Ben Franklin Quote - Your feedback please

August 14, 2003

[OESY]

I hate to admit I was tardy to school (the dog ate my homework), but I see the quotation as a question of expectations (if this is still helpful):

When people know what is possible and achievable, particularly if they believe or have an inner faith that they are entitled or destined to better their condition, they will work to gain their full rights and resist those who would deprive them. This argues for a study of our history and that of other civilizations to learn what has been achieved and why, and what conditions combined to cause a societal decline and loss of freedom. Best!

[SpookBrat]

Marking my place. We are studying this afternoon and I'll be too lazy to go back through pings to find this thread again. Awesome thread. We've been sitting here talking about this for almost two hours so far, trying to get this essay finished.

[MeekOneGOP]

Howdy ! ...

[mathluv]

Excellent quote. I am currently listening to the CD of the bio of Franklin. It is amazing what that man did.

To me, it represents how important knowledge is. It is easy to sit and do nothing. It takes a lot of hard work to stand up for something. We are each responsible for what we believe, but what can we say to support our beliefs?

[MeekOneGOP]

[SpookBrat]

I can't wait to read that book.

[SpookBrat]

I'm delighted this thread has done so well. It certainly has been a big, inspiring help to me. I'm going to print it out and read some of them to my class tomorrow. Did I already tell you that? I'm so confused. LOL Can't even remember my own name these days.

[MeekOneGOP]

Great. There is some really good stuff I've seen posted on this thread. I bet they enjoy it ...

[winker]

The life of Patrick Henry best relates to this phrase. Men and Women of conviction to the point of dying for what they believe in cannot be attacked sucessfully. Liberty and true Statesmanship is how you value a Nation. A thinking person is a fearful combatant and tyrants are not intellectuals they are opportunists that don't know how to think or reason.

[EGPWS]

"A nation of well informed men who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them cannot be enslaved. It is in the region of ignorance that tyranny begins."

When the information becomes "grayed" and "distorted" it makes it difficult even for the well informed to not become "ignorant"! Graying the issues, as they have been, could be taken by some, as an agenda to dumb down the public. Thus, we are no longer a well informed public and are prone to enslavement.