True patriots ask questions

'Patriotism,' 'loyalty' aren't the same; dissent is important to democracy

July 4, 2008

There's been a lot of talk during this presidential campaign about patriotism and who qualifies as a true patriot. The words themselves are often used, inaccurately, as synonyms for loyalty. It's a tactic that became popular during the Vietnam War, and it's seen its apogee with members of the Bush administration, who all too often call those who disagree with them "unpatriotic."

But dissent can be among the highest forms of loyalty to one's country. And at this juncture, when America is about to elect a new occupant of the Oval Office, it's a good time to re-examine what we mean by loyalty and dissent.

Democratic hopeful Barack Obama gave a speech on patriotism this week - a political necessity, given that his supporter Gen. Wesley Clark had just questioned the relevance of John McCain's military service. Obama defined patriotism as loyalty to America's ideals and "a willingness to dissent on behalf of those ideals."

So far, amid all the talk of flag lapel pins, McCain has resisted falling into the muck of challenging the patriotism of others. We hope he can stay at that level, and that we can finally move away from such finger-pointing.

Long after he'd left the White House, Theodore Roosevelt spoke about the value of dissent: "To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."

Some of our most loyal Americans - those who held us to the ideals of equality and justice that were the foundation of this country - have filled the ranks of the loyal opposition. People who questioned the killing of Native Americans, who fought slavery, who championed women's voting rights - they were vilified in their time, too. The divide has taken root because there are those who foolishly exult in criticizing America, without celebrating the greatness of a democracy that can bend without coming apart.

Today is the Fourth of July. More than two centuries ago, a group of dissenters reacted against tyranny and declared that liberty is an inalienable right. The liberty to speak freely, even in dissent, is a right we should practice without being labeled unpatriotic.