Was Thomas Jefferson correct when he said "Dissent is the highest form of patriotism"?

Answer 1

As far as I am personally concerned, yes the statement is correct. By the way I Am THE ALL AMERICAN!!!!

Answer 2

I don't think Jefferson meant dissent for the sake of dissent. He meant the dissent of a brave person who sees that something is wrong with the country and refuses to be silent just because the passions of the moment is leading the consensus in the other way.

In that sense, dissent is the highest form of patriotism. It is an easy form of patriotism to follow the crowd and wave the flag. It is a harder and much more noble form of patriotism to say that we can and should do better than we are and that things need to change.

Answer 3

It was never documented that this was actually said by Jefferson. Here is a genuine quote on the topic: "Political dissension is doubtless a less evil than the lethargy of despotism: but still it is a great evil, and it would be as worthy the efforts of the patriot as of the philosopher, to exclude it's influence if possible, from social life. The good are rare enough at best. There is no reason to subdivide them by artificial lines. But whether we shall ever be able so far to perfect the principles of society as that political opinions shall, in it's intercourse, be as inoffensive as those of philosophy, mechanics, or any other, may well be doubted." TJ to Thomas Pinckney, 29 May 1797

Answer 4

Yes, Jefferson knew the dangers of a complacent society and the nature of power. He never envisioned Diebold, ESS and Sequoia voting systems stealing votes to keep the machine churning. He and other Patriots knew about the dangers of a government being ran by a religious theocracy or business interest. If Jefferson was alive today, he would have a negative view of the neoconservative movement that has shredded basic individual rights in the name of security. He would also be disappointed in the outsourcing of inherent government functions to the private sector. Jefferson was an advocate for open government and believed the People had a right to observe the open debate of government policies.

Answer 5

No he wasnt. Thomas Jefferson was a great speech writer and knew how to write and spread propaganda. I am not saying there is anything wrong with that. That is what we all try to do when we want to make our viewpoint known and accepted.

Dissent, for the purpose of dissent alone is not patriotism. Dissent, when your dissent leads to destructive behavior or comments undercutting what is in the countrys best interest is not patriotic. I think some people just like to protest authority. Their reasons arent always well thought out or close to be logical, but they think the gvt is evil and so everything it does is wrong so they will protest everything the gvt does. It is strange that so many of those people are willing to throw all their money and their personal lives into the hands of that very same gvt.

When your dissent causes harm to our troops overseas because it undercuts our efforts it is not patriotic. When your dissent gives aid and comfort to our enemies it is not patriotic. Freedom of speech is a constitutional right. Freedom from the consequences of that speech is not.

Answer 6

He sure was!
Dissenting for the sake of dissent is silly, but to dissent for a real purpose is patriotic.

Answer 7

I love my country and I want it to be moral and just. At the moment it isn't and I feel it's my duty, to speak out against the wrongs that I see occuring. Some may call that unpatriotic but writting my elected officials,and attending peace rallies are simply ways of knowing I'm doing what I can, to try to right some wrongs.

Answer 8

Not often. It depends. Dissenting for the sake of patriotism is nutty.

Answer 9

I think self sacrifice for the country, and not necessarily dissent.

Answer 10

Dissent is one thing but Sean Penn kissing the *** of every piss-ant dictator is down right treasonous. His citizenship should be revoked and his passport removed. Let him live with his buddy Yugo.

Answer 11

thomas jefferson never envisioned an executive branch taking a huge military into a quagmire war under false pretenses at a eventual trillion-dollar cost, a vice president whose office outs its own government's secret agents for political retribution, or fox/etc's nightly mass-media mantras of fascistic crap. torture, the suspension of habeas corpus, the influence-peddling of corporations upon all political "servants of the people," and a president with claims of being directly spoken to by jesus christ: i agree with the words of the other poster, whc warrior....
jefferson would be sick to his stomach these days.