Kerry Accuses Bush Of Quieting Dissent In The US.

Source: AP News via Yahoo

On the 35th anniversary of his testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about the need to end the Vietnam War, John Kerry is back in Boston to talk about the importance of questioning government policy and an unnecessary war.

"I have come here today to reaffirm that it was right to dissent in 1971 from a war that was wrong. And to affirm that it is both a right and an obligation for Americans today to disagree with a President who is wrong, a policy that is wrong, and a war in Iraq that weakens the nation," Kerry said to a standing ovation Saturday at Boston's historic Faneuil Hall.

"How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?" Kerry said in 1971, a line that helped propel the decorated Navy combat veteran and Yale graduate onto the national stage.

The same question applies today as Americans wrestle with the mounting death toll in Iraq, Kerry said, speaking before about 500 supporters who punctuated his speech at least 20 times with ovations.

"Lives have been lost to bad decisions," Kerry said. "Not decisions that could have gone either way, but decisions that constitute basic negligence and incompetence. And lives continue to be lost because of stubbornness and pride."

Kerry also blasted those who question the motivation of retired generals who have recently called for the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

"That is cheap and shameful," he said. "How dare those who never wore the uniform in battle attack those who wore it all their lives."

I'm not a big fan of Kerry, but what he said rings true. What happened to our right to protest? What happened to it being patriotic to question our government? Why is it so shameful now to speak about our doubts when they are related to Bush and his administration?

We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. When the loyal opposition dies, I think the soul of America dies with it. -- Edward R. Murrow

Honestly, the example this country is showing right now is not the principles on which this country was founded.

And oh, how I love you, Ben Franklin. You said it best:

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

That quote is of what the "Patriot" Act consists, folks. That is what our government is about at this point in time. Give up your liberties in the name of "national security," and never see those liberties again.

Tags: [John Kerry], [Boston], [35th anniversary of his speech before Senate Foreign Relations Committee], [Vietnam War], [Bush], [Bush is stifling dissent], [dissent is not disloyalty], [Patriot Act is not patriotic], [say good-bye to your liberties all in the name of safety]