Love it or leave it?

There’s been a lot of talk of late, regarding the impending war with Iraq. Bush was on TV last night to tell everyone that Hussein has 48 hours to leave Iraq or face a war. He then went on to say to the people of Iraq that this is not a war against them, but against the evil dictator that has run their country for 34 years. His words were crafted in such a way that he sounded almost sympathetic to the people of Iraq. It reminded me of the Viet Nam, when they dropped leaflets on the North Vietnamese, telling them that democracy is a better way of life than the oppression of communism. Bush seems to be all about propaganda, and he’s very good at it. Last night’s speech was a prime example of this.

I oppose the president in his feeling that war is inevitable with Iraq. There are many of you who do. But opposing the president does not mean opposing your country. The president is an elected official, but that dosn’t mean we have to agree with everything he says. Think about your job. Do you agree with everything your boss says? Not always. But he’s the boss, so you do your job or you get fired, right? Well, living in America is different, because if you don’t agree with “the boss” you don’t get drummed out of the country. Or at least you shouldn’t.

This country was founded by people who were trying to escape the oppression of a society that would not allow them to speak freely, to voice their opinions when they were contrary to their government’s way of thinking. You can agree or disagree with the anti-war sentiment, but one thing is clear, and this is the most important thing I will ever say: every American has the right to disagree with his or her country’s policies, and that does not make them anti-American. I really hate it when people say “Well if you don’t like it, get out!” That’s not the point. Love it or leave it? I love my country, and that’s why I want it to be respected in the world community. That’s why I don’t want our country to be a world dictatorship. That’s why I want the same liberties offered to our citizens to be respected around the world, and why I want my country to offer citizens of other countries the freedom to choose their own form of government, be it democracy, communism, or a despotical dictatorship. It’s none of our business what goes on in other countries. We can suggest, but we must never force, or we become the very thing that we oppose.

Love it or leave it? I love this country, and the freedoms afforded to me, that I can write these words without fear of retribution, or fear that somewhere someone will be taking down every word I say. I can speak my mind openly and freely. To me, this is the most important freedom of all. Without the freedom of speech, there is no freedom of thought; without freedom of thought, there is no individuality; without individuality, there is no humanity; without humanity, there is no progress, no evolution, no emotion, no commitment, no love, no feeling at all. Without the freedom to express one’s opinions, all we are is automatons, little ants in a farm scurrying here and there to do the collective’s bidding.

So you may agree or disagree with me, and that’s fine too. I respect your right to your own opinion. I may even give you mine and present arguments against yours. But without open debate like this, there can be no formation of ideals. If everyone was forced to accept a single opinion, or a single point of view, then society would come to a stand still. Where would we be now if someone hadn’t said, “No, the earth is not flat, it’s round?” Where would we be now if someone hadn’t said “Horses are a nice mode of transportation, but there must be a mechanical device that can move faster and more powerfully?” Disagreement with the conventional wisdom is what moves the world forward. It’s what creates progress. It’s how we evolve.

So don’t give me this “Love it or leave it” crap. I have unconditional love for my country, which means that no matter how much I may disagree with its tenets, no matter how much I dislike its policies, I will always love my country. And you may agree or disagree with me, and that’s fine too.