Trusting the Government is Not Patriotism
© 2000 by David W. Neuendorf
Back in the '60s, one of the popular bumper stickers proclaimed, "America: Love it or Leave it." That was an
understandable reaction to those Vietnam War protesters who took every opportunity to run down our
country and its military men: rioting, burning flags, chanting obscenities and the like. Unfortunately, it was
often applied to anyone who showed signs of distrust of government officials. For that, the slogan has
become a symbol of an unhealthy intolerance toward dissent.
Today, that spirit seems to be undergoing a resurgence. Anyone who expresses disapproval of the trend
toward bigger government is labeled an "anti-government extremist" or "conspiracy nut." People promoting
religious causes or opposing abortion, the United Nations, gun control, etc. are lumped together with the
KKK, neo-Nazis and Timothy McVeigh-style terrorists. A recent FBI report raised fears that people in this
category are just waiting for an opportunity to commit terrorist acts.
Many concerned Americans have been protesting the incessant efforts of the current administration and its
allies to place more and more restrictions on firearms ownership. These people come in for an especially
strong dose of opprobrium. One recent comment went like this: "If you think the government is going to
somehow take your guns away, then you don't trust your country. If you don't trust your country, try
another one." In other words, "trust it or leave it." That's worse than "love it or leave it."
When has any government been trustworthy? Soon after our Constitution was ratified, even a patriot like
John Adams could get carried away enough to support the obnoxious "Alien and Sedition Acts," which
limited freedom of speech and the press. This is the same John Adams who said in 1772, "There is danger
from all men. The only maxim of free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to
endanger the public liberty." How much less ought we to trust a government led by people like Bill Clinton,
who will be most remembered for saying, "I never had sex with that woman?"
Adams wasn't the only early American to advocate suspicion of government and jealousy of the people's
liberty:
"...there have always been those who wish to enlarge the powers of the General Government. There is but
one safe rule...confine (it) within the sphere of its appropriate duties...Every attempt to exercise power
beyond these limits should be promptly and firmly opposed." - Andrew Jackson.
"In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief
by the chains of the Constitution."
- Thomas Jefferson.
Is anyone today so pure a patriot
that he is worthy to question the patriotism of these men, or to suggest that they "try another" country that
they can trust? One of the most important lessons that our early patriots left us is that trusting in
government is not patriotism. It is just plain foolishness.