Patriotic dissent

Patriotic dissent is the idea that a citizen of a democracy has the right and the duty to not follow the crowd on matters political, but rather to stand up and try to do what's best for the country, even if it's unpopular, difficult, or labeled "unpatriotic."

Elections give every American citizen the chance to either support the current government, or register their own patriotic dissent by suggesting another path for America.

The majority party in elections often tries to label dissenters as unpatriotic, but this goes against the grand tradition of American political involvement.

Examples

American history is full of examples of patriotic dissent:

1. In 1776 a minority of Americans became Loyalists--they were loyal to King George III after the new United States declared independence. At the end of the war about 20% left for Canada and britain, while 80% remained and became loyal citizens.

Wheeler leaks top sectret US war plan three days before Pearl Harbor

1. In early December 1941 a military officer gave Senator Burton K. Wheeler a copy of the top secret American war plan for fighting Germany, and Wheeler gave it to the Chicago Tribune, which published the secrets in a desperate effort to weaken the American military so much that Roosevelt would avoid war. Pearl Harbor came a few days later and Wheeler went quiet.