When does dissent become treason?

The first amendment of the Bill of Rights states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”  We can openly complain about our government.  We can peacefully demonstrate against our government.  But are there any limits to dissent?  Is there a line we should not cross? Is there a point that dissent becomes un-American or even treasonous?  In the last few weeks we have seen examples of un-American behavior and potentially treasonous behavior.

MoveOn.org ran an advertisement in the New York Times calling Gen. David Petraeus “General Betray Us.”  The New York Times violated its own advertising policy, which states the newspaper will not allow any advertisements that are “attacks of a personal nature.”  “General Betray Us” is an obvious personal attack. Could MoveOn.org have explained its dissatisfaction with our government without stooping to personal attacks?  If your son, daughter, father, mother, brother or sister were in Iraq would you see this as legitimate dissent or would you feel this is un-American behavior? 

Could we ask those who disagree with the war to give nothing but respect and admiration to our troops while they are questioning our political leaders? MoveOn.org needs to offer apologies to Gen. Petraeus, the military and our country.  The New York Times needs to offer the same apologies.

Even more outrageous behavior came from Columbia University. Columbia President Lee Bollinger invited Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak at Columbia Sept. 24. Is this right?  Is this a university president with the fortitude to deal with difficult issues willing to face criticism to do so?  Or is this an arrogant university president thumbing his nose at his own country?

Is this, as some claim, the same as President Nixon initiating discussions with China or President Reagan meeting with Mikhail Gorbachev?  Bollinger invited the leader of a terrorist nation to speak on American soil while that leader is aiding and abetting terrorists murdering American soldiers.  Hardly a good analogy with China and the Soviet Union.  Has the president of Columbia done anything beyond giving Ahmadinejad a world forum for his propaganda under a veil of legitimacy?

The Columbia president was asked specifically about Adolf Hitler and stated that as long as we were not in a declared war with Germany; Hitler would have been welcome at Columbia.

This is the same university that refuses to allow ROTC on campus, claiming the military program is discriminatory because the military does not allow openly homosexual individuals to enlist.

This is the same university whose students stormed the stage when Minuteman leader James Gilchrist tried to speak.  The students claimed the Minuteman organization is “a racist, armed militia who have declared open hunting season on immigrants.” 

Now I am confused.  Our military’s ROTC is unacceptable because they “discriminate.”  The Minuteman group is unacceptable because they are “racist.”  But Adolf Hitler and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are acceptable?  Adolf Hitler was murdering Jewish people well before we declared war, but he would be allowed on Columbia’s campus as long as we had not formally declared war.  Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claims the Holocaust never happened and supports terrorists who are murdering American soldiers.

Two country’s leaders, one murdering Jews and the other aiding the murdering of Americans, are acceptable to the president of Columbia University.  Apparently murdering Jewish people is not as discriminatory as the ROTC.  Apparently murdering American soldiers is not as atrocious as the claimed racism of the Minuteman organization.

We are still at war in Iraq.  Iran supports our enemies.  Our soldiers are dying.  Is the behavior of Columbia President Lee Bollinger legitimate dissent, un-American behavior or treason?

The Constitution, Article III, Section 3, reads “treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort.” Is Iran an enemy of the United States?  Ahmadinejad supports terrorists who murder American soldiers.  That makes him an enemy of the United States.  Columbia President Lee C. Bollinger gave Ahmadinejad a forum to speak to the world.  That is giving “aid and comfort” to the enemy.

The president of Columbia University needs to be investigated to determine if he committed treason against the United States of America.  And Mahmoud Ahmadinejad needs to be ordered out of this country except for legal access to the United Nations.

We have soldiers in Iraq who must read the un-American advertisement by MoveOn.org.  And they must also read that Columbia University opened its doors to a man responsible for the deaths of their comrades.  Our military deserves better support than this.  Our country deserves better.

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