--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The highest form of patriotism is dissent." description: "\"The highest form of patriotism is dissent.\" — Matthew Dowd" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fd/matthew-dowd-31572_disagreement_the-highest-form-of-patriotism-is-dissen_2294854.png" --- # The highest form of patriotism is dissent. ![“The highest form of patriotism is dissent.” quote by Matthew Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fd/matthew-dowd-31572_disagreement_the-highest-form-of-patriotism-is-dissen_2294854.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fd/matthew-dowd-31572_disagreement_the-highest-form-of-patriotism-is-dissen_2294854.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fd/matthew-dowd-31572_disagreement_the-highest-form-of-patriotism-is-dissen_2294854.png) > “The highest form of patriotism is dissent.” [Matthew Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-dowd/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True patriotism involves questioning authority. **In simple terms:** Patriotism includes dissent. Key Takeaway Speak up for what’s right. Themes patriotism dissent democracy Mood thoughtful motivated Type political inspirational When to use this quote - voting - activism - public discourse Key Concepts civic responsibility political engagement Questions to Reflect On - When is dissent constructive? - How do you balance loyalty and critique? A Different Perspective Dissent can be misused for selfish ends. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dissent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissent/) [Opposition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposition/) [Patriotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotic/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) ## Related quotes > [Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/dissent-is-the-highest-form-of-patriotism/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [During President George W. Bush's two terms, you couldn't drive far without seeing a particular bumper sticker: 'Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/during-president-george-w-bush-s-two-terms-you-couldn-t-drive-far-2/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [ Dissent is the highest form of patriotism. \[Misattributed\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/dissent-is-the-highest-form-of-patriotism-misattributed/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [During President George W. Bush's two terms, you couldn't drive far without seeing a particular bumper sticker: Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/during-president-george-w-bush-s-two-terms-you-couldn-t-drive-far/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [If what your country is doing seems to you practically and morally wrong, is dissent the highest form of patriotism?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/if-what-your-country-is-doing-seems-to-you-practically-and-morally/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Disagreement produces debate but dissent produces dissension. Dissent (which come from the Latin, dis and sentire) means originally to feel apart from others. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/disagreement-produces-debate-but-dissent-produces-dissension-dissent/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [“Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social enviroment. Most people are incapable of forming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/few-people-are-capable-of-expressing-with-equanimity-opinions-which-2/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Managing dissent is about recognizing the value of disagreement, discord and difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/managing-dissent-is-about-recognizing-the-value-of-disagreement/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [Disagreement produces debate but dissent produces dissension.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/disagreement-produces-debate-but-dissent-produces-dissension/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/patriotism-means-to-stand-by-the-country-it-does-not-mean-to-stand-by/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The aim of public education is not to spread enlightenment at all; it is simply to reduce as many individuals as possible to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-aim-of-public-education-is-not-to-spread-enlightenment-at-all-it/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [I can't wait until dissent is patriotic again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-burge/i-can-t-wait-until-dissent-is-patriotic-again/) [David Burge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-burge/) > [Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/patriotism-means-to-stand-by-the-country-it-does-not-mean-to-stand-by-3/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [In the wake of Katrina, what you're witnessing and what we are very careful to depict is a form of patriotism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-simon/in-the-wake-of-katrina-what-you-re-witnessing-and-what-we-are-very/) [David Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-simon/) > [Our patriotism comes straight from the Romans. This is why French children are encouraged to seek inspiration for it in Corneille. It is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/our-patriotism-comes-straight-from-the-romans-this-is-why-french/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) ## More by Matthew Dowd > [To me, polls are like approval ratings for presidents are like an offensive line, right. And if an offensive line is weak, that means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-dowd/to-me-polls-are-like-approval-ratings-for-presidents-are-like-an/) [Matthew Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-dowd/) > [Democrats have a problem if they go one way and don't emphasize the rule of law and only have compassion. The Republicans have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-dowd/democrats-have-a-problem-if-they-go-one-way-and-don-t-emphasize-the/) [Matthew Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-dowd/) > [What Donald Trump is, is not movement of change, it's a reaction to global change, it's a total reaction to global change. It's transformational…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-dowd/what-donald-trump-is-is-not-movement-of-change-it-s-a-reaction-to/) [Matthew Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-dowd/) > [I may be a little old-fashioned, but I actually believe that if you live and work in our house and you work on our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-dowd/i-may-be-a-little-old-fashioned-but-i-actually-believe-that-if-you/) [Matthew Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-dowd/) > [You can't keep changing the rules based upon who holds political power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-dowd/you-can-t-keep-changing-the-rules-based-upon-who-holds-political-power/) [Matthew Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-dowd/) > [What makes America great is peaceful protests and exercising your constitutional rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-dowd/what-makes-america-great-is-peaceful-protests-and-exercising-your/) [Matthew Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-dowd/) > [Let's keep in mind that Donald Trump didn't win because of himself. 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But the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-dowd/as-you-know-in-this-democracy-in-order-to-have-a-healthy-democracy-we/) [Matthew Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-dowd/) [Explore all 16 Matthew Dowd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-dowd/) ## More Disagreement quotes > [“I know quite well why I became a historian… It was because dissension was frowned upon when I was a child: 'Don't argue, Claudia,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-lively/i-know-quite-well-why-i-became-a-historian-it-was-because-dissension/) [Penelope Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-lively/) > [A friend's loyalty lasts longer than their memory. 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They had figured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ranjani-rao/who-knows-what-goes-on-in-a-marriage-even-my-parents-who-had-a/) Ranjani Rao > [The prevailing attitude of the speakers was one of heavy disagreement with a number of things which the reader had not said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-knox/the-prevailing-attitude-of-the-speakers-was-one-of-heavy-disagreement/) [Ronald Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-knox/) > [There is quite a lot of mutual misunderstanding between the upper middle class and the working class. Reviewing what's been said about the white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/there-is-quite-a-lot-of-mutual-misunderstanding-between-the-upper/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [I should probably be careful admitting this, but sometimes, when my characters are having a disagreement, it's a disagreement I'm having with myself. 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