# Swearing in

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swearing-in/36726>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 12, 2000, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swearing-in/36726 "2000-10-12T22:23:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Colin\_Trainer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/958977/32.png) [@Colin\_Trainer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colin_Trainer)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2000, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swearing-in/36726/1 "2000-10-12T22:23:33Z")

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Why do you have to raise your right arm when swearing in? What if you don’t?

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**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2000, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swearing-in/36726/2 "2000-10-12T22:46:37Z")

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WAG: Tradition

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**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2000, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swearing-in/36726/3 "2000-10-12T23:11:41Z")

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Because it would look dippy if you rose your left arm.

I mean, hell, the _left_ arm?! How rediculous! So, obviously the only remaining choice is the right arm.

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**Author:** ![BrothaTJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d07c76/32.png) [@BrothaTJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrothaTJ)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2000, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swearing-in/36726/4 "2000-10-12T23:23:01Z")

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Shit.

Just swearing in everybody.