A Conversation Between the Patriot and the Liberalist

Setting: A classroom with a dozen students is waiting for the arrival of a soldier from Iraq. Most of them are conservative, Christian, Bush Supporters. Key word, most.

The soldier arrives, is greeted and talks for a while about what it is like to be a soldier in Iraq. Finally he finishes and asks if anyone has questions.

Teacher: What are your feelings about the war in Iraq? Do you think that we are doing the right thing. I completely support President Bush's decision but I was wondering what your thoughts were as a soldier.

Soldier: My job is not to think about whether it is a good decision or not, my job is to carry out the order.

One of the students near the back of the room stands up suddenly.

Girl: Your job is to carry out the order, but that does not mean you can not have an opinion.

Soldier: I do not need to have an opinion.

Girl: (starting to get angry) Yes you do! That was the whole point of the Revolutionary War!! So that every man would have a chance to live as he wanted, think what he wanted, and make his own decisions as he wanted!!

Teacher: Miss Brown, please calm yourself and take your seat.

Girl: NO!! This is a free country and I will say what I want to say!! You don't have to do everything you are told, even if you are told it my the governement!

Soldier: I trust in the judgement of the governement, you would do well to also. I am doing what is right and patriotic.

Girl: You just said you didn't have an opinion so how can you say it is right?? And don't give me that "patriotic" s***!! How can it be considered "patriotic"??? Patriotic is supposed to mean following what your country wants!! This war is not what this country wants!!

Soldier: It certainly is what the country wants!

Girl: It is what the president wants! It is what some of the people in this country want!! But I am from this country and this is not what I want!! The only reason you follow that bastard is that he has lots of money! That's the only way he got elected in the first place!! You are all hoping that if you do what he wants you'll get a big pay off at the end!! That is not how this country is supposed to work!! Not how it was intended to work!! We are going backwards in time, going back to being ruled by a dictator, the man with the most money!! We were given brains so that we could think for ourselves!!! What do you think??? Is this really the right thing??

Teacher: That is quite enough Miss Brown! You may leave the classroom now and find the principal.

Girl: (attempting to contain her fury as tears of frustration and anger spill down her face) I will go, although I have the right to free speech. The only reason you want me to leave is that you know I am right. You can't stand to know that I am right and you are wrong, so you are blinding yourselves so that you only know one way and therefore trick yourself into believing there is only one way. One day the world will look back on this war and realize it was a big mistake, but since we are so good at blinding ourselves to the truth it will happen again, and again.

She turned and walked stiffly from the room