- Why should we get into a war that we have no interests in? This is only about European colonialists, not U.S. interests...
- Why should I be drafted to go protect France or Belgium? (only 73,000 volunteered in the first 6 weeks after Wilson declared war on Germany in April 1917);
- Why should we spend millions and millions of our tax money to do this?
- Why should we join a war that current French soldiers are beginning to mutiny against?
- Why should we break away from our tradition of isolationism? It's served us well for this long....
So Wilson and Congress together got tough on this kind of talk and anti-draft interference w/ the Espionage Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act of 1918. The Supreme Court affirmed that we do NOT have the right to free speech as long as it creates a "clear and present danger" much like yelling "FIRE!" in a crowded theatre.
A speech like this one by Eugene Debs is the kind of thing that got him in trouble and thrown in the big house:
"Wars throughout history have been waged for conquest and plunder. ...the
working class who fight all the battles, the working class who make the supreme
sacrifices, the working class who freely shed their blood and furnish their
corpses, have never yet had a voice in either declaring war or making peace. It
is the ruling class that invariably does both. They alone declare war and they
alone make peace. They are continually talking about their
patriotic duty. It is not their but your patriotic duty that
they are concerned about. There is a decided difference. Their
patriotic duty never takes them to the firing line or chucks them into the
trenches." (emphasis added)
*Debs was sentenced to jail for this speech and while in jail ran for President under the Socialist Party for which he received almost one million votes in 1920!But my question still remains: is questioning what your country does during a war o.k.? Should asking questions about how the war is conducted, about the tactics being used (torture, waterboarding, etc.), about how the goals are being met (or if they're being met at all), or is it all worth the sacrifice of all the young men and women's lives?? Is this line of questioning during war time o.k. or does it make you unpatriotic? Why?
Minimum of 200 word response - due Wednesday, November 14th.
57 comments:
I think that war time is one of the cases where freedom of speech should be encouraged. Why should one of the core ideals America was built on be censored ever? I think that people have the right to express their opinions especially about the government. Our government is supposed to be based on the beliefs of the people so voicing our opinions should be encouraged not discouraged. I believe people’s views on war time should be exchanged and debated in order to come up with different ideas. If someone disagrees with something it’s their right to share it. That is what is so great about America, we can question our leaders. I think this is important and a good idea and if I were in the government I would take was people say seriously. This is the people’s country and the people’s government. There is absolutely no reason this should be censored. I also do not really understand how saying something could cause “clear and present danger”. What does that even specifically entail? Who decides what is dangerous? And who gives them the right to decide? I just think that a American principle should never be censored under any circumstances.
sarah zamler
3rd hour
Ben Goddard
3rd Hour
I believe that questioning our country during war time is okay. During war time, tensions are high, and not talking about it can just increase those tensions even more. Just discussing what you believe or your opinion on anything going on in the war could help you feel better, and help others realize the want to talk about it. Not being allowed to do that is unconstitutional, because in the US we have the freedom of speech, which means we can voice our opinion. This also means we should be able to ask about war tactics going on. People have the right to know those kinds of things if they really want to.I also believe it makes you no less patriotic than the next person. Maybe you say those things because you care about your country. And you really just don't want to be out of the loop of things. Some people's opinions might actually be able to help out during war time. In a time of war, help is really everything a government could need, so going through people's opinions might give them some helpful advice. So, I believe that in the times of war, people should be able to speak their minds because this is a free country, and we also have the freedom of speech.
I think that questioning what your country does is always ok, but there may not always be a way to get those questions answered. You can ask all you want but it doesn’t mean you will be answered. I think that if you want to know what is happening with the war you should have to right to know, again you may not always get the information you want to hear. You cannot rely on the news to give you worthy evidence you would have to investigate the war yourself to get sufficient information, if you would be willing to do that. I think that some wars are worth sacrificing men and women’s lives, but some wars are not worth losing the lives. For example, the civil war was a “good” war because it gave America freedom. But when we get involved in wars that don’t involve the U.S. then it is not worth the sacrifice of lives. I think that it is ok to question what is happening in wars, because as Americans we have the freedom of speech, which is part of the constitution. It is our right to speak freely about the war, and say what we want. Just because America is in war doesn’t mean that the constitution can change during times of war.
Megan 5th hr
I do not think that free speech should be prohibited during wartimes. In fact I don’t think free speech should be prohibited at anytime. I don’t think that by badmouthing the government we are going against it completely. We are just expressing our anger and frustration for participating in a war that might not be for the good of the middle class man. Someone in class brought up a good point saying that it looks bad if the country is not behind the war that the government brought up. However doesn’t it look bad for the government if they have to punish us for speaking out? One of the ideals America was founded on was the freedom of speech. So to take away one of our ideals makes our government looks harsh and cruel during wartime. I think that Debs made a very good point in his speech when he said that we are the ones going to war not the ruling class. It is the middle class that physically fights the war. Why shouldn’t we the people have a say in activities we are forced in (via the draft)? I believe as long as the protests or arguments remain peaceful then they are not a “clear and present danger”
Barbara Moore
3rd hour
Is questioning what your country does during a war o.k.? Should asking questions about how the war is conducted, about the tactics being used (torture, waterboarding, etc.), about how the goals are being met (or if they're being met at all), or is it all worth the sacrifice of all the young men and women's lives?? Is this line of questioning during war time o.k. or does it make you unpatriotic? Why?
I think that questioning what your country does during a war is okay. I think this because if you want to understand the reasons why the government went into the war in the first place and how this war is going and several other reasons, then you should have the right to be aware of the status of the war. I feel as if it's the peoples place to ask those type of questions and get feed back from the government. We are the people and it's our country, we should be aware of what is going on and if our country is succeeding during the war. The torture during war is a mina factor. I think that people should know about the torture that is going on and how the goals are being met, so that the people of our country know where we stand at that place in time in war. I dont think the sacrafice is worth it. So many innocent teenagers and young people are being killed for what? the pride of knowing that they sacraficed themselves for their country? Most of the soldiers killed, are being killed by road side bombs in Iraq, not even by fighting. The war isn't being resolved and there is not winner after 6 years about. The families of these young soldiers and older soldiers have to suffer the rest of their lives because of a road side bomb or a riot in the streets, they weren't even in the line of fire. It's so silly and unfair to have a newlywed couple of 1 year with a new born of a month, suffer because their dad/husband were killed in their tent sleeping, because of a bomb. It is unfair and unjust. People shouldn't have to suffer the rest of their lives for these reasons. It happens daily, to so many innocent soldiers. The line of questioning during war time is okay. It does not make you seem unpatriotic. If you care enough about your country to want an understanding of the war and how your country is doing and if their succeeding or not, is important and it makes ie seem that you love your country enough to ask about it's status.
Mary Mc Keon
3rd hour
I am surprised that this is even a question. Of course you should be able to comment on your government. It was a right given to us as American citizens. We have the right to freedom of speech that is why this country is so great. We can say what we want about anything and it will be heard by the public. That is our America. Well I said my position. Questioning what your country does during a war is O.K. to me because we have been gerenteed that right under Americas Bill of Rights. Also if we don't tell the government that we are displeased then they will never know if they are doing a good job or not. They will think that they are doing a good job because there are no objections or displeased people in the country. They will keep on doing what they would normally do and the general public would be angry and bad things could happen like strikes at factories and other stuff. It is not wrong to say what you feel it is not unpatriotic. It would be unpatriotic if you didn't speak up. That is what America is all about we don't work for the government the government works for you.
Carter Kingery
1st Hour
During war people should be able to have freedom of speech. People should not abuse freedom of speech. People have opinions to say about the war. People’s views might help the government make decisions. If the president decides one thing but hears other people’s views it might help him make a better decision. People might support the war more if they knew what it was for. The government should let people know the reasons for the war. The people should be able to question what war tactics are and the goals for the war. The people should also be able to question the government because the citizens know people fighting in the war and could be killed. You can still be patriotic when questioning the war. People question the war for their knowledge and freedom. I do not think it would be dangerous if someone said their opinion about the war or the government. This country is a free country which should allow people to voice their opinions freely. The government is created for the people, so the people should be able to question the government.
Emily C. 3rd Hour
I definitely think that questioning what your country does during a war is o.k. It would be very helpful, in my opinion, for the government to have a vague idea of what we, the people, want our country to do. We are the ones paying taxes, giving the government the money they are using. We should have the right to know what they are doing with our money. Freedom of speech is a necessity in this case and should be strongly supported. We need to express our opinions of how we feel about the war. It is obvious that we want to know about how the war is conducted and about the tactics being used. It does not make us unpatriotic at all because all we want is the best for our country. We are, in fact, being more patriotic by being concerned about the war and how it is going to affect our society. Debs should not have been sent to prison. All he was doing was expressing his feelings and how should that not be allowed? The public was obviously happy that he did what he did because one million of them voted for him to be President. The government should keep this in mind.
Richard W.
1st Hour
I think that it is ok, because our country is supposed to be a free nation, and one of our constitutional rights is freedom of speetch. i think that if we arent allowed to say what we beleive in during a time of crisis in our country, than the people will no longer get a say in how the country is ruled. I think that it is very important to express how you feel about political issues just like it is important to vote.
Megan Walsh
1sh hour
I don’t think that is should be illegal for people to say what think they about the war. First off this is against on of the amendments on the bill of rights, Freedom of Speech. One of the best parts about living in this country is being able to say what you want and not being sent to jail for it. If you can do that then what is the point of having the amendment. Secondly is that if people don’t say what they think the government wont even know what the public thinks about it. In our country the public greatly effects the government. If the people don’t like what the government is doing then they should be able to tell the government and try to make a difference. My last point is if you stop someone form saying something about the war then you might not hear something very important. Someone might have important information about that war but are to scared to say it because they think they will get thrown in jail. In conclusion, stopping people from saying what they thing is a bad idea all around.
Chris Elliott
1st hour
Ashley Davis
5th Hour...
people who stand up and scream "you are unpatriotic" for not supporting the war are the same peoplethat do not have anyone close to them serving, but have taken steps to prevent that from happening. one should support your country when it is at war regardless because it is very destructive to your country when it loses a war regardless of the reasons or if you agree that it was a good or bad idea to begin with. YOu pick and choose which wars you are going to support and which ones you aren't.. If you love your country then you support the war even if you personally disagree with it. What is your other choice? Wanting you country to lose that war? Wanting your soliders to die? Once the decision has been made you must support the war and hope for the best.
I believe that when it comes to war time that freedom of speech should be allowed at times. My reason being is because mostly all people have the right to what they feel. I mean the soldiers arent the only ones that are going inot battle. We(the people) are also are risking are lives at state when it comes to war. Example: The Terroists Attack that took place September 11 2001 a good number of people died during that incident. I believe(like most people) that we could've handled that situation differently. Instead of rushing inot war we(the government) should have find out what went wrong in the first place. Overall free speech should be allowed when it comes to war and thats a fact!
Tommy Syrkett
3rd Hour
We all know that the Freedom of speech is one of our core rights protected in the constitution. The fact that this right was violated astonishes me. I think that we should be able to uphold our freedom of speech, whether our country is in a war or not. Of course not everyone is going to agree with things that the government does, if we did, the people who are in governmental positions would've got 100% of the popular votes. However, they didn't, so there are going to be AT LEAST 2 different thoughts of what the government is doing. Also, if the government decides it can take away our freedom of speech, who says they won't continue to take away our rights? Why would they stop there? If they succeed in taking away one right, I would suspect that they are then more likely to take away more rights in the future. Having our rights, and having them "protected" by the government, is a big part of why the United States is such a great country. But when the citizens rights are revoked, it not only shows a great flaw and weakness in the Government, but it also creates questioning to whether the United States lives up to its reputation.
Freedom of speech is sometimes oppressed by different situations or different positions people hold. Anytime there is an unpopular opinion, the integrity of speech is questioned. I feel the line of questioning is fine as long as concerns of a community is being addressed. I feel it does not make a person unpatriotic if they speak out against government policy. I also think it is worth the sacrifice of personal freedoms when you have to take a stand for something you belive in. In the time of war, we should be able to evaluate or think about what is good for who and why. You should not expect to have full support when you are an independent thinker and own your personal values and moral systems. You should be able to identify what is good for you short term and long term and not allow government positions to affect your opinions or beliefs. We should be allowed to show committment and passion for what we believe in and stand for during time of war. The potential loss of life should be the best opportunity to take a stand and own your ideologies.
Lydia Gaiters
5th Hr.
I think Americans should have freedom of speech during war time. This is
a democracy and the people get a say in government. The people don't
want to go to war have the right to speak out about it. Freedom of
speech is also in the Bill of Rights. People should have a freedom of
speech during wartime. It doesn't say anywhere in the Bill of Rights that
someone's rights can be taken away during war times. I think the Sedition acts
were definently wrong. If someone wants to talk about the war and the
draft they should be able to speak out against it. Many people joined the
army not knowing what they were getting into because noone was opposing
it and everyone else was joining. Having our people not being able to
speak against the government in times of war is definently wrong. People
need to know what's really going on and what they are really getting into,
not to be tricked into it. It is our rights to speak out in war time to
let the government know what we think of the war. If the government
officals want to be elected again then it would be smart of them to do
what the people want. This is what I think of our freedom of speah during war time. robert g. 5th
I think that Americans should be allowed to speak their mind about a war that the United States would be in. America is for the people and if the people can’t say anything then what is so great. People have the right of speech and there not hurting anyone by saying whether or not the war is o.k. or not. It’s the people’s country and the people should be able to say if war is good for the country or not. They should be allowed to ask what’s happening, how it’s happening if there not clearly told. America is based on what the people want, and if the people can’t even have a say in the things that America is doing then what is the point. There is nothing wrong with expressing your feelings and opinions if your not hurting anyone and most of the time you aren’t going to create any kind of danger. So I think that people should be allowed to question.
-Maher Abou-Rass
5th Hour
Jumi Cadmus
3rd hr.
I think questioning what our country does during war is o.k. I think we deserve to know. We should have the right to know what our people are doing. It is wrong for the government to hide things from us and keep is in suspense.I think we should be allowed to know what kind of tactics that are being used. I also think we should definitely be allowed to know what our goals are and if they are being met because its part of the war and we have the right to know what is going on in the war. Since many people have sacrificed their family member's life, they should definitely be updated with what is going on. We need to know if its worth the sacrifice because if its not, we can put pressure on the government for a different goal. This way innocent lives aren't lost. This line of questioning during war time is not unpatriotic, its actually patriotic because it shows that you really care about the good of your country, and that you really want to be a part of it. It also shows that you want to make sure everything is running well. These are the reasons why I think our government should allow us to question them.
Questioning your country is okay during the war if you question nicely. When you question them don’t make them sound stupid because then you will hurt their feelings and kind of start a mini war in our own country, which is something we don’t want when fighting another country. It is okay to question techniques and offer up other options like instead of torture just ask nicely, but it isn’t okay to be mean about it like “Who thought of the stupid idea of torturing?” NO!! You shouldn’t be able to say stuff like that it is just plain out mean and could possible cause a little mini war like I said above. It is okay to know where we are at in the war and where we are going, even if it is bad news, because being aware of your surroundings is important. If we are really losing this war I want to know so that I could have like a back-up plan if they bomb us. You know stuff like that is why we need to know and deserve to know where we stand. Someone should never ask is it worth the sacrifice of killing people because if it weren’t do you believe we would be at war?? No we wouldn’t. Every life is worth something even if it was just one it was important. Questioning your government is never unpatriotic because all it shows is that you’re a concerned citizen, but stating stupid opinions is going to far sometimes.
Katie R.
3rd hour
I believe people have the right to ask questions during war time. People want to know what is going on in the war. If our citizens do not have the right to ask questions then we are not a free nation. One of the most important rights that Americans have is freedom of speech. Freedom of speech separates the U.S. from communist governments and military controlled governments. Soldiers have the right to know what they are fighting and dying for. Unless information is going to have an effect on a war, I believe you have the right to discuss it. My opinion allows me to express my support or my view against a war. I believe freedom of speech is part of what we are fighting for.
Justin Laffer
5th hr
I think that questioning your country during a war is not o.k. because a lot of pressure is put onto a country during war because they want to win but they also want to keep their country united all at the same time. People talking bad about their government and their war effort only makes more problems for the country. Many people question their government and military about if they are making the right decisions but if the government were to make a different decision it could possible affect the country the same amount or more, and that would just cause other people to question them. The saying "you can't please everyone" is very true in this situation because although some may believe that going to war is a good idea, others will not. I also think that by talking bad about your country you kind of are being unpatriotic. I think that it is wrong to talk bad about your government because although they might make mistakes, it is hard to run a country. Although I think you should not talk bad about your country, I do think that Debs was right when he said that the people who say "we all have patriotic duties" are normally people that aren't talking about their own patriotic duty, but of the rest of the country.
Rachael Tyndall
1st hour
During the time of war, i beleive people should have the freedom of speech but only to a certain extent. It is improtant to have freedom of speech because that is one of our rights as Americans, and we should be able to express it as we please. Also, liveing in America we have the right to question out govermnent unlike other countries. I believe this right should be used more before the decision on something is made though so the government can take peoples feelings into condsideration. After the fact, i think people speaking their opinion is a right, but it doesn't help anything. After we all already in war, the country needs to be unified and strong. That cannot be accomplished if people are complainig and getting angry. In the end, i do believe freedom of speech is an important right, but i dont think it helps anything when the country is at a time of need.
Sara Dziubek
3rd hour
i think that questioning your government is find ,even during time of war. I think that it is the peoples job to ask the government things because that is what they are there for. THey are elected officials that we have put into office to represent us ,and if they arent doing or telling us what needs to be said then we have any right to ask. Also i think that if a person doesnt agree on what is being done they also have the right to protest as long as it isnt violent. I think that sometimes the government needs to see protest to finally decide that something they are doing is wrong or that it is ntogoin over well with the american people. I also feel that in a way we shold have trust in our government , but like i said before, when they are no longer relaying the information to us then we have every right to speak our minds
Symonne Smith 3rd hr
I don’t think that questioning what you country does during a war is o.k. I do not think so because even if you do not agree with a war, you can’t do anything to stop it. The bottom line is that you can protest all you want but the government isn’t going to pull out of a war because of your opinion on it. All people are doing by questioning the government during war is making more people less confident in the actions of the government. I also think that it is not o.k. to ask questions about torture because the government is going to do whatever they have to do to get the answers they need, and they’re only doing it to protect our way of life, and as long as I don’t know about what type of torture is going on over there, that doesn’t bother me. I think that the sacrifices of men’s and women’s lives are necessary to a certain point. I don’t think that its o.k. for too many people to die. This line of questioning is not o.k. during war and I consider it unpatriotic because as citizens, yes, we have the right to free speech, but we should also support our country in times of crisis.
Matt Merrifield
3rd hour
I think that we should be able to have freedom of speech during war time because it’s our own opinion and America is a ‘free land’. Personal, I think that war is stupid and there is no point to it. We, as the people, should speak out against the government because it is supposed to be the voice of the people. I don’t think that they are doing a very good job of it. Many people in America are against the war, and the government just doesn’t want to listen to them. Plus, why would we want to spend millions of dollars on the war with our tax money, even if we don’t agree with it? I just think that is not necessary when we want to purchase something, but it always more than we expected it to be. I don’t want my money to go to war causes. I rather it goes to something else that is more important. Yeah war is important around the war, but there should be no fighting at all and we, as Americans, should speak our minds. I think when you speak out during war time, does not make you unpatriotic. Just because you don’t agree with the government, does mean that you are against your country. It just means that you rather have peace around the world, instead of fight. That is why freedom of speech should be allowed.
Annie Sovran
5th Hour
I believe that there should be nothing wrong with questioning what our country is doing during the war. If we didn't have questions how would we get answers? Besides hearing about deaths and injuries and other violent situations through the news, there would not be many other important questions based on the war being answered. The American society is supposed to be promoting the people on expressing their opinions and their beliefs not discouraging it. Since American citizens are not the people who are elected to decide on what we are doing as far as our goals during the war, they should be able to at least question what is going on. Sometimes the questions that Americans have are intelligent questions that I think strongly need to be answered. The government needs to start viewing people’s opinions on the war to a larger extent because a majority of citizens could have very wise ideas. I personally do not believe that doing anything other than something extravagant can make you an unpatriotic citizen of the United States. People might not sign the star-spangle banner everyday, does that make them unpatriotic? Most likely, they will be carrying responsibilities that will make-up for their reasoning.
Melanie Shaw
3rd hour
I believe that during a war questioning what our country does during the war is okay for a few reasons. I believe that we the people should know what’s going in the war and what our country is doing with our money and their money going towards the war. I think that people should know the truth about how the war is being conducted and the tactics that are being used by our army, because some of them may not be right, and may be unfair and unjust. We should know if the goals that we set out to reach are being reached by our government and our army during the war, or if they are just wasting our time, money, and innocent people’s lives. I believe that this questioning during the war time does not make me feel unpatriotic to a certain extent. I believe that everyone should be able to voice their own opinion and their own thoughts. I believe that they should be able to criticize our government because some of the things that our government decides to do are no good. Not letting people voice their own opinions during a war is the wrong thing that a country could do to its citizens.
Stefanos T. 3rd Hour
Blake Bogart
3rd Hour
I think that freedom of speech is a very important part of our nation’s society because the right to voice our opinions and thoughts is an important freedom. This however is best done with taste and at appropriate times. During war it is very important to stand behind the people who are fighting so we can give our enemy and other nations a sense of unity within our own nation. This may demoralize our enemy by being together as a nation because it is very difficult to defeat determined people. I understand that as citizens we have to insure that our government is doing the right thing for our nation. We often have to question our government so we can make sure we understand our leaders and their goals. When we openly are protesting a war like in a march we send the message of dissent in our nation and that we want to quit, which will motivate the people that we are currently fighting. A better way of communicating what you dislike would be through your senators or congressmen because they have more power and they are the people whose job it is to decide the future of our country. Speaking out against a current war can be seen as being unpatriotic because it can hurt our war effort. I think that freedom of speech should not be suppressed but people and media outlets should try to support our troops overseas and they should be responsible for what they broadcast.
I believe that people should have the freedom of speech, especially during war because people in the U.S. have the right to their own opinions about their feelings of the war. I have my opinion about the Iraq war, and I feel that it is a total waste of our time and it is wasting our money on ammunition and sending millions of soldiers to Iraq every month. I feel that the government is actually interfering more with the Iraqi people, causing small battles in smaller towns, and causing the death of many innocent people, even their own men. I feel that the government should let the Iraqi people take care of themselves with some help, but we don’t need to be there fighting with them and making them hate us more and more as each day goes by. I want the government to look at what they are doing to the people in Iraq and ask themselves if it is even worth trying to change the way that these people live, I mean these people deserve just as much wealth and health as we do, but if they are not willing to change, and they start fights, we should just stop and leave, saving us a few possible tragedies, and also saving money by letting people fix things on their own. In conclusion, yes I do believe that all men are entitled to their own opinion about issues in life.
Matt Whitney
5th Hour
I think that questioning what your country does during the war is always ok. It’s acceptable because if you’re a mother/wife worried about your children/ husband you have the right to know what’s happening to them and for which cause they’re risking their life. Even if you’re just a citizen worried about what’s going on in your nation, you should be given all the answers that you need and want. It’s reasonable because something that in the past we fought a lot for is the right to express our thoughts and concerns too. Then, it’s absolutely right to question what our country is doing in the war, which side we’re on, consequently is also acceptable to express what we think should change or improve. That’s why I think questioning the war is not unpatriotic at all, seeing that this country is based on the freedom of speech. Everyone should feel free to convey his ideas about what we decide about the actions of our nation. If we’re being judge as one single body named “ America”, then all citizens should know exactly how our country is conducting its self and the tactics it is using to fight a war.
Marta Elia
3rd hour
I believe that some questioning about what your country is doing during the war is okay, but not all questioning is appropriate. Asking questions about how the war is being conducted, I don’t think that, that is all needed for every citizen to know, the president probably isn’t going to explain all of his techniques anyways. Also, knowing the tactics being used isn’t necessary because if any of the ways seem unnecessary to citizens or critics, then they are going to make a big deal out of it and not trust the government. Although I do believe that everyone should have the right to know how the goals are being met because who knows if they are even being met. Talk about if war is worth the sacrifice of all the young men and women’s lives shouldn’t be looked down upon because that is just an honest opinion about the lives of the future of our nation Questioning how the war is being conducted makes you unpatriotic because it makes you look like you don’t believe in your own country. Questioning about the tactics being used is unpatriotic because if you’re not in the war, you don’t really need to know the ways we are doing everything. Wanting to know how the goals are being met is alright for everyone to know because it is like updates on the war. In my opinion, only questioning certain topics during war time is okay and others can make you seem unpatriotic.
Derek M.
1st Hour
I believe that it should always be allowed to question your country's motive whether they're at war or they're in a time of peace. As a American Citizen we are given the right of Freedom of speech to sepearate our government from a monarchy. If citizens are to be punished for speaking out either for or against the war America's government wouldn't be a democracy that we claim it is today. I do believe there are bad times and good times to say things, but can be said at any time because of freedom of speech no matter how unpatriotic or disloyal comments may be. We give people the power to lead us and we have the power of the government as a U.S citizen, and I believe that gives us every single right to question certain war tatics or motives.
Collin Parson
3rd hour
I think that the freedom of speech is very important to our country's. Just because were in war, shouldn't mean that we aren't aloud to ask questions. We should trust our government during that time, but we are aloud to question them. its very important to stand behind our soilders and show our enemies that our country is one. we should always be patriotic to help our soilders throught this tough time. but we are always going to wonder things, like how the war is conducted, or the ir tactics, or the goals they have. these are all good questions we should ask. by asking questions we are being supportive and involved which is what we should do. i think that if you don't ask questions or don't wonder at all. it means you dont care. So yes, i believe that we should have the freedom of speech.
Lauren O'Shaughnessy
3rd hour
I believe that freedom of speech should be allowed all the time. Why should it change just because we are in a war? It should be encouraged during war, this is the time that one’s country needs to get together and fight as one. If we can’t have peace throughout our country how are we ever going to survive the war? Also as a Democracy the people have some control. Not all might agree with going to war, but maybe their reasons could be enough to stop the war. Is anything a common person says really going to affect what the president does? It’s not like if one person says, “the government caused this war” that a bunch of people are going to go and riot against the government. I think the government should be a hundred percent with the people. Telling us that we are doing more damage than the enemy than saying today twenty American soldiers were killed. Letting us know that we to are capturing people, and doing horrible things to them. That we to are killing thousands of innocent people a day. We should have the right to know when they government thinks the war will stop. Of for instance the Iraqi war, was there any actual reason to invade Iraq? Or was it fear? Was there any threat of nuclear weapons? Were we wrong? Was it worth all the lives that were lost? The government should answer these kinds of questions. If the government keeps things from the people, then why do we live by a democracy? Questioning the government or disliking the war does not make you unpatriotic. I believe the government is being unpatriotic by not telling the truth or allowing freedom of speech. America is the land of the free, democracy, and diversity. By not agreeing with the war does not make you unpatriotic, your country isn’t about going to war. Just because one man decides his country needs to go to war, does not mean that’s best for the country. What would make you unpatriotic if you went and fought for the enemy. Freedom of speech should be allowed anytime, shouldn’t matter at wartime or not. If you have that right most of the time, you should have it all the time.
Emma Schwartz
5th hour
I think that in a time of war people should have total freedom of speech because if this is America and it is a FREE country people should be able to express what they feel. But, if the freedom of speech during wartime gets very violent then we might think of not allowing freedom of speech during of wartime. But, if that happens more and more people might get arrested because of protesting. I believe that people should be able to protest non-violently. If they can’t do it what peace are they trying to solve. How can you want peace but then start riots. That is starting more hatred between each other. Also, if people weren’t allowed to express what they think about the war during wartime how would the government know that they don’t like the war. They might think everyone like the war and still wants it to keep going, but really everyone hates it. Freedom of speech is very important during wartime.
Pat Rooney
5th hour
I think the people should be able to use free speech in times of war. They will have the ability to question the government about the tactics and the system used to fight the war. But the government won’t pay any attention to it because they have to deal with the war. They don't have time to argue with the citizens of the United States. The government can stop all the complaints if they wanted too. If the free speech got out of hand they could say to the people that they have a warning and if they don't settle down then they will remove their privilege to have free speech. The people of the US can have a say in what is going on in the war but it would be more beneficial to support the man overseas to fight good and get the war over with. Instead of arguing if the calling of the war is right or not the American people show join together and support the troops. They could start fundraisers to get better food over to the troops and maybe to send blankets. In schools they could have the students write letters to the troops to keep their spirits up.
Ryan Feist
3rd hour
I think that freedom of speech should be encouraged during war time. Government should care about people's opinions. It's a democracy ! Freedom of speech is a right. Why wouldn't it be allowed during war? I think that freedom of speech is a right especially during war ! We have the right to comment on our government, otherwise, it's not a democracry anymore, it's a totalitarian regime. Freedom of speech is probably one of the most important rights that citizens have. People should know what's going on, and what are the real reasons behind the war.
Stephan 5th hour
Is questioning what your country does during a war o.k.? Should asking questions about how the war is conducted, about the tactics being used (torture, waterboarding, etc.), about how the goals are being met (or if they're being met at all), or is it all worth the sacrifice of all the young men and women's lives?? Is this line of questioning during war time o.k. or does it make you unpatriotic? Why?
I think that questioning your country is okay as long as you do not cross the line. As long as you are peaceful in your protest it is okay to me. I think that if you want to criticize your government it is up to you and you are allowed to have your own views on politics and the government. As long as people’s lives are not in danger by what you do and as long as it is not illegal and does not harm anyone it is okay. When you are protesting and questioning and protesting the war, as long as you are not forcing people to obey your opinions and are not harming anyone you should be allowed to ask any questions that you are question and want to know the answer to. It may not be the most patriotic thing to criticize your government during your war time and it could help to say what they are doing is good and okay. But it is up to you to do what you want to do and it is also okay to say what you want. You are given the freedom of speech in the constitution and you should bee allowed you exercise your rights.
Phil Bolton 5th Hour
During war people should be able to have freedom of speech. People should not abuse freedom of speech. People have opinions to say about the war. People’s views might help the government make decisions. If the president decides one thing but hears other people’s views it might help him make a better decision. People might support the war more if they knew what it was for. The government should let people know the reasons for the war. The people should be able to question what war tactics are and the goals for the war. The people should also be able to question the government because the citizens know people fighting in the war and could be killed. You can still be patriotic when questioning the war. People question the war for their knowledge and freedom. I do not think it would be dangerous if someone said their opinion about the war or the government. This country is a free country which should allow people to voice their opinions freely. The government is created for the people, so the people should be able to question the government.
Emily C. 3rd Hour
During war people should be able to have freedom of speech. People should not abuse freedom of speech. People have opinions to say about the war. People’s views might help the government make decisions. If the president decides one thing but hears other people’s views it might help him make a better decision. People might support the war more if they knew what it was for. The government should let people know the reasons for the war. The people should be able to question what war tactics are and the goals for the war. The people should also be able to question the government because the citizens know people fighting in the war and could be killed. You can still be patriotic when questioning the war. People question the war for their knowledge and freedom. I do not think it would be dangerous if someone said their opinion about the war or the government. This country is a free country which should allow people to voice their opinions freely. The government is created for the people, so the people should be able to question the government.
Emily C. 3rd Hour
I think that it is okay to voice your opinion during a war. This is because the United States is supposed to be a free country and the first amendment states that we have freedom of speech. This is a reason why many immigrants came to America and for it to be taken away during a time of war is terrible. If someone does not like the war then they have the right to say that they don’t like it, or even protest. If too many people question the war then it would not be good fro the country and people would loose faith and it would show a weakness in our country, but if not too many people opposed then it would not be as bad. I still believe that the people in the US should support their country but they have the right to not believe in some of the things that go on.
Allison K.
3rd Hour
I think that freedom of speech should be allowed during wartime to a certain extent although; we should definitely not suppress it. The freedom of speech allows us Americans to express our thoughts and opinions to the Government, and is important even if it can be criticizing. We shouldn’t have to sacrifice our thoughts and ideas based on the fact that America is going to war. Although, I do think that during wartime, we should sustain a high amount of loyalty and Nationalism. I think that we can draw the line when people go further than criticizing the Government, and start insulting the Government. Those are some of the things that aren’t necessary because these insults aren’t doing anything for anyone, except for certain people in order to feel better about themselves. It is important that the freedom of speech is sustained in order to withhold the values of our country’s forefathers. The freedom of speech is the backbone of the United State’s reputation of being a free country. Even though speaking out against the Government might not even make a difference, it is important. Take the war in Iraq for example, millions of people heave been criticizing Bush, and that doesn’t’ seem to help change his mind. Although the point is that those people are exercising their right to freedom of speech, and this right should not be suppressed.
David M.
3rd
I beleive that people should be able to comment on the governments tactics and what they are doing because it is one of our rights as American citizens, the freedom of speech and the ability to say whatever people want is what makes America so great and why people come here. People should not be punished for saying or voicing their opinions to the government because it is the peoples government and they should be able to say whatever they want about it. When it comes time for decisions, the government should be asking the people what they think also even during drastic times such as war. People should be careful about what they say and not take it too far and also say it at the right time and place, and the people should keep the government in line so that they are not doing anything wrong.
Ian Perfitt
U.S. History 1st Hour
I believe that questioning what your country is doing during a war is ok. I feel that we should be allowed to express ourselves and show our own opinions on everything even if our leader (president) has a different opinion. We should be allowed to do this for many reasons. One is because this is our country too. America is a democracy, which means they want the people to speak out and share their opinion on issues like the election of who runs our country. When the person they chose to run the country goes against the tradition ways and does something that the people that chose him to be president don't like, they should be allowed to share their opinions on that as well because they were the reason he got elected in the first place.
Continuing on my point, the American government allows the citizens to have freedom of speech. Therefore the people are allowed to use that freedom, even during a war. With the freedom of speech, we also have freedom of the press, which allows us to express our opinion in media, such as tv, radio, newspapers, etc. Overall, I think that the people of America should be allowed to express their opinion during a war.
Amanda B
I feel that people questioning their country during war time could potentially get out of control, but I think that people should have the right to question if they fell they need to. If a country is going into war, and there are people who don’t agree or understand the reasoning behind it then I think they have the right to question. They should have the feeling of not understanding. No matter what, there will always be people who don’t completely agree with a countries decision to go to war and have questions about it.
Alex G.
3rd
Free speech during war-Allow it or supress it?America was built on the base of freedom. Freedom of press, freedom of religion, freedom of speech. When a country enters a war, everyone becomes involved. Weather or not you are actually fighting on battlegrounds, most are involved through meetings and mostly: paying taxes. Many ideas, and opinions are destined to be floating around in different directions. Freedom of speech in a time of war should be more tolerated than ever. Why should someting our country was built on be hidden during war? The Sedition Act was destined to fail. When tensions become high during war people should be allowed to speak their minds. Freedom of speech during war should be encouraged i think because it is a chance to represent how the US was made no matter if the comments are good or bad.
Paige D.
1st Hr.
Free speech during war- should it be allowed?
I think that people should be able to express how they feel, or they’re opinion about what the government is doing during war. Free speech should definitely be allowed. It’s our country, and it goes along with our rights of freedom of speech. The government can’t take thaw away, unless this would not be America. People travel here for the freedom that we have in this country, our rights can’t start to be taken away and undermine our individual freedom to speak our minds. The government should be listening to the people instead of trying to do it they’re way. We the people have honest opinions that could better our country and where its going in the future, but the government shuts us down and denies listening to the little people that make this country who we are today. We the people are like the glue of America that holds it together. Nothing could run here without our money, time, and work ethic. America should be a democracy, but recently it does not look like America is staying truthful to its values, and if this keeps up we could lose our position as the best country in the world.
Gabe D.
I believe that there should be nothing wrong with questioning what our country is doing during the war. I feel that we should be allowed to express ourselves and show our own opinions on everything even if our government has a different opinion. We shouldn’t have to sacrifice our thoughts and ideas based on the fact that America is going to war. But still we shouldn’t criticize our government, based on what their trying to do to help us. If they are doing a bad job or if we think that war is unnecessary we have the right to admit it, after all we are one of the higher looked up to countries and we don’t like to have enemies. Not that many people even care about war today; they are more interested in other things it’s just something the public rarely talks about. So why should it really matter what some people say? So I definitely think that we should be questioning what your country does during a war.
Matt B.
5th
I believe that if the country is in war that the people should be able to comment on it and express their own opinion. I think that the people should also vote for the war and that people should not be drafted to go to war because they may be against it and we will lose soldiers for nothing. The war is pointless because we are spending millions of dollars AND our people are getting killed. I think if something is pointless why should we go for it.
Anthony Deza
1st Hour
I think that there should be allowed free of speed during war because if know one is aloud to speak out and voice their opionon then who is? it lets us, the people, tell the president what we are feeling and how he can make things better. its not good to keep things in and not be able to talk about them. we need to be able to talk about it.
Jessie Best
5th hour
I believe America is the land of the free and we should have freedom of speech during war time. If people opposed the war, but were not allowed to speak up then wars could last longer and hurt the economy. Freedom of speech during wartime promotes the ideas of the American people. If they oppressed the speech of the citizens, how do they get accurate information on how the people feel? War should be based on the interest of the citizens and our country not of the affairs of other countries. I understand that we are a powerful country so we should put our power to good us and promote peace, with the permission of the American people. Without the opinions of the American people during wartime it would be like a dictatorship because the rest of the country cannot say anything negative about the war. So politicians can continue the war as little or as long as they choose, without opposition. Freedom of speech is not only a constitutional right but it is very valuable during wartime because it expresses the people and there opinion.
Lauren Babb
1st hr
In the time of World War 1, the United States went... In the time of World War 1, the United States went through great trouble to get the civilians to stop expressing their thoughts on the war. There were many reasons for this, like so nobody would slow down the war, and so immigrants from the countries at war couldn’t do anything. In some peoples eyes it was a good idea. Some factories backed this up because it kept a shorter leash on the immigrants that worked for them. Many people hated this idea because they couldn’t speak out on things that they were against like war. People also couldn’t speak badly about the government, which was not good for people because they couldn’t speak up and say that the government was doing something wrong. It makes sense where the government is coming from passing the espionage and sedition acts because they didn’t want any interference in the war and they needed to do anything possible to win. The government was not thinking about the constitution and our rights when they passed these acts. These acts were not moral and the government cannot take our rights away. This was the defense of the citizens, but when they brought it up, they were punished by being thrown in jail. It is perfectly ok to speak out against war or to question the fact of what our purpose is in the war, some is curiosity and some is anti-war, but its perfectly fine to express what ever opinion you have on it.
Jason s. - 1st Hr.
In the time of World War 1, the United States went through great trouble to get the civilians to stop expressing their thoughts on the war. There were many reasons for this, like so nobody would slow down the war, and so immigrants from the countries at war couldn’t do anything. In some peoples eyes it was a good idea. Some factories backed this up because it kept a shorter leash on the immigrants that worked for them. Many people hated this idea because they couldn’t speak out on things that they were against like war. People also couldn’t speak badly about the government, which was not good for people because they couldn’t speak up and say that the government was doing something wrong. It makes sense where the government is coming from passing the espionage and sedition acts because they didn’t want any interference in the war and they needed to do anything possible to win. The government was not thinking about the constitution and our rights when they passed these acts. These acts were not moral and the government cannot take our rights away. This was the defense of the citizens, but when they brought it up, they were punished by being thrown in jail. It is perfectly ok to speak out against war or to question the fact of what our purpose is in the war, some is curiosity and some is anti-war, but its perfectly fine to express what ever opinion you have on it.
I believe that freedom of speech during wartime should be excepted. The people doesn’t have to agree with what the country says all the time. We are allowed to disagree with our government. We are not being unpatriotic, we are being human and saying what we don’t like and giving suggestions on what we think we should do better. If the government doesn’t let us speak, how does it know if we agree with its plans. The Nation was founded on the people being in control. We have opinions and the government should let us speak them freely without fear that we will go to jail.
Freedom of Speech means that we are allowed to say things without being persecuted by it. Disagreeing with the government isn’t hurting anyone. The country does not have to hide its thoughts. It isn’t a monarchy. It is a democracy.
If our loved ones are going into the war then we have the right to voice our opinions on it. The government should be happy to hear them and should try to fix the issues that the people are complaining about. It could help in the long run and the people will not be upset. There will also be less people in jail for speaking out too.
Whitney Sm.
Should free speech be allowed during war time?
I think that free speech should be allowed during war time because people should want to know what is going on with the country that they live in. People also have the right to freedom of speech and deserve to say anything that they feel as long as it does not affect the rights of others. I believe that putting people in jail because of their opinions is wrong because they are just saying what they believe in just like the president believed they should have had a war.
If our country is supposed to based on people’s beliefs then why people going to jail for what they believe in. If we would have known that we could be punished for freedom of speech America would not be a free country our nation’s social society is based on free of speech. When we vote, we choose who we want because we all have our own opinion.
Channel - 1st Hour
We all know that the Freedom of speech is one of our core rights protected in the constitution. The fact that this right was violated astonishes me. I think that we should be able to uphold our freedom of speech, whether our country is in a war or not. Of course not everyone is going to agree with things that the government does, if we did, the people who are in governmental positions would've got 100% of the popular votes. However, they didn't, so there are going to be AT LEAST 2 different thoughts of what the government is doing. Also, if the government decides it can take away our freedom of speech, who says they won't continue to take away our rights? Why would they stop there? If they succeed in taking away one right, I would suspect that they are then more likely to take away more rights in the future. Having our rights, and having them "protected" by the government, is a big part of why the United States is such a great country. But when the citizens rights are revoked, it not only shows a great flaw and weakness in the Government, but it also creates questioning to whether the United States lives up to its reputation.
Jake B.
5th hr.
I believe that during war time we should be able to say what we think. America is supposed to be a "free"
country, is it not? Then why is the government taking away another civl right? People that do express thier ideas on war should be incouraged not discouraged. If the country is feeling that war is not an answer and that the governtment isnt doing something that helps the country then they should feel free to let them know. The ideas that some people suggest may be a help to a key thing that resolving. During the war many feel like thats the time to step up to the base and let others know what thier ideas and views are about the war. Also, isnt the government supposed to be made for the people? Then why is something thats supposed to help us ruin one of our main rights? We all use freedom of speech everyday, even if we dont even know it. Freedom of speech makes up most our lives on a daily bases.
Brooke H.
1st Hour
I believe America is the land of the free and we should have freedom of speech during war time. If people opposed the war, but were not allowed to speak up then wars could last longer and hurt the economy. Freedom of speech during wartime promotes the ideas of the American people. If they oppressed the speech of the citizens, how do they get accurate information on how the people feel? War should be based on the interest of the citizens and our country not of the affairs of other countries. I understand that we are a powerful country so we should put our power to good us and promote peace, with the permission of the American people. Without the opinions of the American people during wartime it would be like a dictatorship because the rest of the country cannot say anything negative about the war. So politicians can continue the war as little or as long as they choose, without opposition. Freedom of speech is not only a constitutional right but it is very valuable during wartime because it expresses the people and there opinion.
Lauren
1st hr
Post a Comment