The value of dissent

[Yonivore]

I'm reminded of the all the times Liberal activists have organized to "shout down," force disinvitations, and ridicule Conservative Speakers at the LBJ Library here in Austin and at other institutions of higher learning or political venues around the country.

I have no problem with Bruce Springsteen's political views. I do find it interesting that he chooses to blurt out one sentence proclamations in a non-political venue without offering support. But, so what? It doesn't bother me anymore than the PETA Carrots standing around the street corners and admonishing me quit killing animals for food.

I still like the Dixie Chicks...they're an awesome band. That doesn't make them (or Bruce for that matter) politically astute or even right. Popularity shouldn't be construed to include ideological agreement.

The idiot woman discussed in the editorial is no different than those who shout down people making political speeches except that she chose a venue in which nobody around her cared about what she thought...any more than they cared about what Bruce Sprinsteen thought. It was irrelevant.

What the @#%$ does any of this have to do with the "value of dissent?"
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[Billybob]

What a cool editorial.

<<<Published on Thursday, October 2, 2003 by the Madison Capital Times
Reaction to Springsteen Rnforces Value of Dissent
by Judy Ettenhofer

"Ladies and gentlemen," Bruce Springsteen said to 40,000 fans at Miller Park Saturday night, "it's time to impeach the president."

With a grin, the Boss continued his introduction of saxophonist Clarence Clemons, suggesting "the Big Man" could replace President Bush and be "somebody who knows what he's doing."

Some in the exuberant audience missed the line. But the woman behind me heard it loud and clear - and wasn't laughing. In fact, she convulsed in anger. For the next 10 minutes she ranted nonstop, gesturing wildly toward the stage in center field. "You can't say that about my president!" she screamed. "You can't criticize President Bush that way!" Later, when Springsteen dedicated "Land of Hopes and Dreams" to "our men and women fighting in Iraq and for peace for the Iraqi people," the woman yelled, "I have a nephew over there!"

Listening to the woman's ravings, I stopped chuckling and grew annoyed. Here we are at a dynamite rock 'n' roll show, and she's throwing a hissy fit? Get a grip, I thought.

The more I listened to her, however, the more I realized she exemplifies a number of my fellow Americans. You know who I mean - the ones who shout down anyone who dares to question Bush's policies or the wisdom of the Iraq war. They're hosting radio and TV shows; they're writing letters to the editor and opinion columns. They're highly offended at the "traitors" who don't fall into lockstep with the president. They ceaselessly wave thr little American flags. Those of us who don't share thr fervor are scorned as unpatriotic. We're even told to leave the country, to go live "with the terrorists." I hear echoes of the Vietnam War era all over again. I lived through those accusations as an anti-war teenager and later as a member of the 19 percent who opposed the first Gulf War, though the criticism we recved then was more muted.

Saturday night I fought the urge to grab the woman behind me and shake her, to tell her we Americans are not clones, but individuals with differing beliefs. That's the beauty of America, the bedrock of freedom on which this nation was founded.

President Bush says he wants to bring democracy to Iraq and reduce the risk of a terrorist attack on America. If this woman believes her president, then she needs to realize he's put her nephew in harm's way to protect and uphold what America stands for, which includes not only her right to scream at Bruce Springsteen, but, more important, his right to question the president's actions.

Two centuries ago, President Thomas Jefferson knew the idea of such freedoms would need some getting used to in our fledgling republic. In his first inaugural address in 1801, he reminded the citizenry:

"All, too, will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will, to be rightful, must be reasonable; that the minority possess thr equal rights, which equal laws must protect, and to violate which would be oppression."

It's sad and troubling that, today, some Americans still seek to oppress rather than to protect the right of dissenters to speak thr minds.

Judy Ettenhofer has worked at The Capital Times off and on for more than 10 years, serving as an assistant city editor and a copy editor before joining the Editorial Section in 2002 to write editorials and columns. Her journalism career has spanned four states, seven newspapers and two magazines. A Spring Green resident, she values Wisconsin?s rural spaces and non-human inhabitants.

Copyright 2003 The Capital Times


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[Billybob]

What struck me about that article is how many people there are like that woman standing behind the author. There are a large number of people who cannot tolerate any alternative ideas, and shout them down in that way that I've seen so often on this message board, in person, and in politics.

That kind of behavior and thinking is what is "anti-American". It's also synonimous with alcoholism, stress, insecurity, and other personal matters. That I've seen extensively in my life, professional and personal. Do you ever see drunken frat boys angrily spewing LIBERAL ideas? Not too often.


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