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To: Sabramerican

Yes or no, was Thomas Jefferson a "loon"?


98 posted on 08/31/2006 8:49:18 AM PDT by jla
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To: jla

If Jefferson said so, lets start castrating Gays.

You're a loon.


104 posted on 08/31/2006 9:03:22 AM PDT by Sabramerican (Bush Doctrine- Old: Fight terrorists. New: Cease fire with terrorists.)
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To: jla; Sabramerican; AntiGuv
One must factor in the morays of the times, and what was viewed then as accepted wisdom. There is an interesting comment about Jefferson and castration here. You will notice that Jefferson "reduced" the penalty for sodomy from death to castration. And you will notice that he wrote this:

Jefferson, ... From his letter to Samuel Kercheval, July 12, 1810:

"[L]aws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths disclosed, and manners and opinions change with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also, and keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the same coat which fitted him when a boy, as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors."

In short given the current sensibilities and greater familiarity with and knowledge about homosexuality, and its causes and origins, and folks getting to know some gays on an individual basis, in today's Western world, only nutters would advocate castration as a penalty for sodomy - and only nutters, and/or hopeless and cruel bigots, with a taste for the sanguinary prurient, do. I hope that helps sort of some this, and reduces the noise level.

159 posted on 08/31/2006 7:06:13 PM PDT by Torie
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