Citizenship oath modernizes with new wording

[The Sushi Bandit]

The citizenship oath is getting a makeover after a half-century.



"It's being recrafted so it has more meaning to those who are raising their right hand and swearing" the oath, said Eduardo Aguirre Jr., director of Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Homeland Security Department. The updated oath will be made public Sept. 17.

Immigration officials have kept the rewrite quiet and only gave a few details Wednesday after the update was mentioned during a panel discussion that included Aguirre.

The language is being reworked to "make more sense to the brain," Aguirre said. "We're abjuring and renouncing princes and potentates. Do you think that's outdated? I don't know any potentates," Aguirre said.

The oath states, in part: "I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen."

The current oath dates to 1952.

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. Is bin Laden a Potentate?

Not a prince, and normally his adherents are called 'followers', not 'subjects', but he fits the rough Webster's definition: 'one who wields great power or sway'.

But it's not my oath (I'm British), so who am I to quibble?

[cherryperry]

2. B.S.

Remind me; how long before we can vote this scumbag administration out of existence?

I'm leaving DU for a bit so I can e-mail my senators and representative (all dems) on this issue.

Thanks for the post!

[The Sushi Bandit]

3. Your Welcome!