Should we allow dissenters to disrupt or disturb us?
Martin Luther King Jr. disrupted lots of
meetings and disturbed many people who felt put upon...
But... we do have a right and a
patriotic duty to dissent when our leaders err. We have the right to
show up at events and
express our opinions. This is called free speech and is granted by the
bill of rights. Some Americans choose to express our opinion with a sign, button, or
shirt. This is
America and we are guaranteed these rights. Our rights cannot be relegated
by zones or negated
by leaders who hide from the public.
Sometimes in the course of human events,
circumstances require "disruption." Klu Klux Klan rallies,
cross burnings, police beating
people in the streets, torture, violations of civil rights, war crimes, and
other human
tragedies are events which should not go unchallenged or uncontested.
I am proud of our Oregon National Guard
soldiers in Iraq who saw their duty and disrupted Iraqi
police torturing
prisoners. Unfortunately, their superior officers said to let the prisoners be tortured.
Clearly some of our current policies are in error. If we do not dissent, troops will
continue to be targets
while we destroy our credibility.
When stubbornness is confused with strength, we
foster terrorism rather than suppressing it.
We need mature leaders who can admit mistakes
and regroup, rather than refusing to listen and hiding
from the public in private
meetings. Dissent is patriotic.
The upside to Bush's private meetings is that
the people of this state can see the difference between
a closed administration which
caters to a corporate elite, vs. a more open and democratic organization
which hold free
and public meetings where everyone is invited and all voices can be heard.
Truth must be spoken to power.
When we are told we
must choose between security and free speech,
we must refuse to choose. Dissent is
patriotic.
best regards, Tim
