Home > Politics, News & Issues > US Politics > Soldiers & Veterans
Should protesters be permitted to picket military recruiting offices in the US?
Results so far:
| Yes | 62% | 434 votes | Total: 705 votes | |
| No | 38% | 271 votes |
Yes
by xe
Created on: February 06, 2009
Protesters Free Speech Is Protected By The US Constitution! "I may totally disagree with what you say, but I will defend to my death your right to say it". Frank J. Dusek, my Father and a decorated WWII Veteran explained what freedom of speech and democracy meant to him with those words. Why would we fear allowing fellow Americans to express their opinion? What part of the United States Constitution gives me the right to say who gets to state their views? Are we so insecure in our stewardship of Democracy that we must be afraid of those who feel differently than we do?
The Constitution and Bill of Rights apply to each and every US Citizen who follows our nation's laws and threatens no physical harm to their fellow citizens. As long as protests are law-abiding and do no harm, they represent the reason our nation is great. If we feel a law is unjust and choose to violate it, then we are following in the footsteps of our founding fathers who poured tea in the harbor and gathered under threat of arrest to discuss overthrowing the tyranny of England during the Revolutionary War.
The right to live and be free is so basic to our nation's core beliefs that I am amazed that a 'Debate' can exist on the subject. The oppression of personal opinion is really an outstanding definition of what it means to be un-American, in fact. Those who espouse suppressing free speech are demonizing the very behavior that resulted in the birth of our bastion of freedom and arsenal of democracy. Visit Arlington or Jefferson Barracks or the Punchbowl National Cemetery and walk through the acres of white headstones. Do you for one second feel that these patriotic men and women gave their lives defending someone's right to prevent a free voice from being heard? No, they died so that these protester's voices could ring free, loud and clear above the voices of the Saddam Hussein's of the tyrannical world.
What right, indeed, would one citizen of a free nation have to rule another citizen's voice unworthy of being heard? Who anoints this king or ruler who can choose to ignore another person's personal truth? Perhaps a Hitler or Japanese Emperor in the 1930's was deigned so powerful, but isn't that why we joined with other free nations to crush their tyranny? So many Patriots have shed their blood and given their lives just to ensure that those protesters COULD picket if they wish! Disagree with them? Then YOU make a sign and counter-protest; but please, never do not EVER feel that their voice is any less important than yours.
Learn more about this author, xe.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
No
by Sean Davis
Created on: February 13, 2008
Protesting, it is a form of free speech, our military it our national defense. The two of them are both needed but protesting of our defense system is in my opinion very inappropriate due to the fact that when you protest the military, you are telling the people in uniform trying to protect our way of life that you don't respect them.
Recruiting is the primary way that the military gets it soldiers and protesting a recruitment office is telling the people that have made the decision or are thinking of making the decision to join the military that you do not think that protecting our country is of no consequence to you.
If the military isn't able to entice people to join their ranks, then the only option left is a national draft or nationally mandated service. Given some people they would have a problem with those options as well due to the fact that they would change direction and say that it should be purely voluntary and not mandated by the government.
Granted people do feel entitled to speak their mind which is rightfully so in our country, but speaking ones mind in public should be conducted in the same manner for which the person speaking their mind would have it in their own home. Doing this would show a lot more respect than protesting as part of a group that with certain subjects being protested devolves into an unruly mob which is willing to destroy private or government property and by doing so hurts their cause.
All I know is that we have a right to defend ourselves and the right to free speech which at times go against each other due to the fact that some people feel that military service isn't for them and willing to attempt anything to get people to come around to their way of thinking.
Think of it this way, our world would be very different if we chose not to stand up against the countries that were trying to colonize this continent. We stood up to those countries with people who chose to stand up and fight for their ideals and their principles, with out them parts of this country would be part of the United Kingdom, part would be a territory for Spain.
So before you decide to protest the recruiting of people into the military, maybe you should be asking yourself is it the military I am against or is it this country's current political climate? After doing that you will know whether you should be protesting the military's primary means to maintain their ranks.
After you figure out if you actually have a problem with people being the opportunity to enlist in the military, then you should give the same respect that you would have them extend to you when dealing with others instead of embarrassing yourself by acting as if you don't know any better.
Learn more about this author, Sean Davis.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
Write and get published
Share with other writers
Polish your freelancing skills
Quality articles from proven freelancers
Exclusive rights, fast turnaround
Brand engagement, business blogging -- our writers do it all
INFORMATION
Copyright © 2002-2012 Helium, Inc. All rights reserved.
Helium.com: A Service of RR Donnelley