Freedom of speech is something we’ve all heard a lot about over the last month. Just what it means, however, has been up for debate since its inception in the Bill of Rights. A more precise understanding of this freedom though, is the right to argue.

We argue almost daily. Sometimes we argue about little things – from which dining center to eat at, to the most important of arguments, like which Kevin Smith movie is the best.

But quality argumentation is a skill that has been lost.

Today we hear arguments from all sides. Everyone has an opinion on what we should do, but so few people seem to agree. There are people who believe the current war is not the way to go, while those opposing this viewpoint will raise the question “what would you do in Bush’s place?”

This is a bad example backed with the assumption that we all have the answers. It seems to be a common belief that if you know what we shouldn’t do, then you should also know what we should do.

But this is the root of our right to argue. It wasn’t about knowing exactly the course of action that needs to be taken, but knowing when the course of action that is being taken is bad or we are in disagreement with it.

As a former debater, I had to learn what made up a good argument and the best ways to beat it. I also learned how to articulate my points as quickly and concisely as possible.

Now, as an assistant debate coach I have to teach high school students those same skills. One of the most important things to teach them is that insulting the opposing arguments, or team for that matter, is not the way to make a point.

It would appear though, that many people never progress past this stage of arguing.

Today, it’s more covert than the run of the mill ad hominem calling an opponent stupid. It’s more in style, instead, to use words like “liberal” in an attempt to group people who have differing opinions from the government together.

It’s this same sentiment in people that makes them jump quickly to label and then dismiss groups of people in a broad stereotype. Oops, better cover my own butt quick and say this isn’t an attack on conservatives or meant to group them all together.

It’s still very likely that there are a few of the more militant conservatives out there who are hopping mad, believing that I just grouped them all together and how I am a victim of faulty argumentation.

And still there are a very few who will claim that I hate conservatives, and this was all a part of a cover-up so I didn’t look bad to the public.

I’ll of course take this opportunity to proclaim my allegiance right down the middle of the political spectrum. Growing up in a home that voted conservative and then learning to think for myself as I got older, like the liberals, I came to my own point of view right down the middle.

I wanted to separate myself from either side, as the extremists both bothered me, and even those that were more moderate of their parties thought I was too radical to the other side. That’s the problem with being in the middle – everyone else not in the middle looks at me and believes I’m on “the other evil side.”

The only thing I believe in, when it comes to political policies, is that I should always be critical of them. It’s a common assumption that those who always look for the bad are to be ignored.

This, however, is a false assumption perpetrated by those who wish others to blindly follow their own point of view.

Because I choose to be critical of so many things hardly makes me a bad person. If anything, it makes me more reasonable, because I listen to all points of view and make my analysis of what I dislike or disagree with.

In this time of “unity” it’s easy to be led along with the group because we are told that it is the correct thing.

This certainly isn’t a new idea, but the purpose that is being set before us is, and no matter our political leanings we should take a moment to decide if this is the course of action that we really desire.

Once the last chunk of building is drug away, when the last funeral has been had, what is really the best way?

I don’t know the best course of action for our country to take. I do have my opinions, however, on what we should not do, and that’s a good enough start. And as we continue I will question anything that comes along telling me to believe, just because it’s the “right” point of view.

So take some time to stop, look past all the hype, propaganda and political double-talk and really think about it all.

Blaine Moyle is a sophomore in english from Des Moines.