Quote of the day—Thomas 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. … What country before ever existed a century and half without a rebellion? And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?

Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to 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 Stephens Smith
[This provides more context to the one I usually see.—Joe]

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3 thoughts on “Quote of the day—Thomas Jefferson

  1. If I didn’t know better, I’d say ol’ TJ there’s getting a visit from the feds.
    What does that say about the state of things?

  2. Better context, yes. But just as miss interpreted as the short version by the left.
    One only need look at the pearl clutching, fake fainting, and hysteria that’s going on in DC. Image throwing the, “Tree of Liberty” , at them?
    I would posit that their attempt to move the Overton window with fake outrage. Is a very desperate act on the part of the communist, to maintain and cover their own insurrection of our constitutional republic?
    I wonder if tyrants were just as weak in Mr. Jefferson’s day?

    • “I would posit that their attempt to move the Overton window with fake outrage. Is a very desperate act on the part of the communist, to maintain and cover their own insurrection of our constitutional republic?”

      It’s in the playbook. “Accuse others of what you do.” – Karl Marx. Also read Saul Alinsky. There are many others.

      I tend to agree with you, but realize that you too are pointing to a conspiracy. If they have common purposes, any form of leadership or key influencers, any sort of plans, and coordinated action to execute said plans (and we know they have all of those things and much more besides), then it’s a conspiracy, by any definition.

      ?I wonder if tyrants were just as weak in Mr. Jefferson’s day?”

      “Weak, you say?” Our current tyrants seem pretty strong to me, being as they own, or significantly influence or control, practically every government and civil institution of any worldly significance. In the worldly sense, they’re stronger than any power in Earth history.

      Or do you refer to spiritual weakness? But in the latter case we too have a problem, which would be THE problem.

      How long must we regard the left as cowardly, weak and stupid while they take more and more and continue to build their power structure? Wouldn’t the truth in fact be that we’re the weak ones? And wouldn’t THAT be the real issue of our age?

      For the power-hungery, the proud and boastful, presumptious criminals and psychopaths have always been among us. So it’s not really about THEM at all, is it? Like the ebb and flow of the seasons, they’re a known constant. So it’s really only about US. If you fail to weatherize your house, the rain or snow will come in, and you’d be a fool to blame the rain or the snow. Just like a virus, the power hungry and deceptive bastards exist practically everywhere, at all times, but it the virus can infect the body only when the body’s immune system is weak. Therefore if you’re weak you WILL become infected, but when you’re strong your immune system will keep the nasties at bay…until you become weak. And THAT is our problem.

      Insert Winston Churchill quote here, the one about dealing with problems when they’re small and easily rectified, rather than waiting until they become an immediate, life and death emergency.

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