Glaucon

Many of the assertions made on these threads are misleading and just wrong. Does that matter?

Chain Email with 10 Jefferson Quotations
Since 2008, a list of ten purported Jefferson quotations has been passed around via email and posted in many places on the Internet. This list contains some genuine Jefferson quotations, some misquoted Jefferson quotations, some completely spurious quotations, and some that are mixture of genuine and spurious. The quotations are listed below with comments regarding their authenticity.

1. "When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe." This is a genuine quotation, although slightly altered from the original, which reads, "I think our governments will remain virtuous for many centuries; as long as they are chiefly agricultural; and this will be as long as there shall be vacant lands in any part of America. When they get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, they will become corrupt as in Europe."[1]

2. "The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." This quotation is entirely spurious. See its article for more details.

3. "It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world." This quotation is genuine, from a letter to Antoine Louis Claude Destutt de Tracy of December 26, 1820: "it is incumbent on every generation to pay it’s own debts as it goes. a principle which, if acted on, wou [ld] save one half the wars of the world; and justifies, I think our present circumspection."[2]

4. "I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." This is a genuine quotation, although slightly altered from the original. See its article for more details.

5. "My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government." This is actually a quotation by someone else, talking about Jefferson. See this quotation's article for more details.

6. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." This is from Jefferson's draft of the Virginia Constitution.

7. "The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government." This quotation is often appended to #6, but it is spurious. See the link in #6 for details.

8. "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." This is a genuine Jefferson quotation; see its article for further context and citation.

9. "To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical." This quotation comes from Jefferson's Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, although it is slightly misquoted. The original reads, "...to compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical..."

10. "I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered." Parts of this quotation may be paraphrases of Jefferson's writings, while other parts are entirely spurious.

faithistheword

In other words, the list is just as accurate as your interpretation of it ? Besides, "What difference does it make?!" barackhussein has spoiled everything EVERY president has accomplished--from Washington to Pres. Bush.

Glaucon

You apparently didn't understand the point. Do you want me to explain it or do you want to continue to believe you already understand it? It is O.K. for you want to continue to misunderstand it that is what you need to do.

Glaucon

Do you believe that your attempted insult of our president, barackhussein would be considered trollish?

Do you actually believe Obama has spoiled everything all the presidents form Washington to Bush accomplished? You must be the only person in the world who could actually, literally believes that.

What is it about interpretation when it is proven that Jefferson was misquoted? Proof is not a matter of interpretation, it is a matter of facts.

Constitutional libertarian Loc: St Croix National Scenic River Way

Jefferson obviously wrote a great deal of what would ultimately become the pillars of our great republic.

It stands to reason there are those who will innocently out of ignorance misquote him. There are others who do so deliberately to forward their own agenda and others who wish to rewrite history to deceive the people.

We must not allow any individual or special interest take what so many have given so much to achieve.

Glaucon

Great words, but totally unrelated to the point. The point is that Jefferson was quoted correctly, partially correctly and incorrectly on these ten quotes. The intentions of those who misquoted him seem obvious.

stan3186

NO, he hasn't spoiled everything all the presidents from Washington to Bush accomplished,,,,,YET. But he is doing his best to undermine the US Constitution and it's checks and balances the forefathers put into it. How can anyone doubt his objectives when he stated that he is going to go around Congress and do what he believes is best for the country. How can anyone with a clear mind NOT understand that he is going to try and govern this country ALONE and without following the Laws of the Constitutional Government? There is NO DOUBT, HE SAID IT HIMSELF but the MSM and Progressive Liberals spin this to mean something else.
Apparently,, that is what you and the other Liberals want. To be governed by a Dictator with no say as to how this country is governed. He and apparently you and yours want a Roman Empire type of government where the Senate (Congress) is there to discuss legislation but the execution or approval of the laws discussed have no bearing on what Caesar ultimately decides to do.
That is what is occurring presently in Washington D.C. and is apparently what the progressives and Democrats want to happen.

1OldGeezer

Glaucon,
Who cares who said the specific quotes? They are pretty much on the mark as far as being true. There are a lot of intelligent persons besides Jefferson. Thanks for the informative post. I like the t***h of the comments.
Except comment #10 about the banks, it left out the part about Crony capitalism, when the federal government gets involved, there's the real problem.
And, Barack Hussein Obama may not yet have destroyed everything all the past presidents did but he sure is trying hard. (He promised "total t***sformation", remember?)
1oldgeezer

L.E. Liesner Loc: New Mexico

As I recall, Obama said something like "This is a great country, help me change it." Well the "useful i***ts" v**ed him into office and now we have the the most corrupt government in the history of this nation. This was predicted by all of our Founders if we did not live up to the Constitution. Jefferson is not the only one weeping, every freedom loving person should be weeping too. For those of you that love c*******m and socialism and not our Constitution move to Europe or any of the third world countries, they will accommodate you. By the way, Glaucon, if you are so worried about the t***h, take a good long look at your president he has lied about everything except changing the country.

Loki Loc: Georgia

"See the article." What article?

Glaucon

If you seriously believe that, now we have the most corrupt government in the history of this nations," you obviously are not a student of American history and the tone of your comments suggests you don't want to know. although this administration as every other administration has some corruptiion, to say that this one is even near the top in corruption is just very wrong.

I don't know anyone who loves c*******m and socialism and I don't know anyone who does not have respect for our constitution. Either we mean different things when we say c*******m and socialism or you live in a different world than I do. C*******m and socialism as defined in any dictionary have failed and are hisrory.

The main thing we need to worry about is the concentration of the world's wealth in the hands of a very few people. The wealthiest 85 people in the world now own half of the world's wealth and that scares the hell out of me.
You say, the president has lied about everything." I am sure he hasn't lied any more than our other presidents and I hope you know that. I hear the accusation that Obama lied about something and I am sure he has, but I have yet to hear what it is he has lied about that is different from other president. One thing he didn't do is lie us into two of the longest and most costly wars in our history.
You suggest I move to Europe. Have we come to the point that those who disagree with us should leave our country?
You obviously have a very hot h**e for Obama, but the reasons you cite are just not factual. The most noticeable difference between Obama and previous presidents is obvious and it is not his behavior.

Glaucon

Each of the quotes has the evidence for its being t***h or false. From you response, I don't think you have read them carefully. Please read them.

Do you write, Barack Hussein Obama as some kind of insult? Why the insult?

Loki Loc: Georgia

One more time, What article?

Glaucon

One more time, it is a list of quotes attributed to Thomas Jefferson and whether they are true or false. It is at the top of this page.

stan3186

One or two examples:
If you like your insurance and your doctors, you can keep them, Period" absolute Lie

There is not one smidgen of corruption in the IRS. Absolute lie, how can there have been found no corruption if none of the witnesses have been interviewed or interrogated that were the subject of the corruption?

There are many other such as the lie perpetrated about the video that cause the r**t and uprising in B******i and knowing full well that it was not the cause, and then for him to deny he said that was the reason. He forgets that we now have technology that proves what he said.

There are many others and I'm sure you know it,, but refuse to admit that Obama is dishonest in almost everything he says and does.