Pillars of the Thomas Jefferson memorial in Washington DC. My brother is named after him, as were our father and grandfather. Inside is inscribed: "I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man."
As this story shows, all the public pomp and patriotic display are good for the tourists, but don't try to actually assert your right to assemble or pursue happiness by dancing at midnight with 20 friends to the music of your ipods, even though the memorial is open 24 hours a day, because because we live in a police state now and the police can order you to disperse and then arrest you for asking, "why?"
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3 comments:
Oh my goodness - so grown up! I was looking for your email to send you a private note, but didn't see one. Take care! Natalie
My father basically thinks Thomas Jefferson is God, so that was the more or less unspoken religion of my childhood and I remain extremely moved by words against tyranny.
A funny note: my brother married a woman from Southern California, and, (meaning no disrespect in telling this story--she's great) we were all aghast when she commented one day,
"Thomas Jefferson? He is so dead!"
Alas, one fears she might be too right....
Natalie! I'll email you so we can catch up.
Fresca, that's funny! Nobody in my family actually really talked much about Jefferson but I associate his ideas vaguely with the Irish republican songs and the Joan Baez records I listened to when I was young! My mother is a big history buff and probably could tell me which is the best biography. I would love to go to Monticello some day.
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