"Dissent is the Highest Form of Patriotism."
That's what we told the supporters of George W. Bush when they tried to shut us up during the long 8 years of irrational nonsense that are finally drawing to a close. The phrase still applies as we congratulate Barack Obama on his election victory and look forward to the dawning of the Obama Era. Many of us look forward to the beginning of Obama's presidency with some trepidation.
Yes, Barack Obama's victory is historic. Yes, Barack Obama is clearly made of finer presidential material than John McCain. That's why we voted for him. But along the path to victory Barack Obama made some pit stops that are disturbing to political progressives.
When we entered the voting booth, we didn't have the chance to write down the worries that begin with the words, "I voted for you, but...". There's no space on the ballot for the expression of a caveat or a disappointment or any other form of dissent. Yet dissent is the highest form of patriotism, or as Theodore Roosevelt once put it, "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."
As progressively patriotic Americans who want America to be the best it can be, we must voice our concerns, and then we must act upon them.
15 Upcoming Activist Events(Submit an Event You Know About or Search all Events)Event City: Cities and towns everywhere Event State: Worldwide Event Location: follow link for details Date and Time: 2010-02-12, all day Event Website: http://www.darwinday.org/events/ Organizer's Name: International Darwin Day Foundation Contact Email and Phone Number: , Event Description: Darwin's 201st birthday will be celebrated on February 12 by the global community as a toast to the common good of all humanity. We will all want to develop events to celebrate Darwin, the enterprise of science and the development of knowledge about life, the universe and everything. Event City: Augusta Event State: ME Event Location: Hall of Flags, State Capital building Date and Time: 2010-02-18, 9 AM - 1 PM Event Website: http://www.bringourwardollarshome.org/calendar.html Organizer's Name: Bring Our War Dollars Home Contact Email and Phone Number: lsavage3@gmail.com, Event Description: Our Draw-In for Peace in the Maine State Capital building will use the visual art created at a Draw-a-Thon held earlier in the week as well as art rendered on the spot. Artist-activists will pose the question to those who pass: What would you spend our tax dollars on rather than war? We will deliver the results to state legislators and their staffs in an example of creative citizen lobbying Event City: nationwide Event State: Australia Event Location: locations nationwide Date and Time: 2010-03-06, daylong Event Website: http://bit.ly/6V6aJm Organizer's Name: No Clean Feed Contact Email and Phone Number: prolelsmith@gmail.com, Event Description: The Australian Federal Government is pushing forward with a plan to force Internet Service Providers [ISPs] to censor the Internet for all Australians. This plan will waste tens of millions of taxpayer dollars and slow down Internet access. You will not be able to Opt-Out of this filter, as was previously claimed. Despite being almost universally condemned by the public, ISPs, State Governments, Media and censorship experts, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy is determined to force this filter into your home. Event City: Washington Event State: DC Event Location: National Mall Date and Time: 2010-03-20, All Day Event Website: http://www.bauaw.org/2009/11/bauaw-newsletter-monday-november-9-2009.html Organizer's Name: ANSWER Coalition Contact Email and Phone Number: info@internationalanswer.org , 202-265-1948 Event Description: People from all over the country are organizing to converge on Washington, D.C., to demand the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all U.S. and NATO forces from Afghanistan and Iraq. On Saturday, March 20, 2010, there will be a massive National March & Rally in D.C. A day of action and outreach in Washington, D.C., will take place on Friday, March 19, preceding the Saturday march. There will be coinciding mass marches on March 20 in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Instead of war, we will demand funds so that every person can have a job, free and universal health care, decent schools, and affordable housing. March 20 is the seventh anniversary of the criminal war of aggression launched by Bush and Cheney against Iraq. One million or more Iraqis have died. Tens of thousands of U.S. troops have lost their lives or been maimed, and continue to suffer a whole host of enduring problems from this terrible war. Event City: Keene, Manchester, Derry and Upper Valley Event State: NH Event Location: on the public square Date and Time: 2010-03-20, 4:20 pm Event Website: http://www.420at420.org/ Organizer's Name: 420 at 4:20 Contact Email and Phone Number: webmaster@420at420.org, Event Description: The United States jails more people than any other nation—both in absolute numbers and as a proportion of the population—and the vast majority of those people are in jail for the victimless, consensual “crime” of consuming a substance that the government doesn’t approve of. Numerous attempts to pass legislation relaxing marijuana prohibition have failed. An additional tactic is clearly called for. Event City: London Event State: England Event Location: Olympia National Hall Date and Time: 2010-04-14, All Day Event Website: http://www.dsei.org/confront-counter-terror Organizer's Name: Disarm DSEi Contact Email and Phone Number: info@dsei.org, Event Description: DSEi is the world's largest arms fair, held every other year in East London. Protest the counter-terror expo and its exporting of violence around the world Event City: Sacramento Event State: CA Event Location: Mosaic Law Congregation, 2300 Sierra Boulevard Date and Time: 2011-02-21, 3 pm Event Website: http://bit.ly/6KETQL Organizer's Name: Prison Reform Movement Contact Email and Phone Number: , Event Description: Marc Klaas, promoter for the original Three Strikes Law as well as sentencing increases and removing rehabilitative services for offenders, is going to be speaking at Mosaic Law Congregation at 2300 Sierra Blvd., Sacramento, on Sunday, February 21st at 3pm. As many people as possible should be at the synagogue to politely demonstrate against the policy. The MLC board was asked to recall his invitation, but they refused. Once the word gets out, hopefully because it is a Sunday, many people will come out. |