This is not a 'case by case' question. it is about questioning the government, no matter which party is in power...
2006-12-05 04:02:02 · 21 answers · asked by hichefheidi 6 in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
Thomas Jefferson DID have to deal with religious nuts, if you recall, that's why America was wsettled by Europeans...for religious freedom! And that is EXACTLY why he said what he said. He knew better than even this administyration does! And the Civil war was the bloddiest battle ever fought, so the violence is not a NEW thing
2006-12-05 04:31:57 · update #1
Hey proud? You were the one who claimed to know how Jefferson felt. Also, you missed thepoint of my question, or at least you just feel too bad to admit that you believe that those who question the government are unpatriotic. And you also couldn't resist but to use Bush for your answer, even though i clearly stated that this wasn't a partisan question. And I'm sure you would have been at the front of the line to lynch Clinton for lying under oath. So whatever. Your idiocy cancels out the affect of any of your petty attempts at insults.
2006-12-05 05:41:34 · update #2
You know I question it all baby!! Cynicism rules!! Just because I'm paranoid that doesn't mean they're not out to get me!
2006-12-05 04:11:24 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Its not unpatriotic. As a "Government of the People and by the People", it is your duty to question any and everything that you feel is not right. Otherwise, we are not a democracy, but a dictatorship. If you don't get the right answer, fire the polician and hire someone else. It is called voting. Let your actions do the talking. But be wise with your vote. Ever heard of the wolf in sheeps clothing.
2006-12-05 04:09:12 · answer #2 · answered by ThePerfectStranger 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No. I consider it to be my civic duty. 'Government of the people, by the people' absolutely requires that 'the people' actively involve themselves in the processes of their government. The system is designed to allow average citizens to have that input, to directly impact the laws which govern them, and to hold their government accountable if it errs.
To say that a government composed of fallible humans should not be questioned is just asking for trouble. Patriotism has to do with acts which support the good of the whole country, not with being a yes-man for whoever happens to be in power at the time. Sometimes people get into power who should not be there, whose ability to govern is very poor. Our system, by design, gives us recourse when that happens.
2006-12-05 04:40:48 · answer #3 · answered by functionary01 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, I don't consider questioning your government to be unpatriotic. I do however believe that there are responsibile ways to question your government without making matters worse when that government/country are in a precarious situation.
You know, I highly doubt that Thomas Jefferson would be so cavalier in his statement about questioning the government had he been dealing with religious extremists like we are today that have the potential ability to destroy our country or under the threat of biological/nuclear/dirty bomb attacks to the country like we are today. I would imagine that Thomas Jefferson would have wanted to insure the security of his country from foreign enemies and once that threat was squelched he would turn his attention to weeding out the undesirables from within.
All these people who continually go back to famous quotes made by our forefathers don't have anymore of a clue if the forefathers would make those same statements knowing the circumstances that we are facing today than the man on the moon.
At some point in time we have to weigh what is in the best interest of the country as a whole longterm against what is going to please us personnally in the present.
What I consider to be unpatriotic is when a person knowingly and with full intent behaves in a manner that there is no doubt will bring harm to fellow Americans and could jeopardize the sanctity of our country. Is it possible for that to occur by questioning our government? Yes but it is not a foregone conclusion that this is the case. A person knows what boundaries not to cross to make matters worse. It is the person that exceeds those boundaries hoping for the worse to happen that should be considered unpatriotic and possibly be classified as someone performing acts of treason that I am concerned with.
Your question can not have one all or nothing answer. You know this.
PS...
You are missing my point which doesn't surprise me. Thomas Jefferson was dealing with religious extremists but not ones that would slit the throat of innocent people, attach bombs to themselves to bring about mass casualty and certainly not ones that had the potential capability of acquiring dirty bombs that could take out tens of thousands of people all at once.
As for the Civil War, it did not occur until 52 years after Thomas Jefferson had died. It is impossible to know what Thomas Jefferson would have thought about the level of violence during the Civil War or the War in Iraq. It is equally impossible to know what Thomas Jefferson would have thought of President Bush as your President. Use alittle bit of that brain power you think you have.
2006-12-05 04:22:59 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 4⤋
Questioning the government is THE MOST patriotic thing a citizen can do. The glory of a democracy is supposed to be present in that the citizens can perfom the checks and balances and keep the acting government in its place.
2006-12-05 04:06:03 · answer #5 · answered by PieOPah 2 · 4⤊ 1⤋
The right to question and criticize the government is the hallmark of democracy. Think about this, in some countries you could be taken out and shot just for asking this question.
2006-12-05 04:06:52 · answer #6 · answered by me45404 3 · 5⤊ 0⤋
questioning the government is the most patriotic thing you can do.. it's one of the ways to insure "rule by the people"... and what people fail to realize is that questioning doesn't mean you have to agree/disagree.. it just means you are looking for the truth.. if you still agree after you have honestly questioned then fine.. and if you disagree fine.. at least then you will be at how you truly feel and not what people have told you to believe.
2006-12-05 04:10:21 · answer #7 · answered by pip 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
NO. It is the most patriotic thing you can do. It was written by Thomas Jefferson I believe that one should always question their government and when it is no longer working it should be torn down and a new one started.
2006-12-05 04:04:10 · answer #8 · answered by Perplexed 7 · 4⤊ 2⤋
"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism."
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson knew what he was talking about!
2006-12-05 04:08:37 · answer #9 · answered by tangerine 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
No, but I do feel that petitioning Yahoo to suspend people is cowardly.
Not saying you did it, but someone did it again.
It is good to question the government, but when it comes down to petty name calling of leaders that just happen to not agree with your views, then that is not cool.
2006-12-05 04:14:03 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
Absolutely not! But believing the media over the elected government is absolutely pathetic and unpatriotic.
2006-12-05 04:07:44 · answer #11 · answered by Peacekeeper 2 · 2⤊ 2⤋