‘I, [name], 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; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.’ — U.S. Uniformed Services Oath of Office
Editor-In-Chief, Chester “Trip” Buckenmaier III, MD, COL (ret.), MC, USA
I have sworn this oath several times throughout my military career, as did my wife and first daughter. A framed print of the oath of office adorned our living room for years. Often, when asked what I did for a living by a new acquaintance, I will state that I spent a career protecting and defending the United States Constitution. It is an occupation my family has been involved in for generations. Except for my family, nothing has been more fundamentally important to my identity and sense of purpose. Defense of our Constitution is the most important endeavor I have performed to protect my family, posterity and my country.
Two recent events have made me dyspeptic and filled me with unease. They are symptomatic of the ongoing threat being mounted in this country to rid our society of this foundational document that outlines the rules supporting our nonviolent union. The first is the likely selection of a presidential candidate in the 2024 election who was determined by a jury of his peers to be a felon. The Constitution, unfortunately, says nothing about a criminal running for president. I doubt our founding fathers could possibly fathom a situation where a felon would receive a party nomination for President of the United States. The situation certainly baffles my mind, and I have fantasized about moving to another galaxy in the multiverse where this set of circumstances does not exist. Sadly, despite my overdeveloped love of science fiction, getting off this universe’s crazy train is not an option.
To be clear, I am an independent voter. I have never ascribed to either political party, preferring to vote for candidates who seemed best suited to lead the country in a direction I would desire. Have I been disappointed in my choices? Absolutely, many times over. I vividly recall sitting in a dust-filled tent in Iraq, being incredibly disillusioned about politics, but then casualties arrived, and I got back to work.
Honestly, I am not thrilled with the prospect of either presidential candidate in the upcoming election. Then again, the two presidential candidates are really not the issue in this election from my perspective. This election is not an epic smackdown between two geriatrics (entertaining as that may seem); it is a battle between those who would defend the U.S. Constitution and those who would tear it down.
I disagreed with the political decisions that resulted in the Iraq war. Despite my objections, I never once thought, even while deployed, that the solution was the dissolution of the constitutional government I had sworn to defend. I fundamentally understand that the U.S. Constitution is the foundation behind all the American institutions we depend on. Federal medicine, for example, is one such institution. Is it flawed? Oh, hell yes. I have often used this column to highlight the tarnish spots in the federal medicine system. Would I have the institution eliminated because of its issues? Oh, hell no! Despite its flaws, federal medicine is a contender for the best health system on the planet. Rationalizing the destruction of an institution in a democracy because it is flawed is akin to burning your car because it has a flat tire.
As I have suggested in prior editorials, the Constitution is not about individual freedom. It is about protecting public freedoms from those individuals who act outside the lawful boundaries set by our institutions and the Constitution they support. This idea, I will defend.
The recent House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic was the second event that illustrates the ongoing attack on our institutions (and, by extension, the Constitution). Anthony Fauci, MD, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), testified before the subcommittee on his activities during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. In a particularly nasty exchange, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (D-GA) suggested Congress should write a criminal referral against Fauci for “crimes against humanity” about his work during the pandemic. She further indicated that Fauci should be in prison. Greene’s recriminations of Fauci are unfettered by any basis in reality and free of any supporting evidence. Fauci later admitted on CNN that the ongoing conspiracy theories, like Greene’s baseless allegations concerning his work during the pandemic, continue to stimulate threats of violence against his person and family. My heart aches for Fauci, an exemplary public servant who has devoted his life to protecting our population from disease. President George W. Bush awarded Fauci the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2008 for his tireless work protecting the nation from infectious disease. This recognition was long overdue, in my opinion.
It is dangerous when our elected leaders feel no restraint in attacking our federal institutions and career public servants without any factual evidence for some warped sense of loyalty to an individual leader rather than the Constitution. We freed ourselves from a king centuries ago. In the United States, everyone (as was recently demonstrated) is equal under the law. Our institutions and the Constitution they support provide a level playing field upon which we may all seek a more perfect union. I will continue to work within my sphere of influence to improve the institution of federal medicine, but that does not involve destroying said institution despite its flaws. I will also perform my civic responsibility to vote for elected leaders this year. I may not like the choices, but I will be voting for those leaders who, based on their actions and rhetoric, defend rather than weaken our Constitution.
Disclaimer; The views expressed here are solely the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher or the federal government.