In a "WAR OF IDEAS" I visited a website of His High Ass-Holiness the Dope

[Jeffersons Ghost]

I was actually Googling "Thomas Jefferson" and it was the very first hit. Sadly, I must report to our fearless draft-dodging leader that there is a problem with the description at the main page of his site. I guess skipping all those classes wasn't such a great idea after all, was it Mr. pResidential chimp?

Have no fear DU. We still have Wikapedia, as a reliable source, at least for a while, but back to the point...

According to The Official White House website, "Freckled and sandy-haired, rather tall and awkward, Jefferson was eloquent as a correspondent, but he was no public speaker. In the Virginia House of Burgesses and the Continental Congress, he contributed his pen rather than his voice to the patriot cause. As the "silent member" of the Congress, Jefferson, at 33, drafted the Declaration of Independence. In years following he labored to make its words a reality in Virginia. Most notably, he wrote a bill establishing religious freedom, enacted in 1786."

First, it becomes obvious that you intend to diminish the man by focusing on him as a young person but no genius starts out old or wise. It appears, however, that he did have the wisdom, even at that age to yield the floor to older, wiser statesmen. He spoke a great deal, later in life; quite eloquently. He spoke out against "standing armies" and gigantic, government-corrupting, National Banks, like the privately-held and very profitable Federal Reserve, where you and that den of thieves calling themselves "republicans" ran up a $9 TRILLION debt for our children to pay.

In the interest of fair play, compare yourself to "tall and awkward, Jefferson" at 33. You were, well, shorter but still the life of every pompously posh, silver-spoon affair, especially those with full spoons, if you know what I mean. Why, at that age, golf was the center of your universe, as you made bets where losers had to nail 'ole bird-legs Annthrax. Remember her? She was the rich-boy groupie who always said she'd grow up to become a writer.

Ah yes, back to our young "awkward" writer: Most especially, the bill he "most notably" wrote "establishing religious freedom."

First, in the interest of truth, Jefferson is best known for his brilliant work on The Separation of Church and State in the U.S. Constitution, which affirms that government will remain separate from all religious institutions. And, on that pesky Bill of Rights, not only did he labor "to make its words a reality in Virginia" but also many Americans labored. Many fine Americans have also died to defend it as the law of our land. That Bill of Rights is the very essence of democracy and it still works. You see, if we do not preserve the rights of each individual, when it comes to spiritual matters, we destroy the rights of all to worship as they see fit. After all, Thomas Payne was an atheist and without his hot writings, there would be no America.

What! not interested in truth in your silly "war of ideas?" Okay then, the inane distraction of "a bill establishing religious freedom, enacted in 1786" works just as well.

The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (1779, 1786)

The 793-word statute by Jefferson is divided into three sections.

In Section 1, Jefferson argues that the concept of compulsory religion is wrong for the following reasons:

* The imposition of anything on a human mind, which God made to be free, is hypocritical and mean.
* "Almighty God" never coerced anyone to follow him, and the imposition of a religion by government officials is impious.
* The coercion of a person to make contributions -- especially monetary -- to a religion he doesn't support is tyrannical and creates favoritism among ministers.
* Government involvement in religious matters tends to end in the restraint of religion.
* Civil rights do not depend on religious beliefs, and what a person thinks is no business of the government.

Section 2 (which remains part of Virginia law, in Article 1, Section 16 of the Constitution of Virginia) declares that:

"No man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burdened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer, on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities."

Last but certainly not least; your site claims; "Sharp political conflict developed, and two separate parties, the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans, began to form. Jefferson gradually assumed leadership of the Republicans, who sympathized with the revolutionary cause in France. Attacking Federalist policies, he opposed a strong centralized Government."

From this paragraph, one might easily assume Thomas Jefferson was a Republican, since he "gradually assumed leadership of the Republicans." Nothing could be further from the truth but since I actually had a neocon argue that Jefferson founded the Republican Party, let's deal with it.

If Thomas Jefferson, The Third President of the United States, was a Republican, then you and all of your crooked cronies are not. You people who now call yourselves "Republicans" have nothing in common with him or his ideals, which promote our liberty and the prosperity of America. As for other great Republicans from the past, like Eisenhower the last one, you idiots obviously have nothing in common with those fiscal conservatives that railed against big controlling banks and governments. A "rose by any other name" does not smell as sweet, when it rots with corruption at the very core.

Just for the record, Lincoln was the first true Republican but you and your neocon fools have nothing in common with his politics or beliefs either. What was it Lincoln said about absurd claims by certain type individuals? Oh yeah, he said, "How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg." My old grand dad used to call it "peeing on someone's leg" when folks try stuff like this. Is that part of your "war of ideas?"

[autorank]

1. Great thoughts and words from the VA Constitution... K&R

Jefferson reaches to the sublime so often. I'm so proud of my state when I read passages like that included above on religious freedom.

It is single handedly responsible for holding the barbarians at the gate in Virginia, the barbarians being Falwall and Robertson. The most that they could get, other than the obedience of every Republican politician they fund, is a "moment of silence" in schools instead of structured prayer. Someone in the legislature always hauls out Jefferson or this section of the constitution to stop the silliness.

Thank you for this post.

Someday, I hope the revolutionary spirit of intellectual freedom and adventure plus the political spirit of fighting for fundamental human rights returns to Virginia. It's a fine state but way to conservative given it's amazing history in the world of political ideas.

[Spangle]

2. Lincoln left the Republican Party

When he ran for his second term, the Republican Party nominated him for the Republican Ticket. Lincoln turned them down. He joined the "Union" party and was nominated on the Union Party ticket. When Lincoln died in his second term he was a member of the Union party, not Republican.

At the time, the Republican party was rather new. Lincoln wasn't a member very long. And he didn't die a member. Funny how republicans don't mention that part about Lincoln.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

3. maybe that's why neocons like the bushit site try to claim Jefferson...

They're embarassed Lincoln bailed on them.