Un-American?

Question

Do you think that it is "Un-American" to be against our current policies and leader? Where is the line in the sand, and how far is too far when criticizing the current administration?

Answer 1

No it is not un-american. America was built as a democracy, a land run for the people, by the people through an elected leader. If the people are not allowed to disagree with the leaders, it is not a Democracy, it is a Dicatatorship, and last I checked, that is one of the things that we constantly said was wrong with places like Iraq, the Dictatorships that run them.
Now we are bringing Democracy to Iraq, and we are becoming more and more like a dictatorship here, where you are classified as a traitor for disagreeing with the current administrations views. What's next? Do we allow the government to start imprisoning people who disagree with them?
If anything is un-american right now in this country, it is the path our government is taking!

Answer 2

The bill of rights guarantees us the right (nay the responsibility) to question our government. As a combat veteran, I am livid that the current administration has taken the tactic of referring to those that disagree with their policies as "UN-American". Our country was established by men that believed the government served the people and not vice-verse.
In hindsight, would these same people have referred to those that opposed Hitler as "un-German"? I still support the troops but I do can not abide by an administration that resorts to misinformation to garner public interest in pursuit of any agenda.
I would, normally, say that we are at fault for electing an administration that would do such things - but we did not. It is long past time to rid ourselves of the electoral college. I would say the only way to go too far in criticizing ANY administration would be to call for a violent overthrow of said government.
I love my country, have laid my life on the line for it. I resent any person that would refer to me as "un-American". I will continue to question decisions made by our leaders regardless of their political affiliation. There is nothing more American than this.

Answer 3

This country was founded on dissent and disagreement with the policies of a government that disregarded the will of the people. Dissent is the manifestation of the will of the people. The Constitution and the Declaration of Independance clearly protect dissent and state this foundation respectively.

As a result, there is no line that can be crossed that can make Dissent "Un-American". To be Un-American would be to go against the ideals of America.

Since dissent is an American ideal, as this country's founders deemed it necessary to dissent in a free society and necessary to protect America's citizens from those who would stifle dissent, it is expressly those who would stifle that dissent who are un-American.

Having said that, it's important to be as honest as possible when claiming your disagreement. Many right-wingers hate Clinton.. some with honest reasons and some with dishonest reasons. Disliking Clinton because you disliked his policies is honest. Disliking Clinton because you want to accuse him of selling back-alley crack when he was Governor... well, that's ludicrous and we will tell you to not be a lunatic...

But, it's a long way from being a lunatic to being un-American.

Basically to demand blind nationalism of others is bluntly un-American. All other forms of disagreement don't qualify for the label.

Answer 4

Being against a leader doesn't make you Un American. It's just fine to be against the what someone is doing, it's only Un-American to do something that would put his life and the lives of many Americans in jeopardy. If you view will come close to that end, then you are Un American and it would be my job to see it through that your life ends. I am here to protect my family, my land and my government to the best of my ability and I would do that if it kills me.

Answer 5

The last I heard America is a democracy. Democracy thrives on diverse opinions. Without diversity we might as well have good little lemmings marching in lockstep to the leaders whatever they say. Totalitarian governments do not want anyone to disagree in any way shape or form. Hitler, Saddam, Idi Amin, Musselini, Tojo, Peron, Stalin and other dictators have had people killed for even the slightest disagreement. So to answer your question is very pro-American and very patriotic to question our leaders and make them do what we elect them to do represent us. To do otherwise would be ideal if one wanted to set up a dictatorship.

One observation of late. It seems that those who are marching in lockstep with Bushco seem to think it is very Pro-American and patriotic to have criticized Clinton but treasonous to disagree with Bush. Kind of sounds hypocritical doesn't it.

At his Nuremberg trial Hitler's propaganda minister said "Voice or no voice, the people canalways be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger".

Does this sound familiar?

Answer 6

No, it isn't un-American. It is an American's responsibility to keep an eye on the leader. When he/she is up to no good - it is our responsibility to tell him to stop....if he doesn't stop, it is our duty to throw the bum out. This is a government for, of, by and about the people. The leader works for us....not the other way around.

We are in the process of doing that now.

Answer 7

Funny you should ask that on the day we celebrate the birth of the most treasonous person in American History. A British military leader who rebeled against his administration and leader:

George Washington.

Answer 8

When you have a man in the Whitehouse - that is a proven Liar and Fraud like what Bush has proven to be there is no line in the sand and one can not say enough to criticize the Ba$tard!

He should be Impeached then turned over to the War Crimes
Commission for hanging - if found guilty for the deaths of all those innocent men, women and children in his Shock & Awe bombardment of Badghad at the beginning of the Iraq war!

Answer 9

Don't be silly. There is NOTHING more American than criticizing corrupt policies and the current fascist tendencies of this administration.

Any "American" not doing so is in danger of forfeiting the very foundation upon which this country was built.

Answer 10

Critique no one until you've walked in their shoes. To be UnAmerican is to want to stifle the voices of all opinions that do not coincide with your own(not meaning you specifically). Speaking with venom is a long standing freedom in this country that should be respected by all and available to all who seek it. Hence a war for Freedom and all of it's Merits on foreign soil. I imagine that those who cry about the war would cry just as hard had we done nothing to save those who would be slaughtered for speaking out in foreign lands against cruel leaderships. I've listened for years as folks screamed about helping other countries become modernized by big corporations. Now that those companies have done just that the same are crying about not having the jobs that left with them.
Should we bring the troops home and have them wander the streets looking for possible terrorists under your bed or keep them where we know we can make a difference in the end?