Latest news with #allegiance
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Grenada government and opposition join forces to drop oath of allegiance to King Charles
The government and opposition in the Caribbean island of Grenada have joined forces to drop the oath of allegiance to the British crown amid growing calls to remove King Charles as the country's head of state. A statement from the government announcing the move said that in 'a commendable display of national unity' the country's parliament had agreed bills to amend the country's constitution. The change will remove the words 'His Majesty King Charles the Third, His Heirs and Successors' from the pledge of allegiance and replace them with 'Grenada'. In the statement, Grenada's prime minister, Dickon Mitchell, said: 'The unanimous support for this amendment demonstrates our shared commitment to national identity and constitutional progress and while we may differ on many issues, today we stand together in affirming that our allegiance belongs to Grenada and its people.' Later, he told local media: 'I don't think anyone in their right mind will expect me – or any future prime minister of Grenada – on taking the oath of office to serve them, that I should be swearing allegiance to King Charles, his heirs and successor.' He added: 'What is it about King Charles that is superior to me, that requires me not to swear allegiance to the people of Grenada but to him?' The prime minister added: 'Sovereign countries have excellent bilateral relations. That doesn't mean that you have to swear allegiance to the head of a state of another foreign country.' This only happened, he pointed out, because Grenada was a former British colony and not because it was voted on by Grenadians. The governor-general, Dame Cécile La Grenade, the Crown's representative in Grenada, assented to the two pieces of legislation to amend the oath, after they were approved in both the lower and upper Houses of Parliament. Grenada's tourism and culture minister, Adrian Thomas, said the move was a response to decades of calls from Grenadians to change the oath, setting it amid a broader trend to decolonise society, assert the country's independence and reform the constitution. He said: 'Although we still have many institutions, like the royal prison, the Royal Grenada Police Force, we are on the road to decolonising our society and apart from the oath of allegiance we will be doing much more in years to come.' On the streets of St George's, communications consultant Sherene Thomas-Isaac, said the change was 'long overdue'. 'We're independent. I think that's a mark of our sovereignty … We have to follow the true course of what independence means for our region,' she said. The change to the oath comes as the Grenada Reparations Commission vowed to step up the pursuit of an apology and reparations from the monarch and intensify calls for the removal of King Charles as the country's head of state, after new research revealed that George IV personally profited from slavery on the Caribbean island. Arley Gill, the head of the commission, thanked Francis Alexis, a former attorney general and government minister, for lobbying for the change, which he described as 'one small step in the further deconstruction of a new colonialism process'. Gill said: 'We need to strengthen the lobby in Grenada to get rid of the king as head of state. The royal family is not fit and proper to be the head of state of a country where they have directly profited from slavery. We need to move to republicanism immediately.'
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Grenada government and opposition join forces to drop oath of allegiance to King Charles
The government and opposition in the Caribbean island of Grenada have joined forces to drop the oath of allegiance to the British crown amid growing calls to remove King Charles as the country's head of state. A statement from the government announcing the move said that in 'a commendable display of national unity' the country's parliament had agreed bills to amend the country's constitution. The change will remove the words 'His Majesty King Charles the Third, His Heirs and Successors' from the pledge of allegiance and replace them with 'Grenada'. In the statement, Grenada's prime minister, Dickon Mitchell, said: 'The unanimous support for this amendment demonstrates our shared commitment to national identity and constitutional progress and while we may differ on many issues, today we stand together in affirming that our allegiance belongs to Grenada and its people.' Later, he told local media: 'I don't think anyone in their right mind will expect me – or any future prime minister of Grenada – on taking the oath of office to serve them, that I should be swearing allegiance to King Charles, his heirs and successor.' He added: 'What is it about King Charles that is superior to me, that requires me not to swear allegiance to the people of Grenada but to him?' The prime minister added: 'Sovereign countries have excellent bilateral relations. That doesn't mean that you have to swear allegiance to the head of a state of another foreign country.' This only happened, he pointed out, because Grenada was a former British colony and not because it was voted on by Grenadians. The move comes as the Grenada Reparations Commission vowed to step up the pursuit of an apology and reparations from the monarch and intensify calls for the removal of King Charles as the country's head of state, after new research revealed that George IV personally profited from slavery on the Caribbean island. Arley Gill, the head of the commission, thanked Francis Alexis, a former attorney general and government minister, for lobbying for the change, which he described as 'one small step in the further deconstruction of a new colonialism process'. Gill said: 'We need to strengthen the lobby in Grenada to get rid of the king as head of state. The royal family is not fit and proper to be the head of state of a country where they have directly profited from slavery. We need to move to republicanism immediately.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Editorial: Words matter when you're elected to represent America, Congresswoman Ramirez
When a member of Congress publicly declares allegiance to another country over the United States, it's bound to raise eyebrows — and for good reason. That's what happened when U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez, speaking at an event in Mexico City, said: 'I'm a proud Guatemalan before I'm an American.' Ramirez, whose district stretches from DuPage County to Chicago's Northwest Side, has since attempted to clarify her intent, saying on X that 'honoring my Guatemalan ancestry only strengthens my commitment to America.' That's a message we all can embrace. But the damage was done. At a time when trust in public officials is already fragile, statements like hers erode confidence and invite exactly the kind of backlash she's facing. Let's begin with a clear point: Calls to deport Ramirez are not only baseless — she was born in Chicago — but also fundamentally un-American. This nation's legacy is built on welcoming immigrants and celebrating the diverse backgrounds that shape our national identity. Even so, we take issue with the congresswoman's comment, which crossed the line between honoring heritage and undermining public trust. Federal officials are elected to represent their constituents here in the United States. As such, they should champion this country — especially when speaking abroad. Statements that cast doubt on their loyalty to the U.S. are damaging and irresponsible. As a nation of immigrants, many Americans feel deep affection for their ancestral homelands. In Chicago, pride in cultural roots — from Mexico to Poland and beyond — long has enriched the city. But Americans expect their leaders to confirm their belief in and allegiance to this country while extolling their lineage. We have to hope the clarification provided by Ramirez, the daughter of Guatemalan immigrants, reflects what she actually thinks. When speaking on the world stage, elected officials must choose their words carefully. This episode should remind all elected leaders: Words matter. Americans expect their representatives to honor their heritage, yes — but also to speak with conviction about their commitment to this country. Democrats have a valuable opportunity here to reaffirm that patriotism and progressivism are not mutually exclusive — that you can celebrate diversity while championing America. At the same time, Republicans should resist the impulse to exploit moments like these with anti-immigrant rhetoric that alienates the very communities helping to shape the party's future. Both parties would do well to remember: A big tent means embracing diverse backgrounds. But it also demands shared respect for this nation and all who call it home. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@ Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Republican lawmaker's call to denaturalize and deport Democrat
A recent remark from a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives has caught fire prompting shocking comments from some of her congressional colleagues. Democratic Congresswoman Delia Ramirez (pictured) stated during a press conference in Mexico over the weekend, 'I'm a proud Guatemalan before I'm an American.' That comment sparked ire from several Republicans in the MAGA wing of the party, as President Donald Trump pushes his 'American First' vision. Tennessee Republican Representative Andy Ogles (pictured) wrote on X 'Denaturalize, deport, and kick her off Homeland Committee. We know where her allegiances lie.' The Department of Homeland Security's official X account responded to the video by posting a Theodore Roosevelt quote about American allegiance and condemning divided loyalties. Another Trump aligned X account, Veterans for America First posting on X under @VFAFWarroom noted that Ramirez's 'statement alone shows where her loyalty lies. She needs to be expelled from Congress and Deported!' Ramirez is not the only member of the Congress to have her allegiances to America questioned in a high profile manner. The Republican push to implement Trump's immigration agenda has forced some wild responses from Democrats during the last few months. Vermont Democrat Becca Balint landed in hot water earlier this summer after making derogatory remarks about migrants while attempting to make a case for why immigration in the United States shouldn't be restricted. Balint made the remarks during a constituent town hall in Newport, Vermont, that took place on May 28. 'If we don't have avenues for people to come here legally to work or to build a home here … we're not going to have anybody around to wipe our [expletive] because we don't have enough people,' Balint said at the time.
Yahoo
05-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Dem doubles down amid firestorm of criticism over Guatemalan loyalty: 'I am both Chapina and American'
Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., pushed back against a firestorm of criticism that erupted on Monday after a remark she made sparked calls for her to be deported. The congresswoman, who was born in Chicago, Illinois, described herself as "both Chapina and American" and as "from both Guatemala and Chicago, Illinois." Ramirez "is the daughter of Guatemalan immigrants and an American citizen by birthright," according to the news release in which she responded to the criticism of her controversial comment. She made a comment in Spanish in which she reportedly said, "I'm a proud Guatemalan before I'm an American," according to a tweet from TheBlaze, which was shared by the official Department of Homeland Security X account. House Dem Declares She Is A 'Proud Guatemalan' Before American At Progressive International Conference When retweeting the post, DHS shared a quote, which it attributed to Theodore Roosevelt: "There is no room in this country for hyphenated is a matter of the spirit and of the soul. Our allegiance must be purely to the United States. We must unsparingly condemn any man who holds any other allegiance." Read On The Fox News App Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., called for the congresswoman to be deported. "Denaturalize, deport, and kick her off Homeland Committee. We know where her allegiances lie," Ogles wrote on X. House Republican Calls For Third Trump Term Over Passage Of 'Historic' Tax Bill Ramirez pushed back against the wave of criticism in a lengthy statement. "Let's call it what it is: today's attacks are a weak attempt to silence my dissent and invalidate my patriotic criticism of the nativist, white supremacist, authoritarians in government. It is the definition of hypocrisy that members of Congress —who betray their oath each day they enable Trump— are attacking me for celebrating my Guatemalan-American roots," she asserted. "No one questions when my white colleagues identify as Irish-American, Italian-American, or Ukrainian-American to honor their ancestry. I've consistently expressed pride in my heritage and history - a pride also often reflected in the origin stories of my colleagues. Only those who believe America should not include the children of immigrants or be diverse would attack me - and Americans like me - for honoring my roots," Ramirez continued. Democrat Accuses Trump Of Unleashing 'Campaign Of Terror' On Illegals As La Riots Rage Ramirez stated that honoring her "Guatemalan ancestry" strengthens her "commitment to America," adding that she is one of many Americans who represent the "idea of America." "We are the living and breathing realization of the idea of America – a place where a multicultural, multiracial democracy can prosper. I am the daughter of immigrants and the daughter of America. I am both Chapina and American. I am from both Guatemala and Chicago, Illinois. "Anyone who denies our claim on this country simply because we dare to honor our diverse heritage and immigrant roots only exposes how fragile and small-minded their own idea of America really is," Ramirez article source: Dem doubles down amid firestorm of criticism over Guatemalan loyalty: 'I am both Chapina and American' Solve the daily Crossword
