And the President for five more months was that great Navy war hero, George Herbert Walker Bush. Have we any reason to think that our Government has been any citizen-friendlier at any time in the last 20 years? When I am asked, as I have been, "Why do the Muslims hate us?" I now respond with "Why does our own government hate us?"
Why do I love this blog? Because it triggers my memory and then pays dividends. I thought "20 years", where have I read that and my mind went to Jefferson, than which man was never greater, and the letter he wrote to my namesake, William Smith, in November 1787. He said, " God forbid we should ever be 20 years without such a rebellion. The people cannot be all, & 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 a lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty. We have had 13. states independent 11. years. There has been one rebellion. That comes to one rebellion in a century & a half for each state. What country before ever existed a century & half without a rebellion? & what country can preserve it's liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?"
The letter contains Jeffersonian Jewels like this one. "We must be contented to amuse, when we cannot inform." and this: "Wonderful is the effect of impudent & persevering lying. The British ministry have so long hired their gazetteers to repeat and model into every form lies about our being in anarchy, that the world has at length believed them, the English nation has believed them, the ministers themselves have come to believe them, & what is more wonderful, we have believed them ourselves." I commend to all the reading of this great letter, written from Paris, by the original American Thinker.
And the President for five more months was that great Navy war hero, George Herbert Walker Bush. Have we any reason to think that our Government has been any citizen-friendlier at any time in the last 20 years? When I am asked, as I have been, "Why do the Muslims hate us?" I now respond with "Why does our own government hate us?"
ReplyDelete"Why does our own government hate us?"
DeletePower is all they are interested in whatever the price.
Why do I love this blog? Because it triggers my memory and then pays dividends. I thought "20 years", where have I read that and my mind went to Jefferson, than which man was never greater, and the letter he wrote to my namesake, William Smith, in November 1787. He said, " God forbid we should ever be 20 years without such a rebellion. The people cannot be all, & 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 a lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty. We have had 13. states independent 11. years. There has been one rebellion. That comes to one rebellion in a century & a half for each state. What country before ever existed a century & half without a rebellion? & what country can preserve it's liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?"
ReplyDeleteThe letter contains Jeffersonian Jewels like this one.
"We must be contented to amuse, when we cannot inform." and this:
"Wonderful is the effect of impudent & persevering lying. The British ministry have so long hired their gazetteers to repeat and model into every form lies about our being in anarchy, that the world has at length believed them, the English nation has believed them, the ministers themselves have come to believe them, & what is more wonderful, we have believed them ourselves."
I commend to all the reading of this great letter, written from Paris, by the original American Thinker.
http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/presidents/thomas-jefferson/letters-of-thomas-jefferson/jefl64.php
Who among us could have **DREAMED** - in 1992 - that today we'd have "the patriot act" or "NDAA" as PASSED BY CONgress LAWS?!!
ReplyDeleteWHAT FRIGGING COUNTRY IS THIS?!
God forbid we should ever be 20 years without such a rebellion.
ReplyDeleteAgreed and thanks.
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WHAT FRIGGING COUNTRY IS THIS?!
Couldn't be mine.:)