Teacher Fired For Refusing Loyalty Oath TO US
May 2nd, 2008, 4:13 PM EDT
Wendy Gonaver was going to teach American Studies at Cal State, but just before the beginning of the semester she was asked to sign a loyalty oath, pledging to “defend” both the US and California constitutions “against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”
Gonaver is a Quaker and pacifist from Pennsylvania and a lifelong pacifist who objects to infringements on rights of free speech and religious freedom. She was willing to sign the pledge if they would have allowed her to attach a brief statement of her own, but they would not let her do that.
The subject of the course she doesn’t get to teach: free speech and religious freedom in the United States.
The military allows people to “affirm”, if they object to the verb “swear”.
Which is kinda cool. This seems more of a pretext than anything.
Have you seen Indoctrinate-U?
May 2nd, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Perhaps Cal State doesn’t want any legel issues, and takes an all or nothing approach to signing the oath. It’s hard to fault any person or entity for wanting to avoid legal trouble.
I’m confused though. If the law is so important, why do some universities and other govt agencies allow employees to attach a statement to it? Shouldn’t this be an all or nothing rule?
C Smith~ the actual constitution does give the option of ‘affirming’ rather than ’swearing’.
CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE 20 MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS
SEC. 3. Members of the Legislature, and all public officers and
employees, executive, legislative, and judicial, except such inferior
officers and employees as may be by law exempted, shall, before they
enter upon the duties of their respective offices, take and
subscribe the following oath or affirmation:
“I, ______, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support
and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Consti-
tution of the State of California against all enemies, foreign
and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the
Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the
State of California; that I take this obligation freely, without
any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will
well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which I am about
to enter.
“And I do further swear (or affirm) that I do not advocate,
nor
am I a member of any party or organization, political or other-
wise, that now advocates the overthrow of the Government of the
United States or of the State of California by force or violence
or other unlawful means; that within the five years immediately
preceding the taking of this oath (or affirmation) I have not
been a member of any party or organization, political or other-
wise, that advocated the overthrow of the Government of the
United States or of the State of California by force or violence
or other unlawful means except as follows:
________________________________________________________________
(If no affiliations, write in the words “No Exceptions”)
and that during such time as I hold the office of ______________
________________________________ I will not advocate nor become
(name of office)
a member of any party or organization, political or otherwise,
that advocates the overthrow of the Government of the United
States or of the State of California by force or violence or
other unlawful means.”
And no other oath, declaration, or test, shall be required as a
qualification for any public office or employment.
“Public officer and employee” includes every officer and employee
of the State, including the University of California, every county,
city, city and county, district, and authority, including any
department, division, bureau, board, commission, agency, or
instrumentality of any of the foregoing.
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate?waisdocid=7629381570+0+0+0&waisaction=retrieve
May 2nd, 2008 at 5:16 pm
The more times I read this oath, the more I’m confused about what the big deal is. It’s an oath of allegiance to the Constitution (and CA state const.), which is exactly what this lady wanted to teach about. She digs the Constitution, so why is she not wanting to sign this? I don’t think any citizen should be involved in activities directed towards overthrowing our govt, and if they are they should be deported.
Why be a citizen of a country with a govt that you want to overthrow? Well, there are some countries with a govt worthy of overthrowing. But this is America. WE don’t overthrow our govt, we protest and pursue Constitutional changes.
May 2nd, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Well, if you want to teach leftist ideals like free speech (blame American first) and religious freedom (the war against Christianity) you have to be prepared to pick up a gun and fight off the infidel, but get yourself elected Vice President and you don’t have to worry about it, because participating in national defense is for the “little people.”
May 2nd, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Loyalty oaths are straight out of McCarthyism.
I thought we’d gotten past that idiotic idea.
Silly me.
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:08 pm
People that want to enjoy all the freedoms that this country allows them should be ready when called upon to defend those freedoms.
May 3rd, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Right on, Craig. I really don’t understand the problem with this oath.
Boogieman~ did you actually read the oath, or just brush it off b/c it’s from the McCarthy era?
May 3rd, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Haven’t read it; so what?
Several religions don’t allow their followers to swear oaths.
May 4th, 2008 at 1:43 am
Of course you didn’t read it.
What about swearing an oath to God? Hmmmm????
You don’t even know what this oath says.
May 4th, 2008 at 3:02 am
The government can not require an oath to god.
May 5th, 2008 at 3:03 am