Is it possible to criticize the government and be patriotic?
Of course it's possible to criticize the government and be patriotic, because most of our greatest patriots criticized the government at one point.
The Founding Fathers started this country based on dissatisfaction with their current government. Every president that we have had has at one point criticized his predecessor's decisions. If we don't allow this sort of open criticism, it only makes it easy for corruption and incompetence to go unnoticed, and there's nothing particularly patriotic about that.
Posted by: NoIanP4P3rIs that not what a democracy is?
Of course we can criticize our government and support our country at
the same time. This is what (should) keep it working for the people.
It was W's administration that popularised making bad patriots out
of mind speakers. You can oppose a war, a policy or a lobby such as
BP which keeps shabby equipment operational because they are cozy with
the government regulators. How else do we keep our government honest?Posted by: MarsBIueNot only is it possible, but it is the duty of people living in a democracy to criticize and question the government.
We only remain a free country if we can openly criticize and dialogue about our government. It would be blindly foolish to accept everything the government does and not question it. The government is here to serve the people, which it seems to have lost site of and now tends to serve only corporate interests. It is the duty of citizens to question, to criticize, and to debate the actions of the government in a democracy.
Posted by: 54IInfernoI believe all Americans have the right to speak their mind and voice their opinion.
I believe that when we vote we are criticizing the government by voting against those things we don't think are working and the people who are not doing a good job. Therefore, I think that speaking your mind and criticizing the government in words to someone is basically the same thing. And, we do have freedom of speech here in America.
Posted by: BratzkyI believe the MOST patriotic people keep a close eye on government and speak up when they see a problem.
The United States was founded on the idea of a representative government. In order for the government to be truly representative, politicians must know what the people think regardless of whether the people like or dislike what those politicians have done. I believe that is why our founding fathers created the first amendment, providing the right of free speech to all citizens.
Posted by: TigerFaberI believe that it is possible be a patriot and be a critic of the government, because it is our patriotic duty to do so.
We should, as Americans, question our government. I believe that it is part of our patriotic duty and could be even more important than voting. If we don't pose questions to our government and demand that the system change, then nothing will be accomplished.
Posted by: OrranChikI believe it is possible to criticize the government and be patriotic, because the people are supposed to guide the government.
Patriotism is devotion to the country, not the government. The government of the United States, in particular, was established, so that the people have a voice in what goes on. If the government was left on its own, then it would be ripe for corruption. This being the case, criticizing the government can even seem patriotic, provided it is for the benefit of the country.
Posted by: YieldingTheronYes, being patriotic means loving your country, not blindly agreeing with everything that happens.
Being patriotic means loving your country, not blindly agreeing with everything that happens. If your country's current government is failing to live up to the things that make your country great, criticizing it and helping to work for change is the most patriotic thing you can do. That shows you love your country enough to fight for it.
Posted by: R3yGoobIeYES!
As a member of a country it is your patriotic duty to criticize the government when you feel that it needs to be criticized.
Posted by: AnonymousOur government does not always represent our people correctly.
War on Iraq. The media frenzy allowed Bush to start a war with Iraq. It was not the wish of many people. It is a part of our checks and balances. Iraq did not represent a threat to the USA. The president is our representative not our ruler. Dissent is part of our strength without it we have a tyranny. Bush should be viewed as a war criminal.
Posted by: AnonymousYes, I do feel it is possible to offer both subjective and objective criticism of the government, and still be a patriotic citizen of the country, because it is our duty to be critical.
The concept of being patriotic is an expression of your love for your country. I don't have to agree with the policies of the federal government in order to love my country. Our country was, in fact, founded on the fact the citizens didn't agree with how England was governing the colonies. It is the responsibility of the citizens to keep elected officials accountable for their acts and the policies they establish by criticizing the country when things are going wrong.
Posted by: G4rwIsdeadCriticizing one's own government is the last line of defense when protecting the rights of the citizens.
I believe our own country was founded and fought for by men who criticized their government. I think a large portion of the definition of patriotic is one's ability to criticize the mistakes made by one's own government. It is the patriotic duty of every citizen to criticize the government when it makes bad decisions and is misrepresenting its people. Even our own "Declaration of Independence" states that when a government has become unjust and is misrepresenting its own citizens then it is duty of those with the power to remove said government and replace it with a better one.
Posted by: BrianDjYES! Dissent founded our country! Cited philosophers John Stuart Mill was especially verbal on this topic, noting that every argument is fallacious...
...and with no challenges to a particular argument, the basis may become distorted - without questioning and revising by another party, how could something ever remain true and valid forever? One must always question; it is how true progress is made.
Posted by: Anonymousyes
we cannot seriously look at any governing body without seeing any problems, it is a system run by humans, who are by no means perfect. you would be a fool to not say anything when you see a problem, for is that not the entire point of a democracy.
Posted by: AnonymousIt is not only possible to be patriotic and criticize the government, it is possible for criticism of the government to be patriotic.
It is patriotic to be concerned with the welfare of the country and nation, and criticism of the government may be in the nation's best interests. The government represents the people it governs. It works for them and serves them. If it is not doing so then it is not serving the nation. A corrupt government is a threat to the nation, and where the government is wrong the people of that nation have a patriotic duty to criticize it.
Posted by: NikiM5nI feel you can criticize the government and be patriotic.
I feel you can criticize the government and be patriotic. First off I will say I have lived in the USA all my life (44 years). I love my country and the freedom it has given me, but it is not perfect. Although we the people do have a voice in many things, ultimately it is the government which decides many issues. For instance, when the healthcare bill was passed, half the people did not like that idea and were right to voice their opinion since this is a free country and we have freedom of speech.
Posted by: dadude913It is patriotic to criticize government.
It is patriotic to love your nation but not your government leaders. The basis of democracy is that the people choose the leaders and the leaders do the bidding of the people. When this is not the case, the people have the right to criticize and to demand action or change.
Posted by: WilliamCortyYes, because disagreeing does not make you unpatriotic.
We live in a democracy and, as a nation, we are encouraged to voice our opinion. Because of this, we are allowed to vote to ensure everyone has a voice. In this nation, it is simply understood that majority rules so, sometimes, what we feel is right will not be the path chosen.
Posted by: WindyTrevor49Absolutely it is
Patriotism does not mean that you should like everything your government does. In some cases just the opposite is true. When your government violates the very principals that they are meant to stand for then the patriotic thing to do is opposed them. This idea is what America was founded on.
Posted by: BennyWOur representatives need to hear what we want
If the guy doing my lawn doesn't do a good job, do I just pay him and leave it at that. Do I let my barber cut my hair the way he wants it and still tip him? Should I let someone represent my interests in government and let them decide what it is I want? Don't think so. Criticism is merely feedback. It can be destructive or constructive. Good citizens support their government, but first they must make sure to hold them accountable to both the constitution and to public opinion.
Posted by: AnonymousIt is possible to criticize the government and be patriotic, because there conditions are not exclusive.
Criticizing the government is one of the highest forms of patriotism, because it holds the government to high standards. Often, such criticism subjects the individual to deleterious effects, such as accusations of a lack of patriotism, loss of a job, even assaults during demonstrations, and so on. So it, like service in the armed forces, is something that puts the individual's well-being at risk.
Posted by: R0xHartI agree that a person can both criticize the government and be patriotic because the government is run by people, and people are flawed.
It is possible that a government can turn corrupt, and a person who wants to instill the proper values back to their place may criticize the corrupt government. People are people...we all make mistakes, and that includes politicians.
Posted by: georgiafunCriticism is key to patriotism.
I would argue that to not be critical of your government, to accept all that they say and do, is completely unpatriotic. To accept criminality and malfeasance is to be party to those acts. It is every citizen's duty to hold our leaders accountable and that includes recognizing wrong and speaking out against it. A true patriot is an honest patriot.
Posted by: R43Shep
No it is not patriotic to criticize the government.
We criticize the government. But we dont do anything ourselves very much except criticizing the government. So we must do some jobs ourselves, then and then only we have the right (according to me) to criticize the government.
Posted by: AnonymousCriticizing is Not Patriotic
I think we should support our country in what it does, without regard to our private doubts. We can work towards making our country a better place (voting, participating) but we should not openly say that what we are doing is wrong. We chose to live in this country, so we must also choose to support it
Posted by: 23412googles