The Oath to Protect and Defend

As a new member of the Viet Nam era United States Army I swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. There was no expiration date on that oath. I believe that oath has been made by every individual that has become a member of the United States armed forces from private to commander of the armed forces.

I also believe that oath is sworn by every member of the congress of the United States: Democrat, Republican, or Independent. The leader of the present administration is allowing Elon Musk and a small group of professional hackers to enter and observe, or modify, or copy, the once secure systems of our government and to use that yet unpublished information not to reduce but to eliminate entire parts of our government that have been established by laws written by our congress and signed into law.

Congress and congress only can write our laws, a president can approve or veto a law. Our judicial system determines if the laws are acceptable with our constitution.

Anyone who tries to go over, or around, or through, our constitution is a threat to our country, our democracy, and the memory of the many, many, Americans of all religions, all races, all sexes that have fought and died to protect our constitution and our way of life.

I think that it is very important that any member of our government must believe and follow the oath they have sworn to defend and protect the constitution of the United States. Oaths and allegiances to individuals might be acceptable to Russians and North Koreans but in the United States of America the Constitution of the United States comes first!

Joseph Cleveland 

Towanda, Pa

Printed in the Towanda Daily Review on 2/26/25

(Posted with the permission of the author.)