I did not make the position that Ms. Wills was racist. I merely pointed out that her statement MAY be construed as such by others ... should they choose to do so.  Perception is always a very important factor in any discussion and inasmuch as TJ's credibility is , too often, called into account on the basis of perception I find the interjection of such detrimental to the discussion at hand.


I think when we put historical figures on a pedestal and try to use our 
estimations of their morality or lack of it, we do them a disservice. The 
Founding Fathers were human beings. 

I concur; tearing down the pedastels that past generations built with our modern biases likewise is a disservice to the Founding Fathers.

RBJ
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Anne Pemberton<mailto:[log in to unmask]> 
  To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> 
  Sent: Sunday, May 04, 2008 6:28 PM
  Subject: Re: Jefferson's Overseer


  RBJ,

  I know Anita well enough to know she is not a racist. Nor did I see in her 
  post anything that approached a "racist" statement. She made statements of 
  generally accepted truths.

  One point that Anita made that is not always well explained, was her comment 
  about his behavior in regard to the Native Americans. In a historical source 
  regarding other colonies, it was noted that both George Washington, Thomas 
  Jeffferson, Ben Franklin, and other founding fathers invested in land 
  development schemes that were intended to deprive the Native Americans of 
  their lands before they chose to sell them and move. By buying shares in 
  companies that held the "rights" to the land that was still in use by the 
  Natives, these Founding Fathers intended to make money after squatters moved 
  onto those lands and destroyed them for use by the Native Americans, which 
  then led to the land being purchases because there were already settlers on 
  the land.

  I think when we put historical figures on a pedestal and try to use our 
  estimations of their morality or lack of it, we do them a disservice. The 
  Founding Fathers were human beings. They did some great things in their 
  lives, but all that they did was not great!

  Anne

  Anne Pemberton
  [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
  http://www.erols.com/apembert<http://www.erols.com/apembert>
  http://www.educationalsynthesis.org<http://www.educationalsynthesis.org/> 

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