A Strange Law
I meant to blog about this last week, but got distracted. A friend of mine who volunteered in Chicago was telling me about how, when she went to volunteer, she had to sign an oath not to overthrow the government. (The woman quoted in the article is NOT my friend, who did sign the oath.)
Full article here, logins available at bugmenot.com if needed.
After hearing about this oath from my friend, I poked around, and found out different states have different oath requirements. Many have the standard US Government oath that you have to take when you get any sort of federal government job. The same one the Pres takes when swearing in: to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. (Ironic, ain't it?) The Illinois oath seems rather extreme, and caused a lot of comment, according to my friend.
After looking things over, I decided this wasn't some new sinister thing, as it sounded at first. I think to work as a state or federal government volunteer, you are required to take the same oath as if you were working non-volunteer for the government. This is definitely true about the federal government. (I know, for instance, that Peace Corps volunteers have always had to take the oath upholding the Constitution.) This is probably the same oath the state politcians and workers all take. Sure, it sounds extreme, but remember that Illinois contains Chicago, where people vote early and vote often ;). So on that level, it makes sense even if it seems annoying and strange. Although I personally wonder about the effectiveness of such an oath--it rather reminds me of those questions you used to answer at the airline counter. Do they think someone is going to say 'Oh, sorry, can't sign/say that, I plan to overthrow the government next week!' or something?
Helper refused to sign oath; state refused help
By John Bebow
Tribune staff reporter
Published September 22, 2005
Jessica Parman wanted to help hurricane victims but didn't see the need to pledge allegiance to her government to do it.
Parman said she was turned away from a hurricane relief center in Chicago last week because she refused to sign an oath presented by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.
The oath required, in part, that volunteers "support and defend" the United States and Illinois Constitutions and swear not to "advocate nor become a member of any political party or organization" that advocated the overthrow of the state or federal governments "by force or violence."
Full article here, logins available at bugmenot.com if needed.
After hearing about this oath from my friend, I poked around, and found out different states have different oath requirements. Many have the standard US Government oath that you have to take when you get any sort of federal government job. The same one the Pres takes when swearing in: to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. (Ironic, ain't it?) The Illinois oath seems rather extreme, and caused a lot of comment, according to my friend.
After looking things over, I decided this wasn't some new sinister thing, as it sounded at first. I think to work as a state or federal government volunteer, you are required to take the same oath as if you were working non-volunteer for the government. This is definitely true about the federal government. (I know, for instance, that Peace Corps volunteers have always had to take the oath upholding the Constitution.) This is probably the same oath the state politcians and workers all take. Sure, it sounds extreme, but remember that Illinois contains Chicago, where people vote early and vote often ;). So on that level, it makes sense even if it seems annoying and strange. Although I personally wonder about the effectiveness of such an oath--it rather reminds me of those questions you used to answer at the airline counter. Do they think someone is going to say 'Oh, sorry, can't sign/say that, I plan to overthrow the government next week!' or something?
posted by BlogShy at
5:36 AM
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