I'm sick of the words of Thomas Jefferson being hijacked context-free to incite violence on BO

[Syrinx]

Glenn Beck and the teabaggers are really fond of this quote from Thomas Jefferson.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

The way they use this quote is clearly an attempt to incite violence against the President of the United States. Remember the guys with the semi-automatic weapons, inexplicably, being allowed to attend presidential events?

Beck's gang of idiots probably haven't read the quote in context.

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.

So, Jefferson was calling out the equivalent of Fox News viewers of colonial times for being ignorant and misinformed. He said that we should let them have their say, but then we should educate them about why they were so hugely WRONG.

[eirteacher]

1. They "don't think at all - alike."

Hear hear. I agree with your assessment. It is interesting to note that Jefferson's quote was on the t-shirt worn by Timothy McVay the day he was captured for bombing the Federal building in Oklahoma City.
The tea baggers and McVay think alike. Or better worded "don't think at all - alike."

[zbdent]

2. however, I do remember that phrase being bandied about around here ...

it's just that we aren't the party known for fighting for carrying as many firearms as we can get our hands on ...

[Lost Jaguar]

3. All human beings...

...have the right to overthrow oppressive leaders. In the United States, this right is recognized by our Constitution--at least by a broad interpretation of the 2nd amendment. What the nuts on the far right have wrong is that we are not living under a dictatorship at this time. My favorite take on this is John Stewart's, who said words to the effect of, "you people are mistaking losing for tyranny."

[Selatius]

4. Glenn Beck's head would explode if he tried to comprehend that all.

I recommend someone read the whole quotation to him. His exploding head will silence a stream of hate.

[Syrinx]

5. I'd like to see that myself!

:)

[gooey]

6. Where did you find this?

I looked, albeit not very hard, for GB using that quote but I can't find it.

Help?