Editor's Note: (John MacIntosh was born and raised in Canada before first moving to the United States in 1985 to attend college. He has lived in the US for nearly 25 years and became a naturalized citizen on January 30, 2020. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his own. View more opinion at CNN.)
(CNN) I grew up in Canada but have lived in the United States for most of the last 35 years. Until recently, I never wanted to become a US citizen. I did not feel particularly American and my immigration status reflected my state of mind: "resident alien", "long-term permanent resident", "green card holder."
It wasn't just that I still cheered for Canada during hockey games. There were more fundamental things, too. I found claims of US exceptionalism -- the "city upon a hill", "a beacon of hope" -- exaggerated to the point of absurd. Although I appreciated much of what America had to offer -- its dynamism, its vast and varied land, New York City -- I could not have sworn the oath of allegiance without some mental reservation.
By doing so, I would have become an American of convenience, not conviction.
The election of President Donald Trump and his capture of the once-great Republican Party changed all that. Not because I support his policies, but because the idea and ideals of America now seem so much more fragile and important. Things I took for granted are under grave threat: rule of law, tolerance, fidelity to the Constitution, commitment to truth, belief in science and education. These ideals made America truly exceptional, even though they were never perfectly realized.
My naturalization ceremony took place the same week Alan Dershowitz, a member of President Trump's impeachment defense team, said, "If a president did something that he believes will help him get elected, in the public interest, that cannot be the kind of quid pro quo that results in impeachment." The same week that Sen. Mitch McConnell ensured that no witnesses would be called despite having sworn an oath to do "impartial justice." The same week that Sen. Rand Paul tried to get the chief justice to read the name of the alleged whistleblower (who is protected by law) aloud in the Senate.
While the President's sham of a trial was unfolding, I raised my right hand and swore an oath of allegiance in a crowded Brooklyn courtroom with 260 other new Americans; an oath which has led to American citizenship for more than 200 years.
"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion..."
I was struck by how little of this oath President Trump appears to uphold. Its emphasis -- rejecting foreign powers and defending the Constitution and laws of the United States against both foreign and domestic enemies -- gets at the heart of his impeachment. The oath also includes duties Trump showed little interest in prior to becoming President (bearing arms on behalf of the country, service and work of national importance).
Perhaps he should revise it to be more consistent with his concept of allegiance. What would he include? Personal loyalty? Commitment to executive privilege? He could make it shorter too: "L'état, C'est Moi" (Translation: "I am the state.")
As goes the United States, so goes the world. Hunkering down in Canada -- or even New Zealand -- is not an option the way it might once have been. There is nowhere to hide from an unhinged America. There is no benevolent foreign power to step into the breach if America loses its way. Hope is not a strategy.
In November, America can start reclaiming its greatness by returning to the ideals of the oath I swore last week: the rule of law, the Constitution, work of national importance, independence from "foreign powers," and sacrifice when necessary. It is a return to these ideals that will set us back on the arduous path of building a more perfect union.
I took the oath of allegiance proudly and without reservation, and registered to vote the same day. Having taken that oath, I now feel duty-bound to join the political fight to uphold it. We need every vote and every sensible voice -- on the left and the right -- to get the nation and our world back on track. After 35 years of watching from the sidelines, count me in.