A representative of my home state of Virginia, Jefferson was a man whom I am certain many would agree was monumental in giving Britain the finger while nurturing the rebellious spirit that would give birth to America. Jefferson pushed for religious freedom, sparking the then radical idea of "separation of church and state". While it is true he owned slaves, he was an opponent of the transatlantic slave trade and proposed a gradual plan of emancipation.
Jefferson's work and service to the dream of American democracy is timeless and applies to our current nation and the problems we face. You don't believe me, do you? How can a man who would be celebrating his 274th birthday be in touch with the issues today?! Let me show you.
1. "The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers."
Is it possible that Thomas Jefferson was referring to the "Fake News" of his time? While I cannot vouch for Jefferson's views of "Fake News" accounts while he was alive, we now face a crisis with our news media. Journalism is a dying art. Truth is now a subjective idea where ideological agendas are prevailing, leading to a population who is uninformed while believing themselves "in the know". As someone who values information, sometimes it IS better to not know anything than to only know the slanted version of what someone else THINKS you should know. Believing in a bed of lies is worse than ignorance.
2. "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 one hits home. This is at the heart of every one of our societal issues we are dealing with right now. Let's be honest, government doesn't REALLY know what they are doing; much to their dismay that I point that out. These elected officials are not god like entities, they have flaws. These flaws get in the way of our government running efficiently resulting in numerous government funded programs funded on the backs of taxpayers. And what do we have to show for this? An entitlement epidemic where people stay in government subsidized housing from the time they are born to the time they die, living off food stamps, with no drive to contribute to society all because elected officials tell us that if they stop funding these programs, people will be homeless, hungry, and illiterate. Lump in the disastrous health care fiasco, crumbling infrastructure, and politicians tugging at American's heartstrings and I think we can all see what our nation's third President was talking about.
3. "Never spend your money before you have earned it."
Do I dare remind you of our national debt?
4. "Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on Earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude."
This is a mindset that many of our fellow countrymen and countrywomen seem to be lacking. Being an American isn't a free ride, nor is it a hand-out to anyone in our country illegally. When we stopped teaching our children that their work output is a direct indicator to the kind of life they will live later down the road, that their actions can have negative consequences should they choose the wrong course, we fostered and harvested a people who have the wrong idea about what it means to work towards their goals. Even if your goal may be the same as your neighbor, the one who reaches that goal is the one who puts the work in, knowing that their reward is coming. No amount of government funding can yield positive growth of any man, woman, or child. Bottom line, you have to work, and work hard, for your dreams!
Thomas Jefferson's name is synonymous with liberty and democracy. It's no wonder that his legacy is reverential. While I could list more memorable quotes from him, let me leave you with one forever known as the foundation of America:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal;
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights;
that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
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