Minister’s Corner: A Renewal of Vows… for Citizens

I was recently asked to officiate at a ceremony of a couples who want to renew their vows.
I was also recently in a conversation with someone who reported that they were in a room with a
mix of both recent American citizens originally from other countries, and birthright US Citizens.
The short point being that how and why’s of American civics, how the branches of government
work; and the understanding of the basic principles of was better understood by the foreign born
than the Native-born citizens.
It got me thinking…
What if like jury duty, registering for the draft, and filing taxes, periodically native born
American citizens were required to take a refresher course in American Civics, or participate in a
renewal of vows.
What might those look like. What might we as Americans be asked to reflect on? What would
or should a renewal of vows a native-born American citizen might be asked to attest to look like
Here are a few to chew on…
I vow to hold true that a balance of power between our legislative, executive, and judicial
branches of government has been a greater source of stability than inefficiency for our
government.
I vow to hold true that any government or politician that seeks to control the freedom of
the press should be themselves held suspect of wanting more control than our government has
historically been willing to grant leaders.
I vow to be cautious of any leader, party, or agenda who seeks to constrain, disarm, or
dismantle the regulatory arm of government, as motivated by an exaggerated desire for their own
economic freedom or political control.
I as an American Citizen commit to being wary and resist those who wish to violate the
delicate balance of power that has existed for 250 years.
I vow to be wary of politicians whose temperaments and behavior suggest that they are
driven by an excessive narcissistic and/or anti-social behavior,
I vow to be wary of politicians who make political appointments on the basis of loyalty
over competency.

These are just a few. As we witness the speedy, seemingly reckless challenge to so many long-
standing American norms I invite you, to periodically pause and ask yourself, as you already
likely are, what the real motivations might be for any newly proposed change in law.