Is Dissent still Patriotic?

Over on CK's blog, he raised a very interesting question, to which I delivered a needlessly flippant answer. He posted an article entitled Is Dissent Still Patriotic? His question was:

For 8 years many on the left stood by their hate for Bush and his policies because dissent was patriotic. So now when I stand against Obama, I’m still patriotic… right?

Although the quote 'Dissent Is the Highest Form of Patriotism' is often misattributed to Thomas Jefferson, it was actually a phrase coined by left-leaning historian Howard Zinn, during an interview in which he explained his opposition to George W. Bush's 'War on Terror.'

CK's question is a legitimate one. Considering that the concept of 'dissent is patriotic' was coined by liberals, now that President Obama has been elected, does that render 'patriotic dissent' inapplicable? We liberals thought standing up to Bush and his regime was patriotic, but will we now cry 'foul' when the conservatives stand against Obama?

It's a good question - and the answer is 'no.' As long as the opposition is done for the right reasons.

What made our objections to Bush's policies 'patriotic' was that they were protests against unAmerican things Bush did while in office. His actions contradicted the fundamental foundations of American society - meaning that people weren't standing up against Bush, they were standing up against his assault on American values.

If conservatives want to take a stand against Obama, it's their right to do so. If they're protesting actions that conflict with American principles, it's entirely appropriate for them to label that dissent 'patriotic.'

There are already some issues it might be worth discussing further:

• Will the trillion dollar stimulus package help America's economy, or just succeed in shackling us to decades of GDP-shrinking interest payments?
• Now that America has finally elected it's first African-American president, how appropriate is it to use race and affirmative action in a land in which 'all men are created equal.'?
• Proposition 8 and other anti-gay legislation is clearly disgusting, unAmerican trash that violates everything this country is founded on - but how appropriate is it to fight these laws via state and federal courts - essentially 'legislating from the bench?'

At the moment, though, it does seem somewhat unpatriotic to attack Obama's presidency. He hasn't done anything yet to deserve it!

When he launches a costly foreign war, or starts locking up people in a shadowy limbo prison, or taps our phones in violation of the constitution, then we'll talk about 'patriotic dissent.'

But for the moment? President Obama's election is something of an American fairytale.

His story is the quintessential American one - a black kid from a modest background, raised by a single mother, works hard to succeed in life and eventually achieves the highest office in the land through nothing more than hard work, ability and grit.

Obama's election proves that in this wonderful country, anybody can achieve anything they put their mind to. Isn't supporting that ideal what American patriotism is all about?

Geeze - compare his story to that of President Bush Jnr - the spoilt son of an obscenely wealthy family, with a former-president for a Dad. He perpetuated the myth that, in America, the only way to reach the top was to be a rich, white boy from a well-connected family.

Right now, the right wing's just going to have to accept that Obama's in a special position. 'Standing up to him' comes across as petty, childish and just a tiny bit pissy- certainly not 'patriotic.'

The time for 'patriotic dissent' isn't here yet. But it'll come. Already Obama's revealed that he's not as bipartisan as he claimed and many of the Democratic agendas that moderates and Republicans dislike will start to gain ground. Then there'll be real reason for people to 'stand up against' President Obama in the interests of 'patriotic dissent.'

But not yet. Right now, opposing Obama on the grounds of 'patriotism' just undermines the very concept of what 'patriotic dissent' is all about.

John Stewart: "F*ck All Y'All!"

“We believe that the best of America is not all in Washington, D.C. or New York City.”

Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin explained this belief of hers during a campaign rally in Northern Carolina last week.

"We believe that the best of America is in these small towns that we get to visit… …what I call the real America… …hard working very patriotic, pro-American areas of this great nation.”

For the crowd in NC, that was the cue for uproarious applause. Not so further north, where New York city resident and host of the satirical Daily Show responded with two words for Sarah Palin (on behalf of all of New York City.)

“Fuck you!”

New Yorkers were gratified that somebody was sticking up for their city – the de facto capital of the United States and as pro-American a place as anywhere in America. But some critics attacked John Stewart’s profanity, forcing him to clarify:

“…it's not really fair, and it makes it seem like I'm just addressing Governor Palin about this, and I'm not. Just this whole entire theme that there are more American areas of the country, or some people love the country, some people don't.”

To sum up: “What I meant to say is, 'Fuck all y'all.'”

Although John Stewart’s comments are pretty polarizing, he managed to hit the nail right on the head when it comes to the thrust of the Republican campaign for the presidency – following the model which won them the election in 2000 and 2004.

Basically, by spreading the lie that conservatives and evangelicals in the red states (the ones who vote Republican) are somehow ‘better Americans’ than the egg heads, intellectuals and liberals in the blue states (the ones that tend to vote Democrat.)

I’m with John Stewart on this strategy. It’s divisive bullshit and it stinks.

The fact is, you can be anti-gun, pro-choice, pro-gay marriage and a life-long Democrat and still be a damn site better American than a tobacco-chewing, gun-loving Southern Baptist who has an American flag painted on his truck.

This whole idea of ‘if y’ain’t with us, yer against us’ and the insistence that ‘votin’ Republican is votin’ Patriotic’ is just offensive doublespeak intended to split the country in half and make dumb people vote on their gut instinct rather than on the issues.

This rancid attitude is everywhere. On SIRIUS radio, the right-wing talk radio station is called ‘SIRIUS Patriot’ (whereas the left-wing one has the limp title ‘SIRIUS Left.’) On TV and the radio, the right-wing pundits pound each other on the back and praise their rabid right-wing callers with ‘you’re a great American, sir.’

Somehow, lapel-pins, bumper stickers, American flags and ‘support the troops’ stickers have become the currency for patriotism, whereas the truth is the complete opposite of that.

You can have all the bumper stickers in the world, but it doesn’t make you a good American.

Patriotism is not falling into line with the rest of the pack. It’s not blind obedience to a government. It’s not the belief that your religion somehow makes you morally superior and worthy of dictating how others can live their life.

In fact, it’s fighting against all of the above. As famous historian Howard Zinn once wrote: "Dissent is the highest form of patriotism."

It’s time the liberals retook the term ‘patriot.’ Because what’s more patriotic than what they do?

• Thousands of Americans are dying in a bloody war overseas. Is it more ‘American’ to send more troops to that meat-grinder? Or angrily protest the war and attempt to ensure that as few brave American soldiers as possible end their lives, alone, on foreign sand?
  
• What’s more ‘American?’ To enforce your religious beliefs in schools and dictate to your offspring what they can and can’t believe? Or to fight to keep religion out of the classroom and stand up for parents to take responsibility for their children’s spiritual growth - in the privacy of their own homes or churches?
  
• What’s more patriotic? To bitterly attack other American’s inalienable rights to pursue ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,’ because it upsets your religious sensibilities, or to fight to give other Americans the same rights and protections that all citizens should enjoy, under the ethos that ‘all men are created equal.’
  
• Why is it unpatriotic to question the 2nd Amendment, because the Constitution is sacred, yet ‘patriotic’ for people like Sarah Palin to support a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage? How can patriots fight to support one freedom at the same time they fight to deny another? Why is the constitution sacred one moment, yet open to changes the next?
  

The American Nation was forged in the fires of rebellion and dissent – by brave men who refused to knuckle under the tyranny of an oppressive government. Contrary to popular belief, that rebellion continues to this day and it’s not the right-wing who represent the ‘patriots.’

The right-wing have come to represent the oppressive, religiously-driven regime that fights to dictate the scope of free men’s rights.

That’s not very American at all.

Don't get me wrong, the liberals can be just as bad. Gun control, redistribution of wealth... Many Democratic policies (especially the fiscal ones) are are repressive as the conservative ones.

So to help liberally minded people keep fighting the good fight - and to ensure they don't follow the right-wing down the dark path - here is my 'Patriot's Manifesto.'

The Patriot's Manifesto:

1. A true patriot never supports any move to repress freedom, and attacks any move to censor, repress, ban, control or outlaw any existing freedom (from gun-control to hard-core pornography.) Repression is slavery.


2. A true patriot constantly questions his government's decisions on the local, state and federal level, from tax rates and tariffs right up to military action overseas. Blind obedience is slavery.


3. A true patriot never allows religion, ideology or dogma to enter into any part of government - from religion in school to socialism in government. Dogma is slavery.


4. That being said, a true patriot never infringes the rights of an American to believe what they want in the privacy of their own homes, temples, churches or mosques. It's freedom 'of' religion, not freedom 'from' religion.


5. A true patriot never infringes the rights of another American if they don't infringe on their own - from gay marriage to what color your neighbour paints his house.


6. A true patriot questions all established theories - but from a position of logic, rationality and fact. It's fine to question Global Warming or Evolution - but not if your only source of information is The Bible or what you heard on The Bill O'Reilly Show (see Rule #8)


7. A true patriot supports independence in all things - from personally freeing yourself from credit-card and bank debt, to making America totally energy independent. Reliance is slavery.


8. A true patriot worships knowledge, rationality and fact - and strives to learn and teach as much as possible. Knowledge isn't just power. It's freedom. Parents have a duty to make sure that their children know more than they do - and things like 'non-explicit' sex education and teaching religious doctrine instead of scientific fact in school go against that. Ignorance is slavery.

I will admit, I'm no perfect patriot. I walk a fine line on some of the issues I've mentioned above (especially when they concern religion.) But overall, I think the philosophies above are the foundation of true patriotism and you'll find as much of that in New York and Boston as you will in a million Podunk towns across the Midwest.

Sarah Palin? Newsflash. Patriotism isn't dictated by geography OR politics.