I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will protect and defend the Constitution of the United States
This is what I had to agree to when I changed my political party affiliation several months ago. I don't remember it from Pennsylvania, New York, or Massachusetts, nor from the two other times I've registered to vote in Florida. I knew it to be required of the president and other high-level officials, but didn't know it applied to ordinary voters. Maybe it's new; maybe I just missed it or am remembering poorly. Whatever the case, it's a good idea, and I'm taking it most seriously.
The least I can do is vote with my mind, my heart, and my conscience.
The Constitution of the State of Florida is a bit more fragile, harder to protect and defend, because it's so easy to amend. But I'll do my bit by voting down some truly egregious constitutional amendments on the ballot this year.
(Click to enlarge.)
Oh, yikes, that's right out of the McCarthy era. I remember the entire music school at BU being gathered together and told we had to take that oath. Definitely to the right of Attila the Hun.
I hardly think it appropriate to require of music students, many of whom, even in my day but especially now, are not citizens of the United States.
But for a voting citizen? It seems to me the least we can do. I don't mean take an oath; I mean honor, protect, and defend the Constitution, which is the very foundation of our land.
Or at the very least, read it! I can't believe I got through 17 years of school without ever being required—or even encouraged—to read the most basic of our civic documents.
