[Dean's World] Dean: "Dissent Is The Highest Form Of Patriotism"--A Dumb Sentiment, And A Fake Jefferson Quote

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Posted by Dean:
"Dissent Is The Highest Form Of Patriotism"--A Dumb Sentiment, And A Fake Jefferson Quote
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1147037681.shtml


   There's a very common--and very ridiculous--saying that holds that
   "dissent is the highest form of patriotism." This has always been,
   quite obviously to any thinking person, total baloney.

   The Ku Klux Klan are dissenters. Extremist black and chicano
   separatists are dissenters. Does that make their hateful idiocy the
   highest form of patriotism?

   How about these guys?

   [1]god hates america 

   (Photo cribbed from [2]Murdoc.)

   Here are a few choice quotes from these brave dissenters:

   "It's too late to pray for America. It's a sin to pray for America."

   "[Hurricane] Rita is an answer to the prayers of the suffering saints
   of Westboro Baptist Church."

   "The Lord God Almighty killed [the people who died on 9/11], looked at
   them in the face, laughed and mocked at each one of them as he cast
   each one of them into Hell."

   "The hell with your flag. The hell with your fag army, your fag
   courts, your fag-run government."

   "The President of the United States gets his jollies masturbating
   horses."

   More [3]here.

   These are your brave patriots huh? Or do you deny that they're
   dissenters?

   Truth of the matter is, Thomas Jefferson never said anything so
   idiotic as "dissent is the highest form of patriotism," and anyone who
   tells you that deserves a contemptuous snear for their ignorance and
   their stupidity. The person who did say it appears to have been a
   "dissenter" who thought we should stay out of World War II and let
   Hitler and the Japanese have their way with the rest of the world. Via
   Instapundit (again), I see that [4]Volokh has a lengthy rundown on the
   origins of this spurious quote that Jefferson never said.

   Of course, it's true that patriotism can involve dissent. Mostly,
   however, it's neither patriotic nor unpatriotic. Claiming it's
   patriotic is a great way to act like your viewpoints should be immune
   to criticsm though. Too bad smart people don't believe it.

References

   1. file://localhost/files/deanesmay-hudsonville6-thumb.jpg
   2. http://www.murdoconline.net/
   3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church_(Topeka)#Quotes_from_Phelps.27_Sermons
   4. http://volokh.com/posts/1146554363.shtml