

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe

Get Email Updates

* indicates required
/ ( mm / dd )

Recent Posts

Simple And Reassuring Heroes

Don’t Eat The Cheese

Direction Question

The Witch of Endor

My Life

Hidden But Known…

Better Days

Recent Comments

  • Emily on 61
  • Mere on An Incomplete Circle- An Unfinished Life
  • Emily on Reaching Forward…Each New Day
  • Emily on Not A Resolution..More Of A Resolve
  • Dan Davis on I Am Inescapable

Footer

  • Privacy Policy

© Copyright 2008-2021 · All Rights Reserved · Website by TecAdvocates