The goal of ReligiousFreedomDay.com is to promote and protect students' religious expression rights by informing educators, parents and students about these liberties. Dissent is the highest form of patriotism," I quote. Ron SparksSolution Architect, Author, Poet Home Fiction Non-Fiction Poetry Books by Ron Sparks My Cancer Search Im not ignorant of how some protests turned violent in the formative years of our republic leading up to the Revolutionary War. According to a Gallup poll, pride in our nation has declined, especially among young adults. Benjamin Franklin wrote, It is the first responsibility of every citizen to question authority. He also said, Rebellion against tyrants is obedience to God., Even a young 16-year-old Franklin, in his Dogwood Papers, written in 1722, stated wisdom: In those wretched countries where a man cannot call his tongue his own, he can scarce call anything his own. The notions of safe spaces and trigger warnings are a real thing on college campuses. And I do think that what Thomas Jefferson said is true, Dissent is thehighest form of patriotism. But even his Monticello estate has concluded that: "To date we have found no evidence that he said or wrote this.". Harry Guerrilla DP Veteran Joined Dec 18, 2008 Messages 28,951 Reaction score 12,422 Location Not affiliated with other libertarians. Thomas Jefferson //--> 71: Nor is the misinformation targeted by the Biden administration confined to speech about vaccines. Google Books Sign up now to get the Washington Examiners breaking news and timely commentary delivered right to your inbox. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow "Pray With Your Feet" and receive notifications of new posts by email. google_ad_width = 120; And Im sure if Takei and his ilk thought this through for a moment they might realize this. Fulbright put it this way in his conclusion: Criticism is more than a right; it is an act of patriotisma higher form of patriotism, I believe, than the familiar rituals of national adulation. Close enough. We must retrain our younger generations on the freedoms in the First Amendment and how to agree to disagree agreeably. Those who are undocumented suffer even more to be here. It is an elitist attitude that they- and only they- know what is best or the correct course of action. And in so doing, we need to reconsider and reeducate others on what the term "peaceably" meant to our founders and should also mean to us. The First Amendment states: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.. Censorship and suppressing free speech (whether in the workplace, public schools or on social media platforms) is un-American and unconstitutional but so is justifying destructive or violent rebellion on the basis of patriotism, the U.S. Constitution or America's founders' precedent. Today you will receive a certificate from the Indiana Bar Association with Canons of American Citizenship. Again, we are confronted with the fallacy of the fake Jefferson quote. [ Editorial: NFL's anthem rule vs. the patriotism of protest ] By the way: It's simply not true that dissent is the highest form of patriotism. It is an elitist attitude that they- and only they- know what is best or the correct course of action. Dissent is now patriotism. He allegedly said, A republic, if you can keep it. The question still stands. It has been widely misattributed to Thomas Jefferson. 12A, col. 1: () "I'm sick and tired of people who say that if you debate and disagree with this administration, somehow you're not patriotic. They have also justified their legal and illegal actions, from peaceful protests to breaking into and seizing buildings, destroying private property and even causing physical harm. 22 November 1966, Big Spring (TX) Daily Herald, Right of Criticism, pg. Both parties have turned away refugees of war, famine and genocide. We've abandoned loving our neighbors for being indifferent. Many such people live here for decades, have families, start businesses, employ others, pay taxes, buy homes, even serve in the militaryonly to be suddenly deported due to a shift in national or state policy or the whim of law enforcement officials. Jewish World Review However, in the midst of justified outrage some people have themselves begun committing unjustifiable acts, assaulting and murdering police officers, burning down buildings, mercilessly beating people, and destroying their fellow citizens property. Thank you for contacting us. But there is one duty which isnt listed on the certificate, which I urge you to write in: The duty to dissent. Bottom line, as Barton concluded, "Peaceful protests are protected by the Bill of Rights, but violent riots which destroy, loot, and victimize are antithetical to the American idea. Censorship and suppressing free speech (whether in the workplace, public schools or on social media platforms) is un-American and unconstitutional but so is justifying destructive or violent rebellion on the basis of patriotism, the U.S. Constitution or Americas founders precedent. In its document called, "Declaration and Resolves" (Oct. 14, 1774), the Congress stated that the people "have a right to peaceably assemble, consider of their grievances, and petition the king" (something they were not allowed to do in the motherland). I am honored to stand on this stage with you. Indeed, for eight years under Bush we heard that "dissent is the highest form of patriotism" a profoundly stupid and self-serving bumper sticker of a notion. I dont think dissent is a high form of patriotism, but it is a key element in a free society. Injustice to one is a threat to justice for all. According to former Witnesses James Penton and Heather and Gary Botting, internal dissatisfaction with official doctrines continued to grow, leading to a series of secret investigations and judicial hearings . The goal of ReligiousFreedomDay.com is to promote and protect students religious expression rights by informing educators, parents and students about these liberties. Quotes with: dissent, form, highest, patriotism. 4, No. google_ad_type = "text_image"; His latest book is entitled, E-book now available for Joseph Farah's acclaimed new Bible book. "Blind faith in bad leadership is not patriotism" - Hillary Clinton 2006. As far as I can tell, it was Nadine Strosser, the ACLUs head honcho, who cooked up the Jefferson fake. It is the peaceful American way to turn the nation away from a self-defeating course.. google_ad_height = 600; The earliest usage of the phrase we have found is in a 1961 publication, The Use of Force in International Affairs: If what your country is doing seems to you practically and morally wrong, is dissent the highest form of patriotism? Dissent is the highest form of patriotism. In resurrecting, reeducating and celebrating our First Amendment rights, I would encourage all Americans to again honor Religious Freedom Day this week on Saturday, Jan. 16 the anniversary date of the 1786 passage of Thomas Jefferson's Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom. The great conservative William F. Buckley once noted: Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views. Today, they do not even want to hear the possibility of opposing views. Let me conclude with having you ponder a 250-year-old question. Bottom line, as Barton concluded, Peaceful protests are protected by the Bill of Rights, but violent riots which destroy, loot, and victimize are antithetical to the American idea. Perhaps when drafting these policies on college campuses, or even in legislatures, one should think ahead a little and say, What if the shoe was on the other foot? "DISSENT IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF PATRIOTISM" . This most basic form of moral reasoning is newly relevant today, as supporters of NFL players taking a knee during the national anthem have spurred a new, hip slogan: Protest is patriotic. None other than George Takei, who somehow parlayed a small role from a low-rated, quickly canceled 1960s television show into widespread Internet fame, tweeted as much this week, garnering legions of likes and retweets: Protest is patriotic. We do know that Jefferson was very clear when he wrote in a 1787 letter to James Madison: I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical.. Virginia statute of dissent is the highest form of patriotism than working and deeds, not have obliterated the. google_ad_client = "pub-0382623543249625"; Ching may have inadvertently and accurately expressed the voice of a generation: Lets celebrate diversity by enforcing conformity. Remember, it was many of the same founders who established both the First Amendment and a decade later also enacted the Sedition Act of 1798, which made it a crime for American citizens to print, utter, or publish any false, scandalous, and malicious writing about the government. 2, July/August 2018 (Focus - Dissent, Political Freedom, Civil Liberties and the Struggle for Democracy: Essays in Honour of Liu Xiaobo), pp . They are afraid to hear any opinion or idea that goes against their mindset. Of course, were not exactly living in a golden age of nuanced thinking. Few if any Americans are associated with more apocryphal quotes than Thomas Jefferson, but the false notion that he said, dissent is the highest form of patriotism is among the easiest to dispel. "Peaceful protests" shouldn't morph into pandemonium protests. Over the last few years, both those on the left and right have protested in big ways. We point fingers in judgment without any conviction of decency, civility or love. For some of you, that journey has been longer and more difficult than for others. Our patriotic holidays, like the 4th of July, get me thinking about the impact of this common sentiment on our society. Expressing doubts may lead to questions, and those questions may lead to answers that inconvenience the established narrative. Our present hostile and divided culture also exacerbates a bastardization of our First Amendment rights. All the individual attacks are meaningless since the individual is simply a parrot of the party line. The entire concept of political correctness is that which is anything acceptable to the Left. Zing! 60,000 gathered in Chicago alone. Whats more, immigrants to the United States are often better examples of patriotism than many people who were born here. And what about politicians? . google_color_link = "0000FF"; Of course dissent can be patriotic, but it isnt inherently so. The Left is big on diversity when it comes to race, creed, color, national origin, or sex- even creating whole new classifications of sex based upon identity. Yet when it comes to diversity of thought which trumps race, creed, color, national origin and sex, there are no brakes on the suppression of that diversity. We join the majority of Americans across our land in praying for a better and more united way forward for all of us. "Dissent is the highest form of patriotism" is often attributed to Thomas Jefferson, but to date we have found no evidence that he said or wrote this. (Nowhere in that article does Howard Zinn attribute that quote to Jefferson.) The right to dissent is the side benefit of living in a country that can be afforded that right by those that would defend it to their death. google_ad_channel =""; Murthy is also concerned about messages that might encourage people to reject public-health measures such as masking and physical distancing, which would encompass even good-faith skepticism about the effectiveness of those safeguards. Young adults are taking to the streets and not merely protesting but wreaking havoc, rioting and looting, tearing down statues, and shutting down anyone who doesnt share their perspective.. The interview can be found here: http://www.tompaine.com/Archive/scontent/5908.html. google_ad_format = "120x600_as"; Good at bad photoshops. For example, liberal campus speakers outnumber conservative ones 100 to 1 according to one analysis. While it would be senseless for . Answer (1 of 4): Yes and unlike one answer here, the dissent doesn't have to be in the way that he likes. Yeoh , Emile Kok-Kheng, Dissent is the Highest Form of Patriotism: Chinese Dissidents and the Legacy of Liu Xiaobo (July 13, 2018). Moore to the Point - This Is the Adults in Charge? If you missed it, you will have other opportunities in the days and months to come. Here's What We Found. Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.. I wonder, how many native-born citizens would be so patriotic, how many would remain in this country, if they experienced a fraction of what many immigrants suffer to be here. Opposition to an administrative policy must never be branded as a lack of patriotism. Over the last few years, both those on the left and right have protested in big ways. If not acceptable to the Left, you are politically incorrect.. That is why Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., said of the U.S. Capitol riot this last week, "It's the Founding Fathers' worst fear." In my opinion, it captures the essence of the First Amendment. No, we cannot agree to that. I remember that when the Government were criticised at the time of the Norwegian crisis it was then considered to be the highest form of patriotism to criticise the Government; in fact, it put the present Prime Minister in his position, for which we are all devoutly grateful. In 1962, the ACLU had to have a ground-game to distribute "Operation Correction." They are more likely to be victims of crime, because they cannot rely on police to protect them. On October 15, 1969, in a speech at Columbia University, Mayor John Lindsay of New York City stated, "We cannot rest content with the charge from Washington that this peaceful protest is unpatriotic. google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; "Declaration and Resolves" (Oct. 14, 1774), latter half of the Declaration of Independence, New York Times bestseller "Black Belt Patriotism. 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