Can a Patriotic American disagree wit htheir government? Please explain?

Question

Like the MacCarthy thing. He accused everyone, who disagreed with him, as a communist with proof of nothing and no one stood up to him and said "Maybe your a communist" excpet Murrow. But i don't get it. Can a Patriotic American Disagree with their government. Im doing a paper over it and i need someone to explain this to me. Thank you

Answer 1

Dissent is the highest form of patriotism
~Thomas Jefferson

A little rebellion now and then ... is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government.
~Thomas Jefferson

When a man assumes a public trust, he should consider himself as public property.
~Thomas Jefferson

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness--That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive to these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such Principles and and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. . . .
~~ Thomas Jefferson

I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.
~~ Thomas Jefferson

Answer 2

I don't think "patriotism" (the word is open to interpretation) has anything to do with the government.

You can go against everything the country says, and be a patriot; on the other hand, you could agree with everything this government has done, and not be a patriot.

If you love your country, and what it stands for, and you want it to be the best, even if that means disagreeing with something the government is doing, you can be a patriot. That is my interpretation of the word "patriot". But yours could be different. So could everybody else who's answered this question. The answer is found in your heart.

Are you a patriot?

Answer 3

Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official...
~Theodore Roosevelt~

Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism.
~George Washington~

Those who give up essential liberties for temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
~Benjamin Franklin~

We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. When the loyal opposition dies, I think the soul of America dies with it.
~Edward R. Murrow~


I am not blaming those who are resolved to rule, only those who show an even greater readiness to submit.
~Thucydides~

Before the war is ended, the war party assumes the divine right to denounce and silence all opposition to war as unpatriotic and cowardly.
~Senator Robert M. La Follette~

The dangerous patriot...drifts into chauvinism and exhibits blind enthusiasm for military actions.
~Colonel James A. Donovan, Marine Corps~

To sin by silence when we should protest, makes cowards of men.
~Ella Wheeler Wilcox~

It is unpatriotic not to tell the truth, whether about the president or anyone else.
~Theodore Roosevelt~

Paramount among the responsibilities of a free press is the duty to prevent any part of the government from deceiving the people...
~Hugo Black, Supreme Court Justice~

In times of universal deceit, telling the truth will be a revolutionary act.
~George Orwell~

The cry has been that when war is declared, all opposition should be hushed. A sentiment more unworthy of a free country could hardly be propagated.
~William Ellery Channing~

The voice of protest...is never more needed than when the clamor of fife and drum...is bidding all men...obey in silence the tyrannous word of command.
~Charles Eliot Norton~

Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.
~Albert Einstein~

To announce that there must be no criticism of the president...is morally treasonable to the American public.
~Theodore Roosevelt~

History teaches that war begins when governments believe the price of aggression is cheap.
~Ronald Reagan~

Answer 4

A patriotic American defends the country against all attacks, both foreign and DOMESTIC. It is your duty as an American citizen to speak up when you see something that is wrong.

WE are the government; of the people, by the people and for the people. When someone ignores "we, the people" and goes off on his/her own agenda, it is your responsibility to holler like the dickens.

Read the Bill of Rights, the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. These documents will explain it all to you.

Answer 5

What could it possibly mean to be an American if you are not free to disagree with the government? One might as well be a Soviet citizen or Saudi citizen if we are not free the disagree with our government.

Thomas Jefferson said that dissent is the highest form of patriotism. Read his Declaration of Independence - really read it and see what our founders thoughts.

Governments are instituted among people to protect the inalienable rights of people - these rights include freedom of speech and freedom of assembly and freedom to petition the government wtih grievances. Why would these rights be in the Bill of Rights if it were not the right, in fact the duty, of every American to disagree vigorously with the government?

Leaders like Bush who try to convince Americans to voluntarily give up their rights - and to use fellow citizens to bludgeon away the rights of those who still understand what it means to be an American - are dangerous, evil men who, alas, are of a type we've seen before.

p.s. there are huge protest marches in the street on a regular basis against chavez - by the wealthy who resist his reforms. so people are quite free to express their dissent there - and soon they'll have health care, too.

Answer 6

Of course a patriotic American can disagree with their government. And the Founding Fathers though so too. As a matter of fact they though it was so important that they made it the First Amendment. An American should disagree with their government form time to time.

Sure people will call you names no matter what. It's what mean people do. If they can't think of anything else, they call you names.

Answer 7

Yes, because America was partially founded because of disagreements. If the founding fathers hadn't debated for hours, days & sometime months on the issues that created our great nation we wouldn't have a USA. Disagreement is as American as the American Flag and it's that freedom to disagree that keeps the US free. You take away that freedom to disagree and there won't be a USA. You'll have a totalitarian state instead.

Answer 8

If they are wrong, the Patriotic American has a DUTY to disagree and to change it.

Read this, which is part of my states (9th of the original 13) Constitution written in 1784! I think it explains the feelings of some of our founding fathers as some who wrote this, also wrote the US Constitution!

"June 2, 1784

[Art.] 10. [Right of Revolution.] Government being instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security, of the whole community, and not for the private interest or emolument of any one man, family, or class of men; therefore, whenever the ends of government are perverted, and public liberty manifestly endangered, and all other means of redress are ineffectual, the people may, and of right ought to reform the old, or establish a new government. The doctrine of nonresistance against arbitrary power, and oppression, is absurd, slavish, and destructive of the good and happiness of mankind."

You have to remember that Bush didn't even win the Majority Vote, so most people never agreed with him anyway. Now 2 in 3 disagree with him!

We elect them! They WORK FOR US! It is not OUR JOB to agree with them, rather, it is our job to make sure that they do theirs, which Bush is an utter failure, like everything else he has done in life!

Answer 9

Patriotic or not all Americans have the right to disagree with the government. Each and every one of us IS the government, we don't always agree on everything, but it does not make us un-patriotic, it's just how things work! Just like right now abortion is legal, not everyone wants it that way, but that's how it is! Majority rules!

Answer 10

Margaret Chase Smith:
Moral cowardice that keeps us from speaking our minds is as dangerous to this country as irresponsible talk. The right way is not always the popular and easy way. Standing for right when it is unpopular is a true test of moral character.

Mark Twain:
The government is merely a servant -- merely a temporary servant; it cannot be its prerogative to determine what is right and what is wrong, and decide who is a patriot and who isn't. Its function is to obey orders, not originate them.

Ralph Waldo Emerson:
When a whole nation is roaring Patriotism at the top of its voice, I am fain to explore the cleanness of its hands and the purity of its heart.

Theodore Roosevelt:
To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. (1918)

Answer 11

There is nothing wrong with disagreeing or criticizing the government.

Patriotism involves loving and appreciating your country and doing what you believe is in your country's best interest. If you hate the US, you are not patriotic.

It is necessary to understand, however, that words and actions have consequences. The left is currently engaged in doing all that is possible to insure US failure in Iraq. They believe, in some unfathomably misguided way, that losing in Iraq will be good for the US or at least that we deserve to lose. Nonetheless, they believe the country is on the wrong path and want to see it change course. So, while I see their criticism as detrimental, I wouldn't call them unpatriotic (just wrong).