re: #403 Eventual Carrion

These lovers of the Constitution.

US Constitution Article 6, Clause 3

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.

When I was first prepared to take up my seat on my village board after the special election, I sent a query to the county prosecutor/attorney asking about the clause in the Nebraska constitution that requires swearing an oath to God to take up a public office, noting I am an atheist (though I think he knew that already). He inquired of the state attorney general, who issued what amounted to a “special dispensation” to me to make an affirmation of office instead of an oath.

(I was prepared to sue if I was denied my rightful seat on religious grounds.)

The issue didn’t come up again when I was reëlected. (I wondered how Ernie Chambers got around that issue in the state constitution … probably the same sort of query.)