Is independent thought in the contemporary U.S.A.. (and letting it be known you do such) patriotic?

Question

Does such bring us perilously close to de-facto violation of the Patriot Act? NOW in America are we supposed to shut-up and do as we're told without question?

Answer 1

I am certain that is not what this country's founding fathers intended, I'm thinking of Thomas Jefferson. And I know I have no intention of giving up thinking for myself. I'd like to think I have too much intelligence to be led like a sheep.

Answer 2

As an ex-independent myself, (warning this may sound offensive but is not meant to offend you) I believe independents are cowards. Independents want the luxury of being able to say 'well I'm an indepedent' when they are in the audience of someone they don't necessarily agree with. That way they don't have to actually debate the issue or have to put up with being called an idiot or something based on their view.

Also, independents like to claim higher moral ground because they claim they vote for the person not the party. What independents don't realize that I finally came to terms with is that ends up working for one party over the other.

Righteousness fails when only one side is doing it and the other side is always 'falling in line' = the republicans. If you watched any CSPAN before the past year or so, you saw this all the time. Every vote would have ALL republicans voting the same with a few democrats sometimes. This told me the democrats were more free thinkers and the republicans were under 'the rule' or control of their leaders. I'm sure that's not what their voters had in mind when they elected them.

Not until this past year have I noticed the democrats finally catching on that the only way to compete with them is to play the game the same way. Why? Because the public doesn't seem to be punishing them for this lack of moral character of falling in line to their leadership's wishes.

Answer 3

I have no idea where you heard that free thought is against the patriot act, or that we are supposed to do as we are told. You libs think that when no one is listening to you (because your ideas are whacked) that you are being censored and it must be GW's control over everyone. Wise up.
Try an experiment:
Go out in your town and yell out to the world, at the top of your lungs, that you hate George Bush. I will bet any amount you want that you will not be hassled by the government, let alone be charged under a provision of the patriot act. Grow up.
Freedom of thought is alive and kick'n in the U.S.A.

Answer 4

Independent thought is common- having the resources to let your idea be known, which even if it is right, is uncommon. Thus most independent thinkers that want to be heard end up breaking some "laws" to get the publicity and then are labled as criminals and thus either the general population never hears the ideas or the criminal stereotype slants general population to view them as wrong! That was deep!

Answer 5

Yes, it's patriotic. Those who say we're only "helping the enemy", or "causing division in our ranks", or "not supporting the troops", are flag-wrapped pseudo-patriots.

Independent thought is what created this country, and has kept it going to this day.

Answer 6

Absolutely, it's patriotic. Right wingers and Ari Fleisure might try to silent dissent but you (still)have the right of free speech in our great nation.

Answer 7

noooo...this whole country was based upon "freedom of speech". none of us (americans) should feel like big brother is watchin us. we can say whatever we want and we can think independently. and who cares whether your thinking independently is patriotic or not??? you have a brain...you have thoughts...and you have opinions....thats all the patriotism we need.

Answer 8

i would say yes

Answer 9

I think you could say that !

Answer 10

YES