gid

February 18, 2009

The people cannot be all, and always, well informed.

This is such an interesting quote by Jefferson.

God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion. The people cannot be all, and always, well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented, in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions, it is lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty.
...And what country can preserve its liberties, if it's rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to the facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.
---Thomas Jefferson November 13, 1787, letter to William S. Smith
 
Posted by gid at 11:11 PM | Comments (0)

February 13, 2009

thoughts on the pledge

Since becoming involved politically over the last few years, I've become involved with groups that say the pledge of allegiance before meetings. What goes across my mind while saying the pledge is "Why the heck are we doing this?" I never questioned it as a kid, but now I just can't help but wonder about the historical context. I do find it interesting that we did not start pledging allegiance until 1892. To boot it was written by a Baptist minister who was involved with the Christian Socialist movement, which by the way is completely antithetical to the thoughts of our Founding Fathers.

So I wonder what our Founding Fathers would have thought about the pledged. I know they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor, but my feeling is they would have serious problems with the wording of the pledge as it stands. I mean really, for those who have studied our founders and the concept of the government they endeavored to create, do you think they would have used the word "indivisible". Not. A. Chance.

Posted by gid at 11:36 AM | Comments (0)