Via Russ Roberts:
David Harsanyi, Denver Post Columnist asks, “Is dissent still patriotic?”
Do all Americans truly have a yearning to fundamentally “remake” our nation? There must be a subversive minority out there that still believes the United States — even with its imperfections and sporadic recessions — is, in context, still a wildly prosperous and free country worth preserving.
And that’s one of my big problems with the left. I think the US, despite many things I disagree with, is the pinnacle of civilization so far. To place it in moral equivalency with evil regimes and kleptocracies is intellectually dishonest.
“The personal is political”.
Intellect is personal.
Ergo, there’s no intellectual dishonesty – it’s all about who wins.
*THAT* is the problem I have with the left.
Exhibit A for the Prosecution is on display at:
http://msunderestimated.com/2009/01/20/chrissy-matthews-suddenly-finds-american-patience-necessary-video/
Is the term “intellectual dishonesty” supposed to be capitalized, per the MSNBC style book?
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I believe that dissent is still patriotic, if it is done in a civil, respectful way. When it comes to dissent, one should be acutely aware of the way in which they present their case.
I think, too, that it is important to be intellectually honest, and, very frequently, that means admitting that the general public does not know what makers of public policy – including Congress & the President – know. For this reason, it is important to direct dissent at policies with which one disagrees, not against the people who make them.
You never know – you might’ve made the same choice they did, if you were in their shoes.
My basic rules for dissent are: stick to the issues, don’t make it personal, be respectful and courteous (the Golden Rule applies, here), try to maintain objectivity, and have a sense of humor.
Sometimes I disagree, ideologically, with people; and I even break the above “rules,” from time to time. What is important, however, is not how perfectly you keep the rules, but how perfect the rules are. It is important to work to maintain a standard, even if you fail.
Patriotism sometimes requires dissent, but dissent is not always patriotic. Whether or not dissent is patriotic depends on the content of a disagreement, yes, but also the way in which that content is presented.