As a Virginian descended from the mind behind the Constitution and a former employee of Obama's Chicago law firm, where I daily participated in the defense of it, I was sad to see Jefferson dismissed at today's inauguration. I hope that, upon reading some of what he said and thought, you'll be sad about that too:
I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.
I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial by strength, and bid defiance to the laws of our country.
When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe.
I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies
Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.
Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.
A Bill of Rights is what the people are entitled to against every government, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference.
Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.
Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual.
All, too, will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression.
Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.
It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God.
I never will, by any word or act, bow to the shrine of intolerance.
I am mortified to be told that, in the United States of America, the sale of a book can become a subject of inquiry, and of criminal inquiry too.
Where the press is free and every man able to read, all is safe.
I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.
I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial by strength, and bid defiance to the laws of our country.
When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe.
I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies
Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.
Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.
A Bill of Rights is what the people are entitled to against every government, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference.
Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.
Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual.
All, too, will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression.
Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.
It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God.
I never will, by any word or act, bow to the shrine of intolerance.
I am mortified to be told that, in the United States of America, the sale of a book can become a subject of inquiry, and of criminal inquiry too.
Where the press is free and every man able to read, all is safe.
No comments:
Post a Comment