2008 Woodie Awards
Let all voices be heard
Remember that political dissent is what this country was founded on
Justin Lyman
Issue date: 9/23/04 Section: Opinions
- Page 1 of 1
Ahh... it's that time of decade again. Schools are in session, the leaves are starting to change, and the sweet smells of partisan politics are in the air. Everywhere you go you can see signs, vote for so and so for Congress or Senate, Republican or Demicrat. Being allowed to voice your political views without fear of harsh retribution from anyone is what makes our country great.
I'll be honest; I'm fairly liberal, which is strange considering that I come from generations of Republicans. So, being able to defend my positions is a necessity in my household. I can defend many positions from both sides. However, one thing that has no defense is the silencing of other views "by any means necessary," to coin a catch phrase that people have forgotten over the last 2 years.
Recently, I viewed someone posting a College Republican poster, which I admire because I think people should get involved, no matter what organization they choose. I also saw someone putting up signs that showed Bush's presidential policies throughout his tenure as the President of the United States. Both of these actions are legal and I applaud both groups for standing up for what they believe in.
However, one group went too far. Flyers that were decisively anti-Bush posted throughout campus were torn down and ripped up. This is absolutely ludicrous; there is no reason to silence someone else's views because you don't like them. Dissent is what makes this country so great; the fact that you can think for yourself and express your views without them being silenced by a bitter and deceitful majority.
There have been other points in history where people have been silenced, usually by a group that while might not have a physical majority, stoops to the tactics of not allowing people to dissent. Three years ago, if you had said that attacking Iraq or Afghanistan was not the only way to go about dealing with what happened on 9/11 you were immediately branded un-American and a terrorist sympathizer. We cannot allow things like this to ruin our country. I think W. Winwood Reade said it best; "What a state of society is this, in which a freethinker is a term of abuse, and in which doubt is regarded as sin?"
You can agree with me or not. It doesn't matter to me; just put yourself in the position of the person being silenced "by any means necessary." There must be room for the dissent of ideas. If there is only conformity to one idea then there would never be any change, which would lead our society in a downward spiral to destruction. Only when both sides can agree to disagree and live and let live, we will finally be able to say "Mission Accomplished."
I'll be honest; I'm fairly liberal, which is strange considering that I come from generations of Republicans. So, being able to defend my positions is a necessity in my household. I can defend many positions from both sides. However, one thing that has no defense is the silencing of other views "by any means necessary," to coin a catch phrase that people have forgotten over the last 2 years.
Recently, I viewed someone posting a College Republican poster, which I admire because I think people should get involved, no matter what organization they choose. I also saw someone putting up signs that showed Bush's presidential policies throughout his tenure as the President of the United States. Both of these actions are legal and I applaud both groups for standing up for what they believe in.
However, one group went too far. Flyers that were decisively anti-Bush posted throughout campus were torn down and ripped up. This is absolutely ludicrous; there is no reason to silence someone else's views because you don't like them. Dissent is what makes this country so great; the fact that you can think for yourself and express your views without them being silenced by a bitter and deceitful majority.
There have been other points in history where people have been silenced, usually by a group that while might not have a physical majority, stoops to the tactics of not allowing people to dissent. Three years ago, if you had said that attacking Iraq or Afghanistan was not the only way to go about dealing with what happened on 9/11 you were immediately branded un-American and a terrorist sympathizer. We cannot allow things like this to ruin our country. I think W. Winwood Reade said it best; "What a state of society is this, in which a freethinker is a term of abuse, and in which doubt is regarded as sin?"
You can agree with me or not. It doesn't matter to me; just put yourself in the position of the person being silenced "by any means necessary." There must be room for the dissent of ideas. If there is only conformity to one idea then there would never be any change, which would lead our society in a downward spiral to destruction. Only when both sides can agree to disagree and live and let live, we will finally be able to say "Mission Accomplished."