Inside the Beltway

Renouncing terror

What better day than the Fourth of July for immigrants to take the oath of allegiance to become Americans?

Now, with input from former attorney general Edwin Meese III, a congressman wants the newest class of Americans to renounce terrorism in the process of being administered the oath.

Rep. Jim Ryun, Kansas Republican, has introduced legislation to amend the Oath of Renunciation and Allegiance so that it is “readable and understandable” for immigrants and ensures they “renounce any ties to a terrorist organization.”

The proposed language for the new oath:

“I entirely renounce all allegiance to any foreign state or power of which I have been a subject or citizen.

“My fidelity and allegiance from this day forward are to the United States of America.

“I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution and laws of the United States, and will support and defend them against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

“I will bear arms, or perform noncombatant duty or civilian service, on behalf of the United States, when required by law.

“This I solemnly swear, so help me God.”

English instructions

Mauro E. Mujica, chairman of Washington-based U.S. English Inc., weighs in after a Riverside, Calif., crane operator sued the state of California claiming his rights are being violated because he is not allowed to take his safety certification in Spanish.

According to press accounts, Tom Ledesma failed his mobile crane certification test in English on May 14, and is now asking the state to cease issuing crane-operating certificates until a Spanish test is offered.

“The claim that immigrants have a constitutional right to operate heavy machinery without understanding the English language is absolutely breathtaking,” says Mr. Mujica, himself an immigrant from South America. “While California may choose to offer certain services in foreign languages, that does not mean that the state has an obligation to do so, particularly where lives and limbs are at stake.”

Bar the stars

Flying the American flag this Independence Day?

Not everybody is so privileged.

Alarmed to learn that some homeowners’ associations and condominiums prevent Americans from flying the U.S. flag at their homes, Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett, Maryland Republican, has introduced legislation that would ensure the right of an individual to display the U.S. flag on his or her residential property.

Crying wolf?

If you believe the latest Zogby poll, 42 percent of Americans would favor impeachment proceedings if President Bush is found to have misled the nation about his reasons for going to war in Iraq.

“The results of this Zogby poll are astonishing and reveal the depth of anger among the American people over President Bush’s lies about Iraq — even among 25 percent of Republicans,” reacts one such believer, Bob Fertik, president of Democrats.com.

Then again, that same John Zogby — just hours before the polls closed on Election Day 2004 — predicted a John Kerry presidential victory by a margin of 311 electoral votes to 213.

Tar and feather

What if a TV anchorman were to announce: “The president nominated George Washington for the Supreme Court to fill the vacancy left by Sandra Day O’Connor. Democrats immediately attacked Washington for his environmental record of chopping down cherry trees.”

Don’t laugh, says Progress for America, a national grass-roots organization dedicated to supporting a conservative issue agenda.

“Some Democrats will attack any Supreme Court nominee,” insists the group, calling past attacks of judicial nominees a “smear” and “dishonest.”

In preparation for pending attacks on President Bush’s nominee to replace Justice O’Connor, who announced Friday that she is retiring, the group is distributing “Tar & Feather Inc.: A Liberal 10-Step Plan for Judicial Character Assassination.”

• John McCaslin, whose column is nationally syndicated, can be reached at 202/636-3284 or jmccaslin@washingtontimes.com.