I read that slightly differently: His liberty is dependent on the freedom of his fellow citizens, thus he gives them unconditional loyalty. Not, his gives them loyalty so long as they keep him free. I see an act and a reason for said act, not an act and a stipulation that act requires. *shrug*
That's right. Even if all of my fellow human beings turn on me and attempt to enslave me, I will never stop fighting for their liberty. It is a purely self-interested move on my part. My liberty cannot be truly secure unless everyone else's is, as well. Plus I desire other free men to compete with and associate with.
Is it unreasonable to believe that something else may be more important than yourself, even if that thing runs counter to your interests?
I believe that the only way to act "un-selfishly" is to give up something that holds greater value to you in exchange for something of lesser value to you. That is pure irrationality. If you act to promote the thing of greater value over the thing of lesser value, you are acting to promote your own interests... i.e. acting to promote yourself. So it doesn't really make sense to say that you value something more than yourself. You could say that you do, but in placing a high importance on something and acting to promote it, you are promoting that which you personally value, which is a selfish act. You
could say, for instance, that you value certain things more than you value your life -- i.e. that life would not be worth living without those things -- but even giving up your life to promote something you value more is an act of self-promotion, the way I see it. You are giving up something of lesser value for something of greater value. Do you see where I'm coming from?
I'm sorry gents, but your argument that the PoA is a pledge of loyalty to the government is just silly.
How can you claim that the pledge is not a pledge to government, when it requires allegiance to the Republic? Do you know what the word "republic" means? It is a form of government. Specifically, it is a form of indirect democracy in which the citizens elect representatives who vote democratically on the laws of the country.