Posted on 06/25/2015 7:23:58 AM PDT by illiac
he Thomas Jefferson Memorial, which has stood near the banks of the Potomac River in Washington for more than 70 years, is a classical tribute to the author of the Declaration of Independence and the third U.S. president..
This week, the Jefferson Memorial was drawn into the national debate about race following the shooting deaths of nine people in a predominantly black church in South Carolina last week. It joins other public statues depicting Southern or Confederate figures, including Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee, that some are arguing represent the country's racist past and should be removed.
CNN anchor Ashleigh Banfield this week questioned whether the Jefferson Memorial should be taken down because Jefferson owned slaves. "There is a monument to him in the capital city of the United States. No one ever asks for that to come down," Banfield said.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
It’s easy to understand the left’s attempt to shove Jefferson down the memory hole. Jefferson’s principles offend them greatly:
“When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe .”
“The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.”
“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.”
“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.”
“My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.”
“No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.”
“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.”
“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.”
“To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.”
What debate??
When did we have a debate about this Taliban style assault on America?
The problem of illustrating absurdity by being absurd is that the absurdity you are trying to illustrate moves so fast, it’s hard to stay out front.
My question is this - if we are to be obligated to eliminate a particular example of free expression because it offends a particular minority group, what is the offset, what do we get to object to in their free expression and have withdrawn from public display? Perhaps misogynist, violent rap music?
This is not a debate
It is a declaration of war.
That's not quite accurate.
The folks who owned Jefferson's debt owned his assets - including the slaves within his purview.
Jefferson died deeply in debt.
"OUR LIVES, OUR FORTUNES, AND OUR SACRED HONOR"
If wet don’t fight back it’s going to be a disaster.
“ERRORS CEASING TO BE DANGEROUS WHEN IT IS PERMITTED FREELY TO CONTR... { static }”
Yes, a declaration of war where the opposite side is sitting on their collective butts and getting their heritage erased complicitly.
The libs weep and wail when ISIS and the Taliban destroy ancient statues and monuments, then they rage and foam at the mouth against anything Confederate or before.
Reminds me of the mindless Chinese RED GUARDS who tried to erase everything that happened before the Chinese Communists came to power.
Its about de-legitimizing the founding fathers. In leftist circles, the constitution is widely held up as an illegitimate document...and the excuse given usually revolves around their ownership of slaves and the three fifths compromise.
and the leftist media calls this a “debate”
I guess Dresden was a “debate” too
The truth is, Progressive Leftists are opposed to individual liberty as defined in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The only real complaint they have about chattel slavery in America two hundred years ago is that the slaves were privately owned.
But they get orgasmic over the idea of slavery to the state.
Democrats never pass up on opportunity to tell us why enslavement by the state is for our own protection and our own safety, because life under the anarchy that conservatives want to impose is just too risky and dangerous. We can't have any of that inhumane "on-your-own economics" that conservatives advocate.
Thereby proving that you no longer have to be black to be an Uncle Tom.
The hard core left has learned well from ISIS. Now we have a revolution in the South to culturally cleanse every single emblem that someone is “offended” by. Indeed it is though we are entering a third Reconstruction period after 1865-76 and 1954-72 and this time the lunatic left has the will power and allies to destroy everything they hate, which is most of the white South.
Just like with the Taliban and ISIS, anything seen as racist is now a target for terrorist attack.
People better wake up.
The biggest symbol of racism in the United States according to the left is the Gateway to the West Arch.
It symbolizes the White man stealing Mexican land.
Black militants have also designated it a target.
The new name for the US capital:
Washington, PC
It’s a 2015 style lynch mob and they are here to stay.
How long before my Southern accent is determined to be “Hate Speech”?
This IS NOT about Thomas Jefferson Monument, it is about the inscriptions on the panels. Everyone who loves liberty should defend it.
Inscription under the Dome
“...I have sworn upon the altar of god eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.” - Jefferson to Dr. Benjamin Rush, September 23, 1800[1]
Panel One
“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, that to secure these rights governments are instituted among men. We...solemnly publish and declare, that these colonies are and of right ought to be free and independent states...And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence, we mutually pledge our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” - The Declaration of Independence[2]
Panel Two
“Almighty God hath created the mind free. All attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or burthens...are a departure from the plan of the Holy Author of our religion...No man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship or ministry or shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief, but all men shall be free to profess and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion. I know but one code of morality for men whether acting singly or collectively.”
Panel Three
“God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever. Commerce between master and slave is despotism. Nothing is more certainly written in the book of fate than that these people are to be free. Establish a law for educating the common people. This it is the business of the state and on a general plan.”
Panel Four
“I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions, but laws 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 discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors.”
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