Posted on 11/09/2004 6:51:09 AM PST by scott1702
Recently the liberals in the blogosphere have taken comfort in a 1798 quote by Thomas Jefferson, namely, “A little patience, and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their spells dissolve, and the people, recovering their true sight, restore their government to it's true principles.”
Given Jefferson’s humanist philosophy, the quote seems odd—more appropriate for a Calvinist from Massachusetts than a deist from Virginia. So, a little research later, we find the original, which is, indeed, from the Jefferson pen. It can be found at
http://www.wadsworth.com/history_d/special_features/ext/ap/chapter7/7.1.tj2taylor.html
And, for verification, it is also found at the University of Virginia’s online compilation of Jefferson papers (indexed at 1050):
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=JefLett.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public∂=121&division=div1
Jefferson is writing about calls for secession over political disputes with the New England Federalists (he’s against it). But, what is so interesting, and what the liberal bloggers ignored, are the sentences preceding the one quoted. Here they are unexpunged:
“Seeing, therefore, that an association of men who will not quarrel with one another is a thing which never yet existed, from the greatest confederacy of nations down to a town meeting or a vestry, seeing that we must have somebody to quarrel with, I had rather keep our New England associates for that purpose than to see our bickerings transferred to others. They are circumscribed within such narrow limits, and their population so full, that their numbers will ever be the minority, and they are marked, like the Jews, with such a peculiarity of character as to constitute from that circumstance the natural division of our parties. A little patience, and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their spells dissolve, and the people, recovering their true sight, restore their government to it's true principles. It is true that in the mean time we are suffering deeply in spirit, and incurring the horrors of a war & long oppressions of enormous public debt.”
So, paraphrasing, the Federalists are “witches,” but they’re also “Jews” and therefore inherently suspect. This is hardly one of Jefferson’s most insightful moments.
What makes this all the better is when we see the quote, without its anti-Semitic prologue, offered by Barbara Streisand (http://barbrastreisand.com/statements.html#wemusthavepatience). Does she fact check anything?
You mean that Yentl doesn't even know anti-semitism when she see's it.
Who is Barbara Streisand? :)
Good find... Very ironic. This is typical of how people will quote Jefferson in the defense of freedom not recognizing that in context he is advocating something primitive or bizarre.
Mail this to drudge... he's the one who busted her when she quoted the fake-Shakespeare "Julius Caeser" quote that was an internet hoax a few years back... anything to make that woman look like more of a fool....:)
"Does she fact check anything?"
Probably only her royalty checks and James Brolin's whereabouts.
Barbara, a vicitim of early onset dementia.
I just wonder why she disses witches. Seems to me alot of her liberal women friends are witches.
Obviously, all Barbra does is say whatever the other liberals are saying and slap it up on her website. She is too set in her ways to actually educate herself. Never mind "shut up and sing", just shut up!
The old, fat, ugly big mouthed has been.
Hmm, and all this time I thought 'Barbara Streisand' was just a euphemism for 'bovine scatology'.
Heh, learn something new everyday, I always say...
"So, paraphrasing, the Federalists are “witches,” but they’re also “Jews” and therefore inherently suspect. This is hardly one of Jefferson’s most insightful moments."
Should one attribute one's own thoughts to the Founder? He states that the Federalists are being DIFFERENT (and mentions the Jews as an illustration of what in his opinion was similar degree of difference), not SUSPECT.
Actually, that's what you get for not finishing high school.
Babs should stick with singing...a subject she knows something about...unlike politics and economics.
Excellent research!
I have never been a big fan of Jefferson. But many here like him.
When you mix your comments in with the quotes from a site it's hard to figure which is which. If you limit your comments to the reply section or use the < blockquote > < /blockquote > tags it would be easier for the reader.
Not meant as a criticism just advice from someone who has been here awhile. Thanks for exposing this woman yet again.
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