{"article":{"id":69716,"heading":"On "Hating America"","author":"Ernest Partridge","created":"2003-07-04 15:58:11","modified":"2013-11-11 00:23:35","last_modified":"Mon, 11 Nov 2013 07:23:35","article":"

It was bound to happen sooner or later. Bernie Weiner and I open a progressive web site (\"The Crisis Papers\" [www.crisispapers.org]) and write a few dissenting essays, and sure enough, we get an e-mail such as this: 



Are you people stoned? If you truly hate America as much as you appear to, why not leave? Those of us who still maintain some shred of sanity and who are not a hoard [sic] of wacked out conspiricy [sic] theorists would certainly not stand in your way... How sad that we in this great nation, have among us such a number of anti-American, anti-human rights, liberal-minded followers who are incapable of trully [sic] original thought, who time and again spout regurgitations of misled psuedo [sic] -intellectuals.



This is hardly a unique experience. Republican Administrations since Nixon have adopted this nasty habit of charging their critics with \"hating America,\" and the practice persists on talk radio, the whore media, and from the secure and well-funded fortifications of the American Enterprise Institute and the Heritage Foundation. Democrats, liberals and progressives have, for the most part, chosen not to dignify these smears with replies. Bad advice. Ask former Senator Max Cleland, a Viet Nam War hero, defeated by a draft-dodger who charged Cleland with being \"unpatriotic.\" 



So here is my reply. 



Dear Sir and Madame, 

No, I do not \"hate America.\" I love America, which is why I hate what the right-wing zealots are doing to my beloved country and to its international reputation. These zealots have bought out our once-free media and have shut out informed dissent, they have seized control of our government through an illegal election, they have intimidated the \"opposition party\" into meek submission, and worst of all, they are proceeding to tear up our Bill of Rights and to abscond with our national wealth and treasure, impoverishing the rest of us and our posterity. 

In short, because I love America, I despise those who have taken it away from me and from the vast majority of my compatriots -- including yourselves, dear correspondents, as you might appreciate if you will only pause for a moment to reflect upon the news and information that are readily available to you. 

I love America for its founding principle that the people are sovereign -- that the elected leaders obey the will and serve at the consent of the people, and owe the people an open and honest account of their stewardship. Furthermore, I insist that informed scrutiny and criticism of those leaders and the free and open dissent from their policies, is the soul of a free society. To condemn criticism of \"The Leader\" and to label dissent as \"hatred\" of America is, to put it bluntly, \"un-American\" -- a betrayal of the founding principles of The United States of America. If you don't believe me, then read the Declaration of Independence and perhaps Mr. Jefferson and the Founders might convince you. 

If you truly cannot tolerate dissent, then you are living in the wrong country and perhaps it is you who should leave. On the other hand, maybe you should stay put, for if present trends continue and Mr. Ashcroft and his Patriot Police have their way, all dissent will be abolished. 

And with it, the United States of America as we know it and love it. 

To prevent which, and in defense of the America we love, Dr. Weiner and I will continue to write, to dissent and to protest -- unless and until those who truly hate America succeed in silencing us. 

Patriotically Yours, 

Ernest Partridge





 

Dr. Ernest Partridge, a \"misled psuedo[sic]-intellectual,\" is a consultant, writer and lecturer in the fields of Environmental Ethics and Public Policy. He publishes the website, \"The Online Gadfly\" www.igc.org\/gadfly and co-edits the progressive website \"The Crisis Papers\" www.crisispapers.org  He is a contributing writer for Liberal Slant

 



\"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism\" - Thomas Jefferson

\"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. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else.\" - Teddy Roosevelt

2003-2002-2001-2000-1999-1998

LIBERALSLANT Web Publications.

All rights reserved.

liberalslant@entermail.net<\/a><\/p>\n","contact":"","link":"","address":"","phone":"","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/plain","summary":"It was bound to happen sooner or later. Bernie Weiner and I open a progressive web site ("The Crisis Papers" [www.crisispapers.org]) and write a few dissenting essays, and sure enough, we get an e-mail such as this:\u00a0Are you people stoned? ...","numcomment":24,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/","filesize":null,"article_url":"\/news\/2003\/07\/69716.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[{"id":69717,"heading":"If you can't tolerate dissent...","article":"...find another country.","author":"Diogenes","parent_id":69716,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-07-04 15:59:20","modified":"2003-07-04 15:59:20","fileurl":""},{"id":69723,"heading":"If you can't tolerate not having any of your agenda implemented...","article":"...find another country.\r\n","author":"Truth","parent_id":69716,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-07-04 16:11:26","modified":"2003-07-04 16:11:26","fileurl":""},{"id":69727,"heading":"My Agenda is the Constitution","article":"Do you stand opposed?","author":"Diogenes","parent_id":69716,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-07-04 16:15:21","modified":"2003-07-04 16:15:21","fileurl":""},{"id":69728,"heading":"My Agenda is the Constitution","article":"That's ours, too!\r\n\r\nLet's sit around and talk about it.","author":"activist community","parent_id":69716,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-07-04 16:17:47","modified":"2003-07-04 16:17:47","fileurl":""},{"id":69731,"heading":"Dr.","article":"P.S.\r\n\r\nOther than that, I'm dumber than a bag of hammers. That's all I have to say.","author":"Ernest Partridge","parent_id":69716,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-07-04 16:24:27","modified":"2003-07-04 16:24:27","fileurl":""},{"id":69745,"heading":"We don't have a problem with dissension..","article":"Not as long as it's legitimate and responsible dissension. We dissent all the time. It seemed like we were in a continuous state of dissension under the Clinton administration. But dissension for the sake of dissension is another story. You leftists make careers out of it.","author":"the rightwing","parent_id":69716,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-07-04 18:05:20","modified":"2003-07-04 18:05:20","fileurl":""},{"id":69766,"heading":"Vague generalities prove...","article":"...nothing, nothing at all.","author":"Diogenes","parent_id":69716,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-07-04 21:07:10","modified":"2003-07-04 21:07:10","fileurl":""},{"id":69789,"heading":"?","article":"what is legitimate dissension? and how does it differ from illigitimate dissension? go ahead...","author":"guy with ?","parent_id":69716,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-07-04 22:32:33","modified":"2003-07-04 22:32:33","fileurl":""},{"id":69799,"heading":"Heres your answer, leftist commie boy","article":"what is illigitimate dissension you ask? well, when the war is a complete success (lemme recap for you: no more saddam or his goonies, democracy in Iraq, sowing the seeds of democracy in Iran, better chances for peace with N Korea, no more mass murder of Iraqi civilians by Saddam, blah blah blah) and then you commies come out and have your pro-peace (aka Bush is a Hilter rallies) saying that the war is a complete failure because there are no weapons found when everyone knew they had them and we keep coming up with evidence, not the actual weapons i admit (prolly just passed them off to Iran or Syria since you commies gave them so long to comply), but lots of proof of them, that is illegitimate dessension, why dont you poor, filthy bitches complain about how Bush "illegally" took the presidency or something or make up new pictures of Bush looking like Hitler instead of actually doing anything for the US.","author":"Heres your answer, leftist commie boy","parent_id":69716,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-07-04 23:04:24","modified":"2003-07-04 23:04:24","fileurl":""},{"id":69804,"heading":"LOL, i know, these guys never learn","article":"oh well....... they cant be reasoned with.....anyways, enough of this, see ya later Bush Admirer, good job with all the good commentary, and keep it up! ;)","author":"LOL ,i know, these guys never learn","parent_id":69716,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-07-04 23:12:46","modified":"2003-07-04 23:12:46","fileurl":""},{"id":69812,"heading":"thank you, BA","article":"I feel privileged to be associated with Diogenes.\r\nAlthough I am no where near as well read. He knows his shit. Too bad about that little problem of his view on\r\nsales tax however. I would prefer a flat tax above a certain income with no loop holes. And that means total\r\nwealth, including property like stock ownership. Oh well.","author":"Sheepdog","parent_id":69716,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-07-05 00:19:19","modified":"2003-07-05 00:19:19","fileurl":""},{"id":69815,"heading":"Speak of the Devil - Hi Dog - and thanks for the kind words.","article":"Another Answer for ?:\r\n\r\nLegitimate dissent is that which your conscience dictates. It should not be determined by herd mentality or \u201cwhat people might think of you\u201d.\r\n\r\n\t"Each man must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, which course is patriotic and which isn\u2019t. You cannot shirk this and be a man. To decide against your conviction is to be an unqualified and inexcusable traitor, both to yourself and to your country, let men label you as they may." - Mark Twain\r\n\r\nThe person who signed their Post \u201cHere\u2019s your answer\u201d has no clue. Like too many of the \u201cTrue Believers\u201d of any irrational cause his mind is made up not by the facts but by what he has been told to think. It is not a reasoned position - it is purely and simply reactive.\r\n\r\nAs he makes clear he is perfectly willing to be a Sucker and cares not one whit that the fundamental principles upon which this country was founded have been shat upon with great frequency by his Fuhrer. And I use the term \u201cFuhrer\u201d intentionally. The word Fuhrer is simply German for \u201cLeader\u201d. And \u201cHere\u2019s your answer\u201d desperately needs a leader as independent thought would seem to be something that frightens him.\r\n\r\n"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." Former Republican President, Theodore Roosevelt \r\n\r\nHere\u2019s a choice example: \u201csaying that the war is a complete failure because there are no weapons found when everyone knew they had them and we keep coming up with evidence, not the actual weapons i admit (prolly just passed them off to Iran or Syria since you commies gave them so long to comply)\u201d\r\n\r\nAll propaganda must be so popular and on such an intellectual level, that even the most stupid of those toward whom it is directed will understand it... Through clever and constant application of propaganda, people can be made to see paradise as hell, and also the other way around, to consider the most wretched sort of life as paradise. - Adolf Hitler \r\n\r\n"If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains set lightly upon you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen." \r\n\r\n--Samuel Adams \r\n\r\n"Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally, the common people don't want war: neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But after all it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship ... Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger."\r\n\r\n-- Hermann Goering, at the Nuremberg Trials shortly before he was sentenced to death.\r\n\r\n\r\nA. The War is a complete failure because it was founded upon and conducted upon LIES. It is illegal under our own Constitution which your Fuhrer is busily trying to shred.\r\n\r\nB. It was unnecessary - as we now know Saddam did not have any significant quantity of banned Weapons. Putting your head up your ass and screaming that it was because the stinking Commies gave him too much time is Bullshit. Based up Bush\u2019s lying numbers he had several hundred TONs of said Weapons of Mass Destruction\u00a9 2001 The White House. So, far not even evidence of a Production Site exists let a lone actual Banned Weapons. You are welcome to kid yourself and believe the latest spin unquestioningly, but us thinking people have a Missouri viewpoint: Show Me.\r\n\r\nTo date NO evidence has been produced demonstrating any of Duhbya\u2019s claims of imminent doom to be true. Much evidence has been produced demonstrating that he LIED.\r\n\r\nC. This mythical invention of the Bush Spin Team (and Spin is simply another name for LIE) that somehow Saddam had all these weapons which our intelligence had confirmed he had was then able to spirit them out of the country without a trace requires the same sort of believing mind that pays his life savings for the Brooklyn Bridge.\r\n\r\nIn the end legitimate dissent is that which your conscience dictates. If you disagree with an action or a policy it is your duty as a Citizen to stand up and loudly say so. And don\u2019t be intimidated by unthinking loudmouths. These are the types of yammering idiots who would surrender our heritage of Individual Liberty bequeathed to us by the blood of our Founding Fathers.\r\n\r\n"It is the duty of the patriot to protect his country from its government." \r\n\r\n-- Thomas Paine \r\n\r\n"Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official." \r\n---Theodore Roosevelt, REPUBLICAN PARTY \r\n\r\n\u201cAsk not what your Country can do for you but what you can do for your Country.\u201d\r\nJohn Fitzgerald Kennedy - the last Real President of the UNITED States.\r\n\r\n"We fight not for glory nor for wealth nor honour, but only and alone we fight for freedom which no good man surrenders but with his life." \r\n--Robert the Bruce (Brus), King of Scots, 24 June 1314. \r\n\r\n"Whenever the legislators endeavor to take away and destroy the property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they put themselves into a state of war with the people, who are thereupon absolved from any further obedience..." \r\n\u2014 John Locke 1690 2nd Treatise on Government Chapter 19 paragraph 222 \r\n\r\nVIVA LA RESISTANCE\u2019!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!","author":"Diogenes","parent_id":69716,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-07-05 01:41:11","modified":"2013-11-11 00:23:36","fileurl":""},{"id":69893,"heading":"or in fewer words","article":"the ones in political power demand and enforce the limits of dissension, to their liking, and this is "called" legitimate dissension, to them. others see it more broadly, got it? or are you a commie and not really a commie basher?","author":"guy with ?","parent_id":69716,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-07-05 17:59:43","modified":"2003-07-05 17:59:43","fileurl":""},{"id":69984,"heading":"Those in positions of power define legitimate dissent...","article":"...only if you lack spine.","author":"Diogenes","parent_id":69716,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-07-06 02:10:11","modified":"2003-07-06 02:10:11","fileurl":""},{"id":69988,"heading":"as always...","article":"Dio,\r\ni must say your an intelligent man. I find ur arguments reasonable all the time. The difference between U and the "sheep" you argue with is that you have the ability to think for yourself while these fools regurgetate shit that they are told. \r\n\r\nThe ability to reason with logic is something that is really lacking in this day and age. Also dont feel bad. The biggest "label" you will get for questioning the stupidity and immorality of politicians is "unpatriotic". I think it was Samuel Johnson who said it best that "Patriotism is the last refuge of Scoundrels". \r\n\r\nLike you say "Bush lied, children died" its as simple as that.","author":"Omar","parent_id":69716,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-07-06 03:30:21","modified":"2003-07-06 03:30:21","fileurl":""},{"id":70025,"heading":"Jesus!","article":"Omar!\r\n\r\nWho knew?\r\n\r\nNo wonder you're always sooooo concerned about everyone being a "fag", as you say.\r\n\r\nNow it all makes sense.\r\n\r\nA little latent hostility I see.","author":"fresca","parent_id":69716,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-07-06 12:00:41","modified":"2003-07-06 12:00:41","fileurl":""},{"id":70028,"heading":"WTF?","article":"Are you babbeling about?","author":"Sheepdog","parent_id":69716,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-07-06 12:45:21","modified":"2003-07-06 12:45:21","fileurl":""},{"id":70031,"heading":"sheepdog","article":"LOL (whoops)\r\n\r\nMy slurpee pulling friend will understand.\r\n\r\n","author":"fresca","parent_id":69716,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-07-06 12:56:16","modified":"2003-07-06 12:56:16","fileurl":""},{"id":70033,"heading":"good for him and you","article":"because I'm sure no one else does.\r\n[hint] if you are the only one who understands what you are talking about, it's called gibberish.","author":"Sheepdog","parent_id":69716,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-07-06 13:07:50","modified":"2003-07-06 13:07:50","fileurl":""},{"id":70035,"heading":"Right","article":""because I'm sure no one else does. \r\n[hint] if you are the only one who understands what you are talking about, it's called gibberish."\r\n\r\nCorrect. Of course, you've posted that we BOTH understand so........","author":"fresca","parent_id":69716,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-07-06 13:09:44","modified":"2003-07-06 13:09:44","fileurl":""},{"id":70036,"heading":"are you insane?","article":"or are you on some kind of substance....\r\nyou are making absolutely no sense. Not to want you\r\nto stop because now everyone can see it for\r\nthemselves. Maybe if I was baked, it would begin to\r\nhave any kind of relevance, but all I've got is\r\ncoffee. I'll go make some and come back. Since you're\r\nglued to the keyboard, I'm sure a response will be waiting\r\nfor me in a few minutes. If it also makes no sense I will\r\nignore you.","author":"Sheepdog","parent_id":69716,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-07-06 13:19:30","modified":"2003-07-06 13:19:30","fileurl":""},{"id":70043,"heading":"sheepdog","article":"Settle down.\r\nChrist can you NOT concieve that a post MIGHT be intended for someone other than you and that PERHAPS they will understand it?\r\n\r\nBy all means get your coffee and unfog that mind of yours.\r\n\r\nBTW. How are you going to play it with that coffee? I need some more myself.","author":"fresca","parent_id":69716,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-07-06 13:30:41","modified":"2003-07-06 13:30:41","fileurl":""},{"id":70047,"heading":"dingo the armchair critic","article":""Those in positions of power define legitimate dissent only if you lack spine."\r\n\r\ndingo, you sit at the top of the hill while the battle is going on, and when it's over, you come down and shoot the wounded.\r\n","author":"a vertebrate","parent_id":69716,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-07-06 13:36:17","modified":"2003-07-06 13:36:17","fileurl":""}]}