On Sun, 24 Jul 2005 16:13:22 -0500, "SeeingEyeDog" wrote:

Famous Thomas Jefferson Quote


"God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion.
The people cannot be all, and always, well informed. The part which is
wrong will be discontented, in proportion to the importance of the
facts
they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions,
it is lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty. ...
And what country can preserve its liberties, if it's rulers are not
warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of
resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as
to the facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost
in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from
time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
It is its natural manure."


by: Thomas Jefferson
(1743-1826), US Founding Father, drafted the Declaration of
Independence, 3rd US President
Source: November 13, 1787, letter to William S. Smith, quoted in
Padover's Jefferson On Democracy

Categories: Arms, Death, Despotism, God, Guns, Liberty, Militia,
Patriotism, President, Rebellion, Resistance, Tyranny


Reader comments about this quote:
-- Anonymous
-- Ken ********, Aurora
I think Americans should pay more attention to the words of our
founding fathers than to the talking heads on the media.and to the
political poltroons and robots in Washington!
-- John-Douglas, Nassau
Well the blood of patriots has been shed at places like Waco and Ruby
Ridge and who knows where else in the USA - but how come the blood of
tyrants has not been shed, not even one drop? Or do Americans prefer
slavery to freedom?
-- GWDrope, Grimsby, Canada
I think we Americans have grown accustomed to the manure of Big
Government and Bureaucratic Bull - and we enjoy wallowing in this
political filth, just like pigs in the mud.
-- JDoN, Michigan
-- Chris , Oxford, MS
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the
blood of patriots and tyrants." The blood of patriots and tyrants is
being spilled everyday in the name of liberty. God Bless our Troops
and God Bless America.
-- NYC native, new york city
I agree with NYC Native in some sense, but I think you are
interpreting the quote incorrectly. Jefferson is speaking on domestic
behalfs. This is more a support for 2nd Amendment (RIght to bear arms)
than anything else. He is saying Americans inherently will fight for
their rights. It is the governments duty to respond. It is also a
warning to keep an open government so the people can see what is
happening and not rebel. We have minor cases of this called "riots"
but other than that, the people are happy enough not to rebel against
the govt. He is speaking of civil war and revolt. As for foreign
affairs, I believe the ends will justify the means, but that has
nothing to do with this quote since we were not attacked by Americans.
-- Rob, Raleigh
In our vast ignorance, Americans have taken this quote and twisted it
to justify our foreign wars in recent years. This quote was talking
about REVOLUTION on our own soil, not about going abroad and exerting
our will in other peoples' lands. But I do think it's a very
appropriate quote for the times, in it's original context.
-- EB, Michigan
-- James T. Shaw, Sr., New Castle, PA
Gun control advocates should read this quote and think about what it
really means.
-- M, LVNV
Freedom - democracy, individual and economic freedom are the only
systems worth defending. The only other alternative is Socialism in
various forms.
-- GWL, MPLS
-- Anonymous

http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quotes...256cdb000defec