Despite what President Donald Trump and his supporters say, bashing the president, the government, and its policies is not anti-American.
From Thomas Jefferson's scathing critiques of President John Adams to Martin Luther King's protests of racist government policies to candidate Trump railing against President Barack Obama, the government, and our problematic military adventures, criticism is very, very American and an important part of what makes our country great.
Trump rose to prominence among conservatives by championing "birther" ideas, and in America he had a right to say those things even if silly, stupid, and proven wrong. I don't remember anybody saying he should be exiled because of it.
My great nephew told me that Trump's inauguration was on the TV in his classroom and when protestors were shown, the teacher told the first-graders, "If they don't like America they should just leave." We've recently heard similar comments from our president. Chants of "send her back," suggesting that an American who disagrees with the current administration and is brave enough to say so should be exiled, are anti-American.
So I say, particularly to young people, if you disagree with our president or our government, true patriots who love America don't cut and run; they stay, stand up, and speak out.
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Our country has always been great but never has been and never will be perfect. That's why holding our leaders' feet to the fire and demanding we live up to the promises embodied in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence are quintessentially American.
Jim Furnas
Cloquet
