More Fake Jefferson Quoting

The Volokh Conspiracy has a history of the fake Jefferson quotation. Apparently, Howard Zinn is not the originator. The credit might belong to one Dorothy Hewitt Hutchinson, who said in 1965, "Dissent from public policy can be the highest form of patriotism." Her version is quite a bit better even though I still disagree with it.

Why does this matter? Because yesterday Senator John Kerry gave a speech at Grinnell College and told the students:

Dismissing dissent is not only wrong, but dangerous when America's leadership is unwilling to admit mistakes, unwilling to engage in honest discussion, and unwilling to hold itself accountable for the consequences of decisions made without genuine disclosure, or genuine debate. As Thomas Jefferson said, "dissent is the highest form of patriotism."

Two points about Kerry's continued use of the misquote. First, it's ironic given his accusation of the unwillingness of others to admit mistakes. Second, and much more importantly, the quotation, which is silly on its face, loses whatever credibility it had when Thomas Jefferson is not attached to it. Imagine a different version of the Kerry speech:

Dismissing dissent is not only wrong, but dangerous when America's leadership is unwilling to admit mistakes, unwilling to engage in honest discussion, and unwilling to hold itself accountable for the consequences of decisions made without genuine disclosure, or genuine debate. To paraphrase Dorothy Hewitt Hutchinson, a peace activist who opposed the Allied war effort in World War II, "dissent is the highest form of patriotism."

Kind of loses its zip, doesn't it?