1. Stephen Decatur is reported to have made the following toast at a dinner in Norfolk, Virginia, in April of 1816:
"Our country? In her intercourse with foreign nations, may she always be in the right, but our country right or wrong." (Alexander Slidell Mackenzie, Life of Stephen Decatur, 1848, p. 295)
On February 29, 1872, Senator Carl Schurz made the following remark on the floor of the U.S. Senate:
"….My country; and my country is the great American Republic. My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right." (The Congressional Globe, vol. 45, p. 1287)
Should citizens support their country's government whether it is right or wrong? Is it ever patriotic to disagree with one's elected political leaders and government? At what point should a citizen shed his/her support of the government and attempt to set it right? Mr. O'Neill supported his government's policy and actions in Vietnam. Mr. Kerry did not. Can a dissident be a patriot? Is dissent good for a nation like the United States? Is it advantageous or disadvantageous for a politician to make his/her name as a dissident? Can you name examples of famous dissidents in world or U.S. history? Were they patriots? Did their opponents consider them patriots? What impact did these people have on history? Does the fact that Mr. Kerry, a decorated veteran, opposed the war in Vietnam, make him a stronger or weaker candidate for the office of president of the United States?
2. When a political or public figure is attacked by an opponent or the press, do you see it as a sign of strength or weakness if he/she responds in a cerebral rather than an emotional manner? Is intellect a desirable characteristic for a politician or public figure? Do Americans trust really smart people? Is it important that our leaders be intellectuals? Are intellectuals good leaders?
3. Should the American people be trusted to decide between right and wrong in times of war? Do you think policy decisions should be made by government officials and supported by citizens during a time of crisis? Should citizens confine their debate, opposition and protest of public policy decisions until the crisis has past? What would James Madison, Thomas Jefferson and the Federalists have to say about the nature and place of protest in a democratic republic? Are multiple voices and perspectives an asset to a republic? What position would the Anti-Federalists have taken on the issue of protest in a republic? Should the government be free to limit or censor speech during a time of crisis?
4. Should local, state and national elected leaders welcome the opinions of those who differ with their own beliefs, opinions and policy initiatives? How important is dissent and public debate in a democratic republic?
5. After reading John Kerry's testimony in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (1971), viewing his debate with John O'Neill on the Cavett show, and studying his public comments about President Bush's leadership in the war on terrorism, do you think he is a patriot, traitor, or member of the loyal opposition? What have you learned about the young Kerry that might help you evaluate his fitness to be President of the United States? Do you admire or despise Kerry for his attempt to point out where he thought the country had gone wrong and what should be done to correct it? Is Kerry's motive genuine or is it a sign of personal ambition?
6. How do you explain the fact that both Mr. Kerry and President Bush are Yale alumni and yet their view of the world and public policy stands are so different? What intellectual and leadership assets do the two men offer the country during this time of crisis? How would you judge each man's commitment to moral and ethical principles?
IN THE COMMUNITY
