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Who, what, why: Is North Dakota really a US state?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14142111
North Dakota is amending its constitution because of a long-standing technical omission that some claim makes its statehood invalid. So does that mean it's really just a US territory and not a state at all?
Every American child is taught there are 50 states in the US.
But an 82-year-old care home resident in Grand Forks, North Dakota, is throwing the truth of that universally held statement into some doubt.
While reading the state constitution, which is 40 years older than he is, John Rolczynski noticed it omitted to mention the executive branch when explaining which new officers need to take the oath supporting the US Constitution.
This, he says, makes the state constitution invalid because it is in conflict with the federal constitution, which requires all officers of the three branches of state government - executive, judicial and legislative - be bound by the oath. The amendment has been passed by the state legislature and must now be approved by the people of North Dakota at the general election in 2012.
Speaking from the care home to which he is confined with Parkinson's Disease, John Rolczynski says he feels vindicated at the end of a long campaign, in which he had even written to President Bill Clinton, but received no reply.
....
Regardless of a "hiccup" like this, North Dakota has demonstrated its worth to the US in many ways, says Sarah Walker of the State Historical Society. "Our military presence has been a very strong asset. Many men died for their country. "During the Spanish-American War and the Philippine insurrection, soldiers from this state fairly jumped at serving. "One group of about 25 scouts were made up of approximately 17 North Dakotans; eight of them received the Medal of Honor for special acts of bravery." For some, statehood is measured in deeds rather than words.
North Dakota
Does anyone really care about North Dakota?
(Directed towards Christina)Who, what, why: Is North Dakota really a US state?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14142111
North Dakota is amending its constitution because of a long-standing technical omission that some claim makes its statehood invalid. So does that mean it's really just a US territory and not a state at all?
Every American child is taught there are 50 states in the US.
But an 82-year-old care home resident in Grand Forks, North Dakota, is throwing the truth of that universally held statement into some doubt.
While reading the state constitution, which is 40 years older than he is, John Rolczynski noticed it omitted to mention the executive branch when explaining which new officers need to take the oath supporting the US Constitution.
This, he says, makes the state constitution invalid because it is in conflict with the federal constitution, which requires all officers of the three branches of state government - executive, judicial and legislative - be bound by the oath. The amendment has been passed by the state legislature and must now be approved by the people of North Dakota at the general election in 2012.
Speaking from the care home to which he is confined with Parkinson's Disease, John Rolczynski says he feels vindicated at the end of a long campaign, in which he had even written to President Bill Clinton, but received no reply.
....
Regardless of a "hiccup" like this, North Dakota has demonstrated its worth to the US in many ways, says Sarah Walker of the State Historical Society. "Our military presence has been a very strong asset. Many men died for their country. "During the Spanish-American War and the Philippine insurrection, soldiers from this state fairly jumped at serving. "One group of about 25 scouts were made up of approximately 17 North Dakotans; eight of them received the Medal of Honor for special acts of bravery." For some, statehood is measured in deeds rather than words.
North Dakota
- Sits in the region known as the Great Plains
- Capital is Bismarck
- Its largest city was a setting for famous Coen brothers film, Fargo (above)
- Its population of 672,591 makes it the third least populous state
- Admitted to union in Nov 1889
- The city of Rugby prides itself as the geographical centre of North America
Does anyone really care about North Dakota?
Who the HELL cares about North Dakota??! 
