According to new guidance released by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, new immigrants will no longer be required to pledge to:

Reciting the Oath is part of the naturalization process. Candidates for citizenship normally declare that they will “bear arms on behalf of the United States” and “perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States” when required by the law.

A candidate may be eligible to exclude these two clauses based on religious training and belief or a conscientious objection.

This flies in the face of American history and tradition and law. Under the Selective Service Act, every US citizen is required to register for a possible draft. It is up to local draft boards to award Conscientious Objector status and if they award CO status they can legally require alternative non-combatant service.

SERVICE AS A CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR

Two types of service are available to conscientious objectors, and the type assigned is determined by the individual’s specific beliefs. The person who is opposed to any form of military service will be assigned to alternative service – described below. The person whose beliefs allow him to serve in the military but in a noncombatant capacity will serve in the Armed Forces but will not be assigned training or duties that include using weapons.

ALTERNATIVE SERVICE

Conscientious objectors opposed to serving in the military will be placed in the Selective Service Alternative Service Program. This program attempts to match COs with local employers. Many types of jobs are available, however the job must be deemed to make a meaningful contribution to the maintenance of the national health, safety, and interest.

Why we would accept as citizens anyone who refused to take the oath, as is,  beggars the imagination. The world is full of people who would happily be US citizens in every respect, why are we swearing in a Fifth Column.

More to the point, does this oath supersede the Selective Service Act? How would that work? Why would we want that?