If you don't support the war in Iraq your a traitor - Does this sound like thought control to you ?

Question

At what point did someone get the idea that being critical of public employee's like the President or the Prime Minister was = to hating troops and being a traitor ?

This seems to me an attempt at thought control and the limitation of freedom

How can you say you are free when such vulgar attempts are made to create witch hunts based on a political opinion of the governments orders to tax payer supported military's ?


Who pays for the government who pays for the military ?


Why the tax payer does and yet some want you to shut up and not have a say in how YOUR government and troops do

That is what used to be called either a facist or communist government - No say but the governments say

So is this method of reasoning - where if you disagree your forced to wear the label traitor a thought control effort ?

Answer 1

Totally agree.You see it clear.
"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always 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."
-- Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials
Nuff said.

Answer 2

Well if I disagree with you I won't get the best answer but what the hell.

You must watch the news a lot to buy that ****. People who don't support the war aren't being called traitors or cowards, those like Cindy Sheehan and Hollywood who have gone off their rockers are. Oh and let me add, they are traitors.

It isn't just being critical of a president. In a time of war, saying our president should die or be impeached used to be a federal offense called treason. Now people like you ask rhetorical questions about whether it should be allowed.

Oh and which witch hunts do you refer too. The Don Imus witch hunt. The Karl Rove witch hunt. The continous withc hunt on Bush. Last I checked they were the ones you think call people traitors and cowards.

So since this isn't happening then no, it isn't a thought control effort, because it ain't happening.

Answer 3

I agree with you. When did voicing your opinion or questioning the governments decision become traitorous or unpatriotic? Questioning the government has always been an important part of America's democratic system, just because a war happens doesn't mean we can put our freedom on the backseat and give unquestioning loyalty to a cause we may not believe in. They label anyone who speaks an opinion opposed to theirs a traitor but they are the ones who have betrayed Americans rights.

Answer 4

It's definitely childish and a form of thought control. In a democratic society, government leaders should be held accountable to the people who elect them for the decisions they make.

It's simply a bullying method to avoid that obligation and deflect attention from failed policies, and the people who make it know they have no argument or they simply aren't the "sharpest tools in the shed."

Fortunately, in the U.S. (where I'm from), it's happening a lot less as the public has become much more antiwar, but it's still a tactic that needs to be fought against.

Answer 5

It's the gov'ts way of getting the masses behind the SNAFU in Iraq.

I could care less what someone calls me, whether it be unpatriotic or a traitor.

I served 9 years in the military, and dare any of those calling me names to put up their DD214 against mine. When they can show me they've served their country, then I'll listen to their reasoning. Until then, they are just a bunch of lemmings.

Answer 6

At one time, Dissent was patriotic. Now Dissent is considered treason. Ah how times have changed!

Today if you stood up and spoke of the rights that drove the American forefathers to create the Constitution you would be jailed for sedition. Here are quotes from “Great Americans.” The first lot comes from the American forefathers and such minded men.

“Here in America we are descended in blood and in spirit from revolutionists and rebels - men and women who dare to dissent from accepted doctrine. As their heirs, we may never confuse honest dissent with disloyal subversion.” - Dwight D. Eisenhower

“Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government." –Thomas Jefferson

“Be not intimidated nor suffer yourselves to be wheedled out of your liberties by any pretense of politeness, delicacy, or decency. These, as they are often used, are but three different names for hypocrisy, chicanery and cowardice”. -John Adams

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

“I like the noise of democracy.” James Buchanan speaking about Dissent:

“The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it to be always kept alive. It will often be exercised when wrong, but better so than not to be exercised at all. I like a little rebellion now and then.” Thomas Jefferson on Dissent:

“Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.” - Thomas Jefferson

“Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear.” – Truman

“We cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home.” - Thomas Jefferson

“Children should be educated and instructed in the principles of freedom.” - John Adams,

“Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed - else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die.” - Dwight D. Eisenhower

QUOTES FROM MODERN PRESIDENTS.
I apologize for the absence of intelligent quotes from the current lots of presidents because they just don’t seem to have many. I wonder why that is! They assassinated the last honest president who had plans to seriously change things for the betterment of Americans. His quotes are among the best. He was a wonderful speaker, unlike the current “leader”.

“Without debate, without criticism, no administration and no country can succeed -- and no republic can survive.” - John F. Kennedy

“For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood is an open market, that nation is afraid of its people.” - JFK

“Truth is the enemy of the State. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth becomes the greatest enemy of the State.” George W. Bush. No, sorry, it should be Dr. Joseph M. Goebbels, Nazi Minister of Propaganda

"You know the one thing that is wrong in this country? Everyone gets a chance to have their fair say.” - President Bill Clinton

"I do not need to explain why I say things. That's the interesting thing about being the President. Maybe somebody needs to explain to me why they say something, but I don't feel like I owe anybody an explanation." – Bush

"I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe-I believe what I believe is right" - George W. Bush

"I promise you I will listen to what has been said here, even though I wasn't here."- Beelzebush

"If you don't stand for anything you don't stand for anything. If you don't stand for something, you don't stand for anything." - Bush

"I glance at the headlines just to kind of get a flavor for what's moving. I rarely read the stories, and get briefed by people who probably read the news themselves." - Bush

"I'm the commander - see, I don't need to explain - I do not need to explain why I say things. That's the interesting thing about being president." - Bush

"If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator." – Bush

“I just want you to know that when we talk about war, we are really talking about peace.” - Bush

Big change hmm?

Answer 7

It is called Republican Spin and and they are very, very good at it but we're catching on. When 72% of American citizens disapprove of Bush, when almost 80% of American citizens want our troops out of Iraq, it is a sign that the Republican Spin machine is drastically losing it's power.

Answer 8

Yes, it sounds like thought control to me. It also smells so, and it doesn't smell good. Yet, those who accuse war opponents of being "traitors" also present themselves as representatives of "freedom and democracy"...

Answer 9

no u shouldnt have to support the war in Iraq or u are a traiter to me it should be just support our troops not the war becausse the war is stuiped. I dont really think that its though control more like them being stuiped and wanting power

Answer 10

Well, I don't believe I can say it any better than you and a few others have just said it, so I will just say that I agree with you 100%. LZ