Difference between revisions of "Thomas Jefferson"

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(New page: ==Overview== {{seed}}category:people ==Misquotes== Things Jefferson did ''not'' say but which are widely attributed to him: ===Democracy is Mob Rule=== <blockquote> A democracy is ...)
 
m (updated status of a debate point (gosh, it would be nice to have software for this...))
 
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==Overview==
 
==Overview==
 
{{seed}}[[category:people]]
 
{{seed}}[[category:people]]
==Misquotes==
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===Pages===
Things Jefferson did ''not'' say but which are widely attributed to him:
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* [[/quotes]]
===Democracy is Mob Rule===
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* [[/misquotes]]: misquoting Jefferson appears to be a popular [[right-wing]] pastime
<blockquote>
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==Slavery / Racism==
A [[democracy]] is nothing more than [[mob rule]], where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine.
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Jefferson kept slaves, and made it clear in some of his writings that he did consider black people to be inferior mentally.
</blockquote>
 
* '''2007-08-15''' [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/14/AR2007081401703_pf.html Rove's 'Mob' Remark: An Age-Old Social Slur]: "The esteemed founder never said it. The folks at Monticello's research library witheringly say that old saw has been dogging him for years."
 
  
'''Attributions''':
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Jefferson's {{date|1791-08-30}} [http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/jefferson/79.html letter] to [[Benjamin Banneker]] (in response to Banneker's {{date|1791-08-19}} [http://afroamhistory.about.com/library/blbanneker_letter.htm letter] to him) would seem to indicate that he was more than willing to consider evidence contradicting this view, but apparently in 1809 he reversed himself in letters to [[Henri Gregoire]] and [[Joel Barlow]] ''(texts needed)''.
* [http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig5/chu6.html Bevin Chu, on LewRockwell.com]
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==Christianity==
* [http://thinkexist.com/quotation/a_democracy_is_nothing_more_than_mob_rule-where/225983.html Thinkexist.com]
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The question of whether Jefferson was a [[Christian]] is often raised in debates between [[atheist]]s and [[Christians]].
===Social Welfare Will Kill Democracy===
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===[[structured debate]]===
<blockquote>
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[[category:debates]]
The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.
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:{{arg/main|Jefferson was a Christian.}}
</blockquote>
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::<s>{{arg/support|Jefferson's signing of his name beneath the quote "In the year of our Lord Jesus Christ" suggests that he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord.}}</s>
I can't find a definitive statement that he did not say this, but it's not in any of the reliable collections and nobody cites a source for it.
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:::{{arg/counter|Designating the year as "the year of our lord" was common practice at the time, and signing underneath such an inscription is no more proof of belief than is someone paying with money inscribed "[[in God we trust]]".}}
 
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:::: {{arg/counter|Source: [http://www.philipvickersfithian.com/2011/05/us-constitution-and-year-of-our-lord.html]}}
'''Attributions''':
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:::{{arg/info|A source is needed for this actual wording, specifically the inclusion of the words "Jesus Christ".}}
* [http://www.democracyisnotfreedom.com/ Democracy Is Not Freedom] (sidebar)
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::<s>{{arg/support|Jefferson's personal contributions to various Christian Churches suggest that he was a supporter of Christianity.}}</s>
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:::{{arg/counter|Contributions to a church do not necessarily prove religious affiliation; atheist fantasy author [[Terry Pratchett]] contributed significant sums to his local church to help with its maintenance and upkeep.}}
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:::{{arg/info|A source is needed regarding Jefferson's financial contributions to churches.}}
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::{{arg/support|Jefferson's authorship of the "[[Jefferson Bible]]" suggests that he was a Christian.}}
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:<s>{{arg/main|Jefferson was not a Christian.}}</s>
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::<s>{{arg/support|[[/misquotes/Christianity|This quote]] suggests strongly that he is not.}}</s>
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:::{{arg/counter|Unfortunately, that quote does not appear to be authentic.}}
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:{{arg/main|Jefferson was not a ''conventional'' Christian.}}
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::{{arg/support|He disagreed with the idea of a virgin birth. (Source needed.)}}
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::{{arg/support|Jefferson's authorship of the "[[Jefferson Bible]]" suggests that he was more than willing to break with much of Christian doctrine.}}
 
==Links==
 
==Links==
 
===Reference===
 
===Reference===
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* [http://books.google.com/books?id=icGh3NxREIIC The Jeffersonian Cyclopedia] (1900): Jefferson quotes, by topic
 
* [http://books.google.com/books?id=icGh3NxREIIC The Jeffersonian Cyclopedia] (1900): Jefferson quotes, by topic
 
* [[wikiquote:Thomas Jefferson|WikiQuote]]
 
* [[wikiquote:Thomas Jefferson|WikiQuote]]
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===News===
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{{links/news}}

Latest revision as of 20:23, 30 March 2013

Overview

This page is a seed article. You can help Issuepedia water itcontact me to offer suggestions or additional sources! (Anything tossed in the tip jar also helps ^.^)

Pages

Slavery / Racism

Jefferson kept slaves, and made it clear in some of his writings that he did consider black people to be inferior mentally.

Jefferson's 1791-08-30 letter to Benjamin Banneker (in response to Banneker's 1791-08-19 letter to him) would seem to indicate that he was more than willing to consider evidence contradicting this view, but apparently in 1809 he reversed himself in letters to Henri Gregoire and Joel Barlow (texts needed).

Christianity

The question of whether Jefferson was a Christian is often raised in debates between atheists and Christians.

structured debate

right-arrow debaticon Jefferson was a Christian.
up-arrow debaticon Jefferson's signing of his name beneath the quote "In the year of our Lord Jesus Christ" suggests that he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord.
down-arrow debaticon Designating the year as "the year of our lord" was common practice at the time, and signing underneath such an inscription is no more proof of belief than is someone paying with money inscribed "in God we trust".
down-arrow debaticon Source: [1]
"i" debaticon A source is needed for this actual wording, specifically the inclusion of the words "Jesus Christ".
up-arrow debaticon Jefferson's personal contributions to various Christian Churches suggest that he was a supporter of Christianity.
down-arrow debaticon Contributions to a church do not necessarily prove religious affiliation; atheist fantasy author Terry Pratchett contributed significant sums to his local church to help with its maintenance and upkeep.
"i" debaticon A source is needed regarding Jefferson's financial contributions to churches.
up-arrow debaticon Jefferson's authorship of the "Jefferson Bible" suggests that he was a Christian.
right-arrow debaticon Jefferson was not a Christian.
up-arrow debaticon This quote suggests strongly that he is not.
down-arrow debaticon Unfortunately, that quote does not appear to be authentic.
right-arrow debaticon Jefferson was not a conventional Christian.
up-arrow debaticon He disagreed with the idea of a virgin birth. (Source needed.)
up-arrow debaticon Jefferson's authorship of the "Jefferson Bible" suggests that he was more than willing to break with much of Christian doctrine.

Links

Reference

News