Basil Dalack, newly elected Florida councilman, is refusing to take the oath of office, which includes a pledge of support for the US government, because he is angry about the war in Iraq.
MIAMI (Reuters) – A newly elected councilman in a tiny Florida village has refused to take an oath of office pledging support for the U.S. government because he adamantly opposes the war in Iraq.
Councilman-elect Basil Dalack, 76, a Korean War veteran, won an uncontested election to fill a vacancy on the five-person council of the southeast Florida town of Tequesta.
But he is refusing to take the oath of office — due to be administered on Thursday — because the oath requires him to “support, protect and defend” the government. His decision comes at a time when polls show ebbing support for the war.
Dalack said he believes the U.S. war in Iraq is unjust and “an abomination.” He said he could not sleep at night if he took a pledge implying blanket support for the U.S. government.
“Those dead kids in Iraq, American kids and Iraqi kids, would haunt me,” Dalack said.
Keep in mind that the oath in question is virtually identical to the oaths for state, county, and local office holders. However, since he doesn’t like the oath, he thinks it should be rewritten just for him. What arrogance.
Simple solution…Kick his sorry ass out of office!!!
Absolutely, kick him out. Just when I think I have heard everything from the nutty left, they take it one more step closer to complete insanity.
86 The Twit.
If he can’t take the oath … isn’t that legally a deal breaker?
Can we question their patriotism now? What a moron. He is not being asked to support the policies of the current Presidient. He is being asked to swear allegiance to the US and the US government.
Would he have said the same thing on September 12, 2001?
Waitaminute.
Not even people who join the *military* swear to support the government, do they? I thought they swore to uphold the constitution and the people and probably obey those rightfully above them or something.
It was a long time ago and I don’t remember, but I really thought it was the constitution.
Senile ahole from Palm Beach County. As long as he doesn’t take the oath he is not in office. Typical lefty all pose and no substance.
I think Synova is correct. I took an oath to serve on a school board, and my recollection is that it concerned the Constitution and the laws of the land.
I think Reuters purposely did not publish the oath (they aren’t very long) just to preserve an element of controversy.
Florida official told: No substitute oaths
The prick threatens to cost the taxpayers of Tequesta Village money if they don’t cave to his demands.
Daleck, a semi-retired appellate lawyer, is sticking by his written statement: “Make no mistake, if you don’t end this right now, you will be costing the taxpayers a lot of money to pay for high-priced lawyers to fight me tooth and nail; it will cost me only my time … and I can represent myself in the Supreme Court, if push comes to shove,” he wrote.
I hope Tequesta Village can counter sue Daleck to recover their court costs after this SOB loses his case.
Note the absence of mention of party affiliation in these wire reports. You’ll just have to guess.
But don’t you dare, don’t you damned dare!, question his (or their) patriotism.
I smell a recall brewing. I know this village well, and his position is not going to be well received by his constituents.
This from the Palm Beach Post:
The Florida Constitution requires county and state officials to swear to “support, protect, and defend the Constitution and Government of the United States and of the State of Florida.”
This ornery prick has already sued his own town, and to their credit, they’re not backing down.
Uhmmm… I don’t believe he can serve unless he takes the oath. I’m a councilmember also, and that’s just stupid.
Lose your sleep, pal.
Could somebody do a little historical research? My first thought is that the “support the US government” rhetoric may be an artifact of Reconstruction.
It reminds me a bit of Article I of the North Carolina Constitution. Note Section 4:
That section is almost obviously a bit put in in the wake of Civil War and Reconstruction. Could this Florida oath have a similar provenance?
–|PW|–
Regarding synova’s question about the oath military personnel take (which I took many years ago… and still consider binding on me), it is slightly different depending on whether one is an officer or an enlisted man:
For officers:
“I, _____ (SSAN), having been appointed an officer in the Army of the United States, as indicated above in the grade of _____ do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter; So help me God.” (DA Form 71, 1 August 1959, for officers.)
For enlisted soldiers:
“I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.” (Title 10, US Code; Act of 5 May 1960 replacing the wording first adopted in 1789, with amendment effective 5 October 1962).
http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/faq/oaths.htm
I assume that the oaths are fundamentally the same for each of the services.
“Make no mistake, if you don’t end this right now, you will be costing the taxpayers a lot of money to pay for high-priced lawyers to fight me tooth and nail; it will cost me only my time … and I can represent myself in the Supreme Court, if push comes to shove,” he wrote.
Typical threatening lawyer jerkass rhetoric.
He’s not even an official yet, they should call a special election or just keep the seat vacant; I’m sure they’ll have a quorum for city business. Oh yeah, get a restraining order on him to keep him away from city hall.
Doc:
Are you saying these aren’t genuine?
–|PW|–
Arrogance, thy name is moonbat.
He should be arrested for causing a public disturbance,disrupting public services,disorderly conduct,disturbing the peace,littering and being an all around commie asshole !
And i forgot at least one more, Terroristic threats.
So if he is to serve an office affiliated and granted by the United States government, which he refuses to swear an oath to uphold and protect, how exactly does he think that will work?
That’s rather like getting married and refusing to say “I do”…which in essense means you in fact, do not.
I hope he doesn’t want that job too badly, because he isn’t getting it. Maybe he can move to Iraq and be elected as Mayor of Fallujah.
I’d rather swear support for the government, or preferably to uphold the constitution, than pledge allegiance to a piece of cloth.
If he won’t take the oath of office, he shouldn’t be allowed to assume the office. The oath can’t be tailored to suit the persoanl beliefs of every would-be office holder.
I’d rather swear support for the government, or preferably to uphold the constitution, than pledge allegiance to a piece of cloth.
Hmm. . . fair enough, mantis. You’re still willing to swear support for the ideals and nation that cloth represents. I don’t think anyone should demand more.
This is in Tequesta, Florida, about 10 minutes from my house. The same county-Palm Beach- where the infamous Al Gore recount began. Just 3 weeks ago the Mayor of West Palm Beach, Lois Frankel, mentioned the “crime” that occurred in the election of 2000 when Gore lost in the recount-when Gore returned here to give a speech benefiting the Democratic Party.
We (Palm Beach County) are home to Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, and Dick Morris on one side and many loony, loony lefties on the other.
Do You have a lot of guys named Chad hanging around Your place ?