Viewpoints
Thomas Jefferson
By A.M.Johnson
February 19, 2010
Friday AM
Editor-Sitnews,
From all reflections of current
community, National and local awareness, it seems the history
of the greatness of America from its founding days is not taught
in a manner that is retained by students of public education.
While not quite as old as Thomas
Jefferson, I am a study of his historical quotes and enjoy the
lessons contained within his, other leaders of that era, as well
the other signers of the Constitution.
With the apparent disregard
to the consequences of spending what we, as a Nation do not have,
the following from Thomas Jefferson is timely. Tragically, it
will be ignored.
"We must not let our rulers
load us with perpetual debt. We must make our selection between
economy and liberty or profusion and servitude. If we run into
such debts as that we must be taxed in our meat in our drink,
in our necessities and comforts, in our labors and in our amusements,
for our callings and our creeds...our people.. must come to labor
sixteen hours in the twenty-four, give earnings of fifteen of
these to the government for their debts and daily expenses; and
the sixteenth being insufficient to afford us bread, we must
live.. We have not time to think, no means of calling the miss-managers
to account, but be glad to obtain subsistence by hiring ourselves
to rivet their chains on the necks of our fellow suffers. Our
landholders, too...retaining indeed the title and stewardship
of estates called theirs, but held really in trust for the treasury,
must...be contented with penury, obscurity and exile.. private
fortunes are destroyed by public as well as by private extravagance".
Thomas Jefferson
A.M.Johnson
Ketchikan, AK
About: "Have a birth certificate
for public viewing. Welcome to my school transcripts and welcome
a look at my passport."
Received February 13, 2009
- Published February 19, 2010
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