{"id":5186,"date":"2008-01-20T16:00:24","date_gmt":"2008-01-20T16:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/drishtikone\/2008\/01\/founding-fathers-and-truth-us-today\/"},"modified":"2008-01-20T16:00:24","modified_gmt":"2008-01-20T16:00:24","slug":"founding-fathers-and-truth-us-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/drishtikone\/2008\/01\/founding-fathers-and-truth-us-today\/","title":{"rendered":"Founding Fathers and the Truth of US of today"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"Founding_Fathers.gif\"<\/a>What is the US of today and what did it start as? There is a big difference. If you read through the thoughts of the founding fathers of the US, the discrepancy between the reality of today and back then is HUGE! See some of these statements<\/a> below from Thomas Jefferson. The cartoon on the right explains this sentiment very clearly!<\/p>\n

\u201cPeace\u2026 has been our principle, peace is our interest, and peace has saved to the world this only plant of free and rational government now existing in it\u2026 However, therefore, we may have been reproached for pursuing our Quaker system, time will affix the stamp of wisdom on it, and the happiness and prosperity of our citizens will attest its merit. And this, I believe, is the only legitimate object of government and the first duty of governors, and not the slaughter of men and devastation of the countries placed under their care in pursuit of a fantastic honor unallied to virtue or happiness; or in gratification of the angry passions or the pride of administrators excited by personal incidents in which their citizens have no concern.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2013Thomas Jefferson to Thaddeus Kosciusko, 1811. ME 13:41<\/b><\/p>\n

***** ******* ******<\/div>\n

\u201cHow much better is it for neighbors to help than to hurt one another; how much happier must it make them. If [nations] will cease to make war on one another, if [they] will live in friendship with all mankind, [they] can employ all [their] time in providing food and clothing for [themselves] and [their people]. [Their] men will not be destroyed in war, [their] women and children will lie down to sleep in their [homes] without fear of being surprised by their enemies and killed or carried away. [Their] numbers will be increased instead of diminished and [they] will live in plenty and in quiet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2013Thomas Jefferson: Address to Mandar Nation, 1806. (*) ME 16:414<\/b><\/p>\n

***** ******* ******<\/div>\n

\u201cThe desire to preserve our country from the calamities and ravages of war by cultivating a disposition and pursuing a conduct conciliatory and friendly to all nations has been sincerely entertained and faithfully followed [during my administration of public affairs]. It was dictated by the principles of humanity, the precepts of the gospel and the general wish of our country.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2013Thomas Jefferson: Reply to Address, 1807.<\/b><\/p>\n

***** ******* ******<\/div>\n

\u201cI hope we shall prove how much happier for man the Quaker policy is, and that the life of the feeder is better than that of the fighter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2013Thomas Jefferson to John Adams, 1822.<\/b><\/p>\n

***** ******* ******<\/div>\n

\u201cAlways a friend to peace, and believing it to promote eminently the happiness and prosperity of nations, I am ever unwilling that it should be disturbed, until greater and more important interests call for an appeal to force. Whenever that shall take place, I feel a perfect confidence that the energy and enterprise displayed by my fellow citizens in the pursuits of peace will be equally eminent in those of war.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2013Thomas Jefferson to John Shee, 1807. ME 11:140 <\/b><\/p>\n

***** ******* ******<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What is the US of today and what did it start as? There is a big difference. If you read through the thoughts of the founding fathers of the US, the discrepancy between the reality of today and back then is HUGE! See some of these statements<\/a> below from Thomas Jefferson. The cartoon on the right explains this sentiment very clearly!<\/p>\n

“Peace… has been our principle, peace is our interest, and peace has saved to the world this only plant of free and rational government now existing in it… However, therefore, we may have been reproached for pursuing our Quaker system, time will affix the stamp of wisdom on it, and the happiness and prosperity of our citizens will attest its merit. And this, I believe, is the only legitimate object of government and the first duty of governors, and not the slaughter of men and devastation of the countries placed under their care in pursuit of a fantastic honor unallied to virtue or happiness; or in gratification of the angry passions or the pride of administrators excited by personal incidents in which their citizens have no concern.”<\/p>\n

–Thomas Jefferson to Thaddeus Kosciusko, 1811. ME 13:41<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1517,"featured_media":11226,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[79],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5186","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-us"],"yoast_head":"\nFounding Fathers and the Truth of US of today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What is the US of today and what did it start as? There is a big difference. If you read through the thoughts of the founding fathers of the US, the discrepancy between the reality of today and back then is HUGE! See some of these statements below from Thomas Jefferson. The cartoon on the right explains this sentiment very clearly! "Peace... has been our principle, peace is our interest, and peace has saved to the world this only plant of free and rational government now existing in it... However, therefore, we may have been reproached for pursuing our Quaker system, time will affix the stamp of wisdom on it, and the happiness and prosperity of our citizens will attest its merit. And this, I believe, is the only legitimate object of government and the first duty of governors, and not the slaughter of men and devastation of the countries placed under their care in pursuit of a fantastic honor unallied to virtue or happiness; or in gratification of the angry passions or the pride of administrators excited by personal incidents in which their citizens have no concern." --Thomas Jefferson to Thaddeus Kosciusko, 1811. ME 13:41\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/drishtikone\/2008\/01\/founding-fathers-and-truth-us-today\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Founding Fathers and the Truth of US of today\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What is the US of today and what did it start as? There is a big difference. If you read through the thoughts of the founding fathers of the US, the discrepancy between the reality of today and back then is HUGE! See some of these statements below from Thomas Jefferson. The cartoon on the right explains this sentiment very clearly! "Peace... has been our principle, peace is our interest, and peace has saved to the world this only plant of free and rational government now existing in it... However, therefore, we may have been reproached for pursuing our Quaker system, time will affix the stamp of wisdom on it, and the happiness and prosperity of our citizens will attest its merit. And this, I believe, is the only legitimate object of government and the first duty of governors, and not the slaughter of men and devastation of the countries placed under their care in pursuit of a fantastic honor unallied to virtue or happiness; or in gratification of the angry passions or the pride of administrators excited by personal incidents in which their citizens have no concern." --Thomas Jefferson to Thaddeus Kosciusko, 1811. 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