If dissent is the highest form of patriotism, wouldn’t it be even higher to dissent against the dissent? Jefferson would have to be quite a jerk to insist people should dissent against the country, and simultaneously criticize people who dissented against his dissention. (In fact, he did both those things, and some of his contemporaries did regard him as a bit of a jerk…but the principle stands.) What about dissent against dissent against dissent?

You see where I’m going with this; sooner or later, any faction of people assembled for a cause, have to stop dissenting and start getting something done. If they don’t, then what’s being described is no longer “patriotism,” but more like, pure chaos. I think everyone would have to agree the American Revolution was something more than just that.

Thank you for your kind words.

I’m aware of how much misinformation is sown and harvested. It’s just that particular quote, being misattributed to that particual historical figure that burns me, over the other misinfo. The reason being, because folks think because they can throw Jefferson’s name out there, and the double-edged word ‘dissent’, that they are true patriots, and their rhetoric is with America’s best interest at heart. So as long as they are shielded by Jeffersons name, you cannot question their intent, or wether or not it is truely good for our great country.

What I see happening is that each individual is much more responsible for the verity of whatever tidbit he or she chooses to pass on. A generation ago, it was commonplace to say “I heard on the grapevine…” and the speaker was regarded as having done everything he could do, to verify what might actually have no truth whatsoever. How could anyone blame him, then? Today, when something flies into someone’s inbox, over your signature, you’re regarded with a healthy amount of derision and skepticism — and that’s before your chestnut is exposed as being false. Once the legend is debunked, you’re chastised even more. The taboo against spreading rumors like this, is actually increasing. We’re growing up.

By the way, that’s a great quote by Tom Paine. It exposes the definition of “patriotism” as purely a matter of opinion, since it’s a purely subjective exercise to say a given position comports with “the principles for which your country is supposed to stand”. Given that, it’s a 100% legitimate position for the liberals to insist America should be blamed for every little empty belly and stubbed toe all the world over, and that by blaming their own country, they’re being “patriots.” It also legitimizes the position of their antagonists, that such blame-America-first liberals fall within the definition of that notorious word, “unpatriotic.” Those who say this, are simply saying the blame-America-first liberals are articulating principles incompatible with those for which the country is supposed to stand.

Of course anyone may disagree with that, but how could they call it an illegitimate viewpoint? Without inspecting the reasoning one uses to infer what this country is “supposed” to be doing, you can’t.