The article "Patriotism Demands Questioning Authority" by Todd Gitlin discusses why democracy needs people to question it and its' authority to keep it honest, practical, and open to change. He argues that closed minds only allow the terrorists to win, while others argue that we must give up some of our rights, and even our personal freedoms in order to preserve our way of life as we know it. The author defends patriotism as questioning authority, and this is paramount to democracy and our own rights and freedoms.
             Patriotism was high after the terrorist attacks of September 11, but few people questioned the actions or aims that would reduce American freedoms and rights in the wake of the attacks. The author writes, "In a democracy, authority needs to convince those it governs" (Gitlin), but the administration did not allow any questions after the attacks, instead it censored them. He continues, "Ari Fleischer, the president's press secretary, scolded that Americans should 'watch what they say'" (Gitlin). That amounts to censorship, and that flies in the face of democracy and freedom.
             The writer talks of the days after September 11, when it was not acceptable to question or refute the government in any way. He writes, "In those days, with huge questions unasked and unanswered, we saw an unseemly haste on both right and left to stake out firm positions on a war without clear aims" (Gitlin). It was seen as unpatriotic, but events since then have shown these decisions are against most Americans wishes, and should have been loudly questioned to begin with.
             In conclusion, Gitlin is absolutely right. To stop questioning the actions of the government or anyone else only results in loss of freedom and rights, and it is nothing more than a flaunting of patriotism and everything this country was founded on. To stop questioning is to roll over and die.
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