Fox host Elisabeth Hasselbeck was a vision of scripted outrage as she twisted the facts to suggest that new citizens don’t have to pledge allegiance to the U.S. any more.
As Media Matters explains, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has provided guidance to clarify that new citizens may seek exemption from the clause in the Oath of Allegiance that commits them to “bear arms on behalf of the United States,” similar to the conscientious objection exemptions that have been available to U.S. citizens since the 1970s.
But Hasselbeck deliberately led viewers to think that now new citizens don’t have to pledge allegiance to the U.S. at all. Which just happens to fit in nicely with a Fox News meme of suggesting that President Obama is not really American.
HASSELBECK: Millions come to the United States for the chance at a new life in the greatest country on the planet. But now, under a new order from President Obama’s immigration officials, new citizens will no longer be required to pledge their allegiance to the United States.
…It has to be so troubling. So under this provision, too, it’s not required to belong to a specific church, religion or theology to even qualify for this exemption. You know, we’re asking the very best to serve all the rest. And when someone is provided with an exemption so easily, how troubling is that?
Of course, Hasselbeck never served, herself. And rather than ask someone with real knowledge of the subject, “patriotic” Hasselbeck turned to Medal of Honor winner (and Bristol Palin’s baby daddy) Dakota Meyer.
Predictably, Meyer slammed the decision. “How disgraceful is that?” he objected. “If you’re not willing to defend (our freedom), this is probably the wrong country. You need to go somewhere else.”
“Why is this happening?” Hasselbeck laughably asked Meyer. As impressive as Meyer’s background is, he hardly seems to be in a position to know as he has no apparent experience in immigration or government policy.
Sure enough, Meyer didn’t know. But he was willing to spout off on all the things he thinks are wrong in this country, or at least everything he could fit into the next minute or so before Hasselbeck ended the discussion.
Watch it below, from the July 23 Fox & Friends.
Hey, ’kota — perhaps you should offer that same advice to
- George W. Bush
- ‘lil dick Cheney
- Bill O’Reilly
- Sean Hannity
- Rush Limpballs
- John (The Talking Toilet Brush) Bolton
and the other rightwingnut chickenhawks . . .
.