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wood911
01-07-2010, 05:30 PM
Here are few interesting Jeffersonisms. They are hard to argue with.

"It has been said the greatest volume of sheer brainpower in one place occurred when Jefferson dined alone..." John Kennedy

When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe..
Thomas Jefferson

The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.
Thomas Jefferson

It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes.
A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world.
Thomas Jefferson

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.
Thomas Jefferson

My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.
Thomas Jefferson

No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.
Thomas Jefferson

The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.
Thomas Jefferson

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Thomas Jefferson

To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.
Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson said in 1802:
'I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered..'

'If you don't read the newspaper you are uninformed, if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed..'
-Mark Twain

Ivan
01-07-2010, 09:23 PM
His words are looking true IMO.

GoPokes83
01-08-2010, 07:50 AM
"After it gets dark, bring me up a slave gal for tonight!" Thomas Jefferson

MajorMike
01-08-2010, 09:40 AM
"After it gets dark, bring me up a slave gal for tonight!" Thomas Jefferson

lol I was thinking the same thing.

wood911
01-08-2010, 10:16 AM
Not trying to justify his personal life, but he certainly had some good ideas that have stood the test of time and allowed us to prosper as a nation.
The fact that he owned slaves is pretty despicable. As far as his relationship with Sally Heming, I don't think anybody knows whether it was consentual or not. In today's world it would certainly leave Jefferson open to a sexual harassment lawsuit, tho. Sally was a 1/2 sister to his late wife, a daughter of a slave with the same father, Jefferson's father -in-law.
It's a real study of human nature that so many seemingly intelligent people do good publicly but can make a mess of their personal lives.

GoPokes83
01-08-2010, 10:26 AM
Yeah Wood, Jefferson was one helluva patriot, and a brilliant, brilliant, man. He almost single handedly shaped our early country and the path it's taken.

But it's hard to overlook that whole human chattel thing. Seeing it with todays eyes it just makes the people of that time look just a couple of steps away from cavemen. They were Christians... they knew better. Oh well, Honest Abe fixed it.

Poke John I
01-08-2010, 11:37 AM
Here is another one -

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." - - - Thomas Jefferson

Deepfork
01-10-2010, 07:36 PM
Yeah Wood, Jefferson was one helluva patriot, and a brilliant, brilliant, man. He almost single handedly shaped our early country and the path it's taken.

But it's hard to overlook that whole human chattel thing. Seeing it with todays eyes it just makes the people of that time look just a couple of steps away from cavemen. They were Christians... they knew better. Oh well, Honest Abe fixed it.

You have to judge people in the context of their times. Looking at it with todays eyes may make them look like cavemen, but in the context of their times, they were in the mainstream.