Posted on 07/04/2009 1:50:28 PM PDT by Reaganesque
On this day we celebrate the founding of this country and the Declaration of Independence, it is helpful to note the original intention of Jefferson in writing this seminal thesis on the American vision of freedom and governance. Particularly at a time when many currently in power believe this nation to be a nation founded in racism and bigotry.
The Founders fully intended to abolish slavery with Jefferson explicitly calling slavery "execrable commerce." Jefferson and the majority of the Founders believed that ALL men are created equal and his original version is even more clear on that point than the final document itself. The section in question was removed for strategic, political reasons and nothing more. They removed it in order to gain approval of the Declaration from those representatives whose states depended on slavery. However, it was always understood that the issue of slavery would be revisited and corrected at a later time.
It is up to those of us who still love this country and hold to the precepts enumerated in this Divinely inspired document to remind our friends and neighbors of what this day and this document truly stand for and defend it from those who wish to reinterpret history to suit their own political and personal ambitions.
That's probably why he so enjoyed the privileges of owning them.
Jefferson was unhappy with the work done by the Congress to change his words, but the editing sharpened the focus and elided certain issues that would have killed the document outright. Jefferson was not the only skilled wordsmith there, and we benefited from that.
Slavery was not just a moral issue it was also obviously an economic issue.
Your sarcasm at the expense of arguably the greatest of the founding fathers is both overly simplistic and unschooled. In other words, you're a dumbass.
That first draft is not only verbose: I’d add turgid and convoluted to the descriptors! But you and Jefferson aren’t alone. There’s scarcely a truer statement than the old saw that, “All good writing is rewriting.” And to get an idea about how frequently this point has been made, click here:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%22good+writing+is+rewriting%22&aq=f&oq=&aqi=
Wow, someone’s touchy.
My esteem for Jefferson has gone down considerably over the years, but I’m glad to see someone still runs his fan club.
I think his owning slaves gels perfectly with his Indian Removal Act and disdain for women’s suffrage.
Let’s not make these men into gods.
To argue that Jefferson was anti-slavery is to try to project your political correctness onto an historical figure. And, perhaps, if you ever graduate from high school, you will learn to debate without having to result to name calling. In the mean time, perhaps you might gain something from your betters.
As time goes by I’ve found myself liking Adams more and Jefferson less. Adams’ mother in law gave him a slave as a wedding present. He promptly freed the man. She was not amused.
Did you even read what he wrote? Or is your political opinion the only consideration here? Facts be damned?
Ben Franklin and Sam Adams both shared Jefferson’s views on slavery. The fact that you refuse to even consider this historical fact shows that you are nowhere near the category of “our betters.” Only an enormous, ill-informed egomaniac could make such incredibly ignorant remarks and feel so superior to those who disagree. Wouldn’t you feel better on another website? Say, DU?
I am so sick and tired of self-righteous jerks who post on online forums. You made the charge against Jefferson, you back it up genius. You whine about name calling but you engage in it yourself. You people are such insufferable ignoramuses that you feel that you can post your opinion, offer no information to back it up and then dismiss those who disagree as intellectually, morally and in every other way inferior.
YOU ARE NOT GOD. AS SHOCKING AS THIS MAY BE TO YOUR GIGANTIC EGO; YOURS IS NOT THE ONLY VIEW IN THE UNIVERSE. YOU ARE NOT ALL KNOWING. SHOW US SOME FACTUAL DEFENSE OF YOUR SNIDE POST OR SHUT THE H*LL UP ABOUT PEOPLE PICKING ON YOU!
Make them into gods? Certainly not. But if you don't see the The Hand of God in Jefferson and Adams both dying on the 50th anniversary of The Declaration, and the implications thereof then I don't know what else to say to you. Indeed it would be a waste of my time.
dumbass
Come on, you basically excoriated the man for making a factual statement. You even called him a dumbass. If that’s not hero worship I do not know what is.
These are fallible human beings, they make mistakes. On this area of slavery and rights for the indigent Native Americans, I certainly do believe that Jefferson fell far short of our Lord’s call.
Are you always this snippy?
Ohhhh....first I was “making them into gods”, now that I brought in the OBVIOUS involvement of The Lord it’s down to “hero worship”.
Well, in that case, I’ll just upgrade you back to worshiping him as a deity again. Besides, I didn’t think Jefferson even believed in Christ’s deity. Odd fellow to worship if you ask me. He strikes me as a heretic.
But my bad, go worship him again if you wish.
I’d still like to hear your take on the factual elements of my post about his views on the Indians and women whenever you get a chance to snap out of “Internet rage”
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