Who the Heck thinks "dissent" patriotic?

Question

Where in the World did that silly notion come from?

Google the phrase "Dissent is the highest form of patriotism" along with the name "Thomas Jefferson" and you'll find thousands of Web pages attributing the sentiment to the third president of the United States. The main problem with this is, the quote is only about 2 years old...not 200.

It was made by Howard Zinn in an interview with TomPaine.com to justify his opposition to the War on Terror. Someone erroneously attributed the quote to Jefferson.

Howard Zinn, for those who aren't aware, is an out-and-out unrepentant Communist. Yep. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Zinn
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=8145

Rudimentary fact-checking plainly reveals this whole "dissent is patriotic" nonsense to be an utter crock of complete B.S.
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/jefferson/quotations/

Thomas Jefferson never said that, it was some USA-hating commie b@stard!

Answer 1

Dissent can be patriotic. If the government is engaging in something that is contrary to our laws or our Constitution, it should be addressed in a rational, civil manner. However, this is not what slime buckets like Michael Moore do. Vermin like this distort the truth, lie about facts, and use every trick in the book to pound their agenda into our heads with clever brainwashing techniques.

For example, if by some horrible catastrophe Hillary every got into the White House (in the sense that she didn't require a Visitor's Pass), and tried to push her Socialist agenda, I would politely and respectfully dissent. Whoever has the Presidency must be respected. Hurling invectives and making unsubstantiated accusations against the highest office of the land is not being patriotic. But that is how Libs operate.

Answer 2

Personally I couldn't care less about the origins of that quote, it's neither here nor there.

Here's the definition of dissent (from Wikipedia); perhaps you'd be so kind as to explain to us what your problem is with this: Dissent is a sentiment or philosophy of non-agreement or opposition to an idea (eg. a government's policies) or an entity (eg. an individual or political party which supports such policies). Antonyms include agreement, consensus and consent.

Dissent may be expressed in many ways. In some political systems, dissent may be formally expressed by way of opposition politics, while politically repressive regimes may prohibit any form of dissent, leading to suppression of dissent and the encouragement of social or political activism. Individuals who do not conform or support the policies of certain states may be described as "dissidents" or in extreme cases, "enemies of the state".

Answer 3

Actually, I think the phrase is older than that, maybe going back to WWII to a pacifist named Dorothy Hewitt Hutchinson.

In any case, I think it has validity in some cases. I think German dissenters in WWII against Nazism could certainly be called patriotic.

Answer 4

"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." Harry S Truman

“But, when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.” Declaration of Independence

“What country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms.” Thomas Jefferson

“In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.” George Orwell

"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, may we never confuse honest dissent with disloyal subversion."
Dwight D. Eisenhower

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. "
Dwight D. Eisenhower

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

“Non-cooperation with evil is as much a duty as is cooperation with good.” Mahatma Mohandas Gandhi

“I think that people want peace so much that one of these days government had better get out of their way and let them have it.”
Dwight D. Eisenhower

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure." Thomas Jefferson

"There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people."
Howard Zinn

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

“Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us.” William O. Douglas
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice

Answer 5

Hmm... well I applaud you for checking your facts.

I still believe questioning of my government is my duty as a citizen. Or are you in love with the current congress? It seems to me that I, as a liberal, am not allowed to question my president... as it becomes hating our troops. But many of the people who tell me that then tell me that our congress, because they're democrats, are horrible and destroying our country.

Answer 6

First off your statement that Zinn is communist is false. Beyond that I don't need Thomas Jefferson to back me up. When I feel dissent is necessary I will dissent. And if you want to question my patriotism because of it then stick it

Answer 7

"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."

Theodore Roosevelt, 1918

Answer 8

Just because you refuse to speak out against corruption does not mean others should not. Just be thankful people do believe that dissent is patriotic otherwise Americans would still be subjects of the British crown.

Answer 9

here are a few quotes about dissent, from a diverse group of people.

http://www.wisdomquotes.com/cat_dissent.html

but nobody needs jeffersons or anyone elses approval to do it.

Answer 10

Dissent is patriotic. It is based on the very freedoms this country is known for. I could care less if it wasn't said, the framers made their beliefs known in how they crafted that precious document.

They wanted us to be able to speak against our government without reprisal.

No sources on this, just my own opinion.