Thanks to Brent and Henry for cutting to the chase. I have weighed in on the Jefferson discussion in the past, with my opinion. That is all we have is our opinion since none of us were there.  I will bow to more experienced historians on this one on both sides of the discussion. 

Anita 

> Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2009 13:54:37 -0500
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: DNA etc.
> To: [log in to unmask]
> 
> Henry Wiencek's message is very much to the point that what you think
> about something governs how you discuss it, and how you discuss it
> reveals what you believe.
>  
> For instance, H-South has been having a discussion about whether in
> writing about Civil War history it is better to state that the Union
> army occupied a place or liberated it; and just think how different our
> public discourse would be if we talked about the Theory of Gravity and
> the Law of Evolution. Both are explanations that scientists have
> proposed, and there's no line to be drawn between what's a Theory and
> what's a Law unless every single body accepts the Theory without
> equivocation.
>  
> The DNA investigations and the science are interesting but never likely
> to be conclusive. The circumstantial evidence is interesting and might
> be conclusive to some people but not to other people. What we all have
> to do is understand how and why we weigh the facts, such as they are,
> and the interpretations, such as we think that we understand them, to
> come to our own conclusions.
>  
> Brent Tarter
> The Library of Virginia
> [log in to unmask]
>  
> Please visit the Library of Virginia's Web site at
> http://www.lva.virginia.gov
>  
> 
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