Free Speech
(originally uploaded by .beauty.obscured.)
picture by © p2b12
Below is a post from January 17th. I’m using this space to keep this post easily accessible for review and comment. It seems to me that our current administration would like for all dissenting voices to just shut-up. I think many of us feel the pressure to not voice any dissenting opinion to our friends, family, or co-workers…..because the tactic of using outrageous words to “shut-us-up” has become very well perfected. If your not with us your against us. If you don’t support the President, you are a supporter of the terrorists. If you don’t support the war, then you are against our troops. If you support any idea of the Democratic party, you are a card carrying liberal. You know what I mean, the list goes on and on. I would like this site to help heal some of these wounds, and be a place to talk and debate in a respectful manner. Whether you agree with my opinions or disagree, your respectful comments are all welcome.
Is it o.k. to criticize the President?
Originally Posted by Catherine Morgan on January 17th, 2007
It seems to me that we have taken political correctness to an extreme that Roosevelt himself may have considered “wrong” and “morally treasonable”. To understand what I mean by this you need to read this quote by President Roosevelt, a Republican President.
“The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the Nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile. 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.”
“Roosevelt in the Kansas City Star”, 149 May 7, 1918
This was what President Roosevelt thought during a time that he himself was being harshly criticized. So, when I hear people saying that if we criticize President Bush, or question his policies we are “emboldening the terrorists”, it makes me a little angry. It seems to me that freedom of speech is the cornerstone of our country, and we can not allow anyone to take away our voice.
WHAT DO YOU THINK…
picture by © bluemoont
CLICK ON A LINK AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK…….
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January 20, 2007 at 2:29 am
Let me know how you feel about whether it is o.k. to criticize the President. I will post all comments as long as they are written in a respectful way.
January 20, 2007 at 11:44 pm
I just posted this in one of your more recent posts but I think it applies here as well. It was in response to being tolerant of Bush because he a reflection of American ignorance.
I take serious, serious, issue when I hear someone defend Bush as a reflection of the American people. That’s not his job.
That’s what the Congress is for, and even then, it is their jobs to be more informed, inclined, motivated and educated than those who elect them.
The very reasoning behind representative government is the fact that on average, most people do not have the time to educate themselves on important matters, so we elect others to do it for us. That is the very point.
And so to say that the President, or members of Government, should be tolerated when they convey absurd amounts of inadequacy is to completely undermine the American Political System.
January 21, 2007 at 10:54 pm
which Roosevelt? Specify for me wont you? Is it my man Teddy?
January 21, 2007 at 11:30 pm
Hey Kelly….Yes, Teddy.
January 23, 2007 at 11:36 am
Not to mention George W. Bush’s grandfather Prescott Bush was caught funding the Nazi war machine. The American people do not need to start a revolution. They need to stop one. Google it!
January 24, 2007 at 12:12 am
SEE MORE COMMENT ON THIS SUBJECT AT THE ORIGINAL POST: http://informedvoters.wordpress.com/2007/01/15/is-it-ok-to-criticize-the-president/
January 24, 2007 at 11:39 pm
Good Question
Gabriel
January 24, 2007 at 11:46 pm
Thanks “Gabriel”
January 27, 2007 at 12:55 am
The one aspect of presidential critique that bothers me is that he has no real power. People like to gripe about Bush doing this, or Bush not getting out of Iraq, etc., but they fail to realize he has no ability to do anything without the approval of Congress. In fact, when we originally invaded Iraq, it was done under the War Powers Act. This gives the President executive authority to mobilize military action for 90 days, after which point the Congress must approve all future actions. Is it rational to assume that Bush sent 100,000+ Americans to Iraq without the “advance consent” of Congress? Let’s be rational, people. Other issues, such as social ones (i.e.: homelessness, poverty, etc.) are also beyond the control of the President. Can any President “cure” homelessness? If so, why didn’t Clinton? Or Bush, Sr., or Carter, or anyone? In my opinion, the President is nothing more than a confused, ego driven person who is willing to become a living effigy to all American problems in exchange for historical notoreity. It doesn’t matter what political stripe he wears.
January 27, 2007 at 12:58 am
Sorry, I forgot to answer the actual question directly - yes it is ok to criticize the President. It’s ok to criticize anyone. That’s your First Amendment right. Period. Isn’t it great to be an American?
January 27, 2007 at 1:05 am
Hi “Tireman”. I agree with you 100%. My point isn’t so much that the president could (or should) do anything in response to the critisism, just that we should be able to openly state our dissaproval without being considered “unpatriotic”. I don’t imagine for one minute that anything I say on this blog will affect change in politics, but I do hope it will go a little way to affect change in ourselves and how we debate complicated issues.
Thanks again for your comments. I hope you will keep coming back.
January 27, 2007 at 2:47 pm
This is one of those issues where balance is needed. But its difficult to balance because there is truth in what both sides say.
First, in a democracy we should voice our opinions. That’s what makes this a great country-our right to voice our opinions, no matter how off-beat or weird.
On the other hand, creating a media frenzy regarding an issue like Iraq does undoubtedly give aid and comfort to the enemy. It will cause them to persist longer, and probably more tenaciously.
My thoughts:
We should clearly voice our opinions, whether its for or against the president’s position on Iraq. But highly publicized votes on non-binding resolutions criticizing the commander in chief’s decisions on the prosecution of the “war” are less than worthless-they’re seditious. They do nothing positive to end the war. They just give aid and comfort to the other side in this conflict.
January 27, 2007 at 4:47 pm
Hi “P Visser” — Thank you for your comment.
I agree in that, these non-binding resolutions are nothing more than politicians making noise, without actually accomplishing anything….I would liken it to “politcal junk-mail”.
On the other hand, I do not agree that anything we say makes any of these “terrorist” want to kill us any more than they did before. They hate us and want to kill us, nothing we say or do is going to make that better (even fighting in Iraq). We can not make our goal to kill all the people that hate us and want to kill us….because there is no way we will be able to do that….what we need to do is get better at PROTECTING ourselves and this country.
January 28, 2007 at 3:17 pm
I don’t think what we say makes them hate us more either. But what we say can encourage them to last longer and fight harder than they might otherwise have done.
January 28, 2007 at 3:28 pm
Hi “Pjvs” — Maybe? But, I still think our money would be better used to protect our own country. What will ultimately stop “them”, is when “they” are unable to get to us anymore. The sad thing is, I don’t believe we are any safer than we were on 9/10. I think it is pure luck that we haven’t been attacked since 9/11, although I pray I am wrong.
January 31, 2007 at 1:31 pm
Great Post.
Seems 9/11 was more than just a horrid day for the loss of loved ones lives. It was the beginning of the end of our freedoms and rights in this country. It was an excuse by the administration to take away our constitutional rights and make the rules up on the fly. The false terror alerts, raising fears in our hearts causing panic, and confusing us about what is going on. To me 9/11 is very suspicious and an excuse for a power play on oil in Iraq.
How do we trust the leaders in charge when their lies are surfacing more and more everyday? How do we get better at securing our country when we do stupid things like sell our ports to UAE?
Best you can do is take power back is to vote.
January 31, 2007 at 1:35 pm
“Nyc O” — Thank you for your comment. — I agree that the besting thing we can do to take our power back, is to vote.
February 13, 2007 at 10:13 pm
Nyc O - Excuse me for critising your comment. Has anyone’s constitutional rights been taken away?
And to say that 911 was used as an excuse to take away our rights is ludicris.
I don’t know but I have not heard one workable solution from the Democrats on securing our Freedoms and fighting the WOT. They are still adhering to a ‘cut and run’ philosophy.
There may have been mistakes in the current Iraq war, but bringing to justice a brutal Dictator who murdered thousands of people is justified in itself for going in. 12 million people voted for their freedom.
We will not let another Afghanstan to develope in which ruthless thugs are able to carry out unresponsive attacks around the world. It’s just that, they have been bombing and killing people for years before they attacked us on our soil.
February 23, 2007 at 10:45 pm
People in this country get arrested for wearing anti-Bush t-shirts. Happened right here in CA as well.
And what about the government bullying people to take down signs that criticize Bush?
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/01/04/INGPQ40MB81.DTL&type=printable
Yes, many people have had their contitutional rights taken awway. Someone I knew very closely, a naturalized citizen was arrested, thrown in detention without his family knowing what happened to him and then forcibly made to sign documents of him agreeing to be stripped of his citizenship and deported. His wife was left to support three kids and run a small business she knew nothing about ultimately it failed and she also left the country.
11 million illlegal immigrants in this country and the government decides to pick 13,000 who were honest about it - becasue they were Muslim.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/06/07/MN82265.DTL
The gas station owner where I fill up has had FBI call on him for questioning simply becasue he’s a vocal opponent of the war and because he’s a Muslim.
Please don’t tell me no one’s rights have been taken away - because I defend those who’s rights are taken away every single day.
February 26, 2007 at 9:18 pm
i really hate these Bushes ! .. Senior n Junior …
March 8, 2007 at 12:57 am
I critize him every free breath I get. It’s my duty as an American.
Middlescott
http://poppoliticos.wordpress.com/
March 12, 2007 at 4:42 pm
Anyone who thinks their rights aren’t being violated should watch this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydkpWHITlBg
March 12, 2007 at 5:09 pm
“Kita Kazoo” — Thanks for the link, it is very interesting.
April 18, 2007 at 9:06 pm
Catherine:
Sure it’s okay to criticize the President, or any one else for that matter. I have no difficulty whatsoever with the notion of criticism; further, I feel that criticism is a critical element in the human growth-maturation process.
However, just as in all matters of humankind I feel it is far more effective to be articulate, respectful, and to let our speech be seasoned if you will. First, I feel people will listen to what is being said when presented as such, and of the second part, nothing, but nothing turns me off more than those who believe that they—for whatever reasons—can belittle, engage in name calling, and tear down with words.
I believe that many professionals—quasi-professionals—I call them, either up on the Hill, or others masquerading under the guise of comedy, celebrity status, or wealth, seem to think that it is simply okay to be as offensive as tolerable when criticizing President Bush.
I believe this nonsense vis-a-vie Bill Maher, Rosie O’Donnell, Chris Rock, Harry Reid, John Murtha, and Harry Belafonte have gone too far and have, for me, become extremely offensive. Just one last matter to address:
Freedom of speech does not mean a person can say anything at anytime they want. Oh contraire! May I suggest to you and your reader’s Jefferson and Civil Liberties: The Darker Side. That’s it for now…hope you enjoy!
April 18, 2007 at 9:36 pm
Hi Paulo,
I agree with you. I just think the hate talk is happening on both sides.
Thanks for your comment.
May 12, 2007 at 10:42 pm
I am not an American and I find it so strange the way you talk about your Presidents.As an Australian I would never contribute to pulling our country apart by such comments that are made by some of your media.I think washing your dirty laundry should be done inside the country not for the world to liston to.It puts you all down and makes you sound unpatrictic.As far as we go in Australia the alternative to Mr Bush would be unthinkable.We rely heavily on your friendship’s,the world relays heavily on your friendship and to have the alternative ,Terrorists in Power is not a happy thought.Good on him for taking on the evil madness that is around.We owe a lot to George Bush.
May 12, 2007 at 11:23 pm
Hi Barbara,
Thank you for your comment. I appreciate what you are saying, however I don’t think you need to fear a terrorists being in power in the United States. The alternative to Bush is not a terrorist, it is simply another elected official from the Democratic or Republican party…and this will be inevitable by 2008 after the presidential elections.
Thanks again for your comment.
Catherine
May 20, 2007 at 10:28 am
Tireman, Tireman…… Of course we know congress has to agree with the President, but entering into this war occurred because our Dear President had his “People” bring incorrect information to our Congress so let’s rephrase what you said. The President has no real control untill he schemes a way to get it.
June 12, 2007 at 11:10 pm
I think it’s okay to voice personal opinions about any President, but what most Americans fail to remember is that we’re supposed to respect the ‘office’ of the President, no matter who sits in that seat.
June 26, 2007 at 2:25 pm
It is every adult American’s duty to criticize their leaders if they feel it is warranted. There is nothing in the Constitution about “not airing dirty laundry”. There has been a significant push to increase the powers of the Executive, and everyone must speak out. Domestic spying, Guantanamo, water-boarding, no-bid contracts…all these things deserve criticism (if an individual thinks it is warranted). Treason, traitorousness, etc is the act of fighting or undermining the entire American system, not individual leaders. The founders knew this, and codified it. Those who accuse critics of being unpatriotic are themselves being unpatriotic.
June 26, 2007 at 3:11 pm
Hi there “PalMD” — I’m glad you’re checking out more of the site, and thanks for the comment. I agree.
June 26, 2007 at 3:35 pm
It’s a nice blog…thanks for keeping it up.
June 26, 2007 at 3:47 pm
Thanks “PalMD” - I’m glad you like my blog…it’s a lot of hard work…especially considering I also have three other (non-political) blogs.
Anyway, hope you’ll be back for another visit soon.
September 8, 2007 at 3:15 am
Was the word “speech” suppozed ta be spelt wrung?
September 8, 2007 at 11:41 am
Hi “Angllhugnu” — Thanks for pointing out my spelling error, I made the correction. Let me know if you see anything else.
September 10, 2007 at 2:54 am
The rest is shear beauty my dear…shear uncompromising beauty!
September 10, 2007 at 12:06 pm
How kind of you to say, thank you.