So many today are on the wrong track, and the unpatriotic messages about America they receive in public schools aren't helping. Many attribute the following statement to Thomas Jefferson: "Dissent is the highest form of patriotism." In 1980, dissent arose among members of the Governing Body regarding the significance of 1914 in Jehovah's Witnesses' doctrines. My point is that our founders secured our rights in the First Amendment for even vehement dissent and the use of what many today would call hate speech, which the U.S. Supreme court again affirmed just a few years ago. A lot of people stood up to the majority. Indeed, intelligent, responsible dissent can represent the highest form of patriotism. Dan Hayes of Reason.TV has managed to ferret out one of these unpatriotic dissent mongers. google_ad_type = "text_image"; ", Washington would have concurred that freedom of speech included dissent even against "the king" or president, as long as it didn't lead to his demise. I dont think dissent is a high form of patriotism, but it is a key element in a free society. Variations of the quote date back to the early 1900s, according to research by etymologist Barry Popik.