Two years ago I visited Monticello. There, in the former home of the genius author of the Declaration of Independence, a woke docent dismissed Jefferson as a racist and rapist, and focused the entire tour on Sally Hemings and Jefferson’s daughter. “He just makes me so mad,” declared the nit-wit docent—an individual for whom truth is obviously not self-evident.
Two years ago I visited Monticello. There, in the former home of the genius author of the Declaration of Independence, a woke docent dismissed Jefferson as a racist and rapist, and focused the entire tour on Sally Hemings and Jefferson’s daughter. “He just makes me so mad,” declared the nit-wit docent—an individual for whom truth is obviously not self-evident.
They fired ALL the docents at Art Institute of Chicago for being white females with ample free time to donate to charity. Those pesky kind, smart, trained and generous women....hate those types.
This infection is rotting America from the inside out and must be cured.
It is an infection. I don't know how to fix it. I wish I did. I think they need to be challenged when possible and laughed at whenever possible. Eric Hoffer has some recommendations, if I recall correctly, in his book The True Believer. We are dealing here with mindless fanaticism and a new religious cult based on biological and historical lies. It's been some years since I read Hoffer, but I always keep a copy of his book on my bookshelf so I will review what he says.
Exposure, polite and logical confrontation whenever possible. Sometimes not so polite. It takes bravery to push back into these radical dangerous people and their delusions.
It is my opinion that Jefferson truly loved Sally Hemmings. She was his late wife's half sister. There is no evidence that he was unfaithful to her, as there is no evidence he was unfaithful to his wife when she was alive. It is a tragedy that at that time there would have been no way he could have married Sally Hemmings. It is a mistake to impose current sensibilities on the past. Jefferson wanted to free the slaves but was unable to come up with a solution. He was deeply in debt all his life and his slaves were his wealth. He had hoped to insert an anti-slavery clause into the Declaration of Independence but it was removed because it would have caused a rift with the southern delegates and derailed the Declaration. For the greater good it was removed. I would suspect the majority of the delegates knew slavery could not continue particularly in light of Enlightenment values.
Indeed, and Sally's daughter was so fair skinned she moved to Boston (if I'm not mistaken) after Jefferson's passing and passed as white. It was truly a different world.
"All men are created equal" was ridiculously radical, written in a world of Rex Lex.
It is almost impossible for us to place ourselves into the southern (and much of northern) antebellum mind. Slavery was simply taken for granted and ending it was socially radical -- primarily radically Christian, in terms of who was on point about ending it in England first (William Wilberforce and the Chapham Gang) and most prominently John Q Adams.
The left's convictions about systemic racism approach the level of antebellum racism, setting us back 250 years. What could be more racist than seeing everything through a racist lens, repudiating all traditional and empirical sources of success such as thrift, industry, traditional morality, self discipline and cultural virtue.
You state it well. CRT is about revenge. It is about white guilt. It is a way to force whites to experience the horrors of systemic racism as blacks did prior to 1964.
He took her to Paris when he went there. She was his lifelong companion after his wife died and there is no evidence whatsoever that he had relations with any other women, slave or free. It is my opinion that there was a deep emotional tie between them. Although Jefferson was 46 there is contemporaneous evidence he was a remarkably handsome and fit man who looked much younger than his age.
Sally Hemmings considered staying in Paris, and living in freedom. In Jon Mecham's (Pulitzer Prize) bio "The Art of Power" Jefferson agreed to manumit her children at age 21 if she returned with him. Apparently this satisfied her.
Thank you for updating my knowledge. It can't have been an easy decision for her. She knew what she had. Living in a foreign country without family or support must have been a consideration.
FYI the Eminent Lives biographies are very reasonable when purchased through abebooks.com. I am looking at a copy in good condition that is $5.90 with free shipping.
He was also the most powerful man of her acquaintance. Power is an aphrodisiac. She had known him all her life. There is no evidence to believe he raped her. I have read several biographies of Thomas Jefferson and he was a humane man. The most recent biography was written by Christopher Hitchens in the Eminent Lives series. Excellent. I have been quite impressed with the quality of these small biographies. They get to the essence of the person and are highly readable. I loaned the Jefferson biography to my son but I intend to reread it sometime in the future.
Two years ago I visited Monticello. There, in the former home of the genius author of the Declaration of Independence, a woke docent dismissed Jefferson as a racist and rapist, and focused the entire tour on Sally Hemings and Jefferson’s daughter. “He just makes me so mad,” declared the nit-wit docent—an individual for whom truth is obviously not self-evident.
Sounds like that docent was just angry and ignorant. Stupidity is widespread and catchy.
They fired ALL the docents at Art Institute of Chicago for being white females with ample free time to donate to charity. Those pesky kind, smart, trained and generous women....hate those types.
This infection is rotting America from the inside out and must be cured.
Gangrene requires amputation. Secession now.
It is an infection. I don't know how to fix it. I wish I did. I think they need to be challenged when possible and laughed at whenever possible. Eric Hoffer has some recommendations, if I recall correctly, in his book The True Believer. We are dealing here with mindless fanaticism and a new religious cult based on biological and historical lies. It's been some years since I read Hoffer, but I always keep a copy of his book on my bookshelf so I will review what he says.
Exposure, polite and logical confrontation whenever possible. Sometimes not so polite. It takes bravery to push back into these radical dangerous people and their delusions.
But if we don't summon the courage, we are lost.
It is my opinion that Jefferson truly loved Sally Hemmings. She was his late wife's half sister. There is no evidence that he was unfaithful to her, as there is no evidence he was unfaithful to his wife when she was alive. It is a tragedy that at that time there would have been no way he could have married Sally Hemmings. It is a mistake to impose current sensibilities on the past. Jefferson wanted to free the slaves but was unable to come up with a solution. He was deeply in debt all his life and his slaves were his wealth. He had hoped to insert an anti-slavery clause into the Declaration of Independence but it was removed because it would have caused a rift with the southern delegates and derailed the Declaration. For the greater good it was removed. I would suspect the majority of the delegates knew slavery could not continue particularly in light of Enlightenment values.
Indeed, and Sally's daughter was so fair skinned she moved to Boston (if I'm not mistaken) after Jefferson's passing and passed as white. It was truly a different world.
"All men are created equal" was ridiculously radical, written in a world of Rex Lex.
It is almost impossible for us to place ourselves into the southern (and much of northern) antebellum mind. Slavery was simply taken for granted and ending it was socially radical -- primarily radically Christian, in terms of who was on point about ending it in England first (William Wilberforce and the Chapham Gang) and most prominently John Q Adams.
The left's convictions about systemic racism approach the level of antebellum racism, setting us back 250 years. What could be more racist than seeing everything through a racist lens, repudiating all traditional and empirical sources of success such as thrift, industry, traditional morality, self discipline and cultural virtue.
You state it well. CRT is about revenge. It is about white guilt. It is a way to force whites to experience the horrors of systemic racism as blacks did prior to 1964.
I dunno if You knew, M. Naomi: ;) = 😉 I was just teasin', although may not've been that bright of me.
I think you're probably right.
I thin' You have the right of it, M. Naomi. (Didn't notice You posted this, You deeevil. ;)
He took her to Paris when he went there. She was his lifelong companion after his wife died and there is no evidence whatsoever that he had relations with any other women, slave or free. It is my opinion that there was a deep emotional tie between them. Although Jefferson was 46 there is contemporaneous evidence he was a remarkably handsome and fit man who looked much younger than his age.
Sally Hemmings considered staying in Paris, and living in freedom. In Jon Mecham's (Pulitzer Prize) bio "The Art of Power" Jefferson agreed to manumit her children at age 21 if she returned with him. Apparently this satisfied her.
Thank you for updating my knowledge. It can't have been an easy decision for her. She knew what she had. Living in a foreign country without family or support must have been a consideration.
Yes. It's not to believe a teenage girl would have found Thomas Jefferson good looking when he was middle aged. He was handsome.
https://www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/media/__sized__/canonical_images/feature/Adams_independence_Canonical-resize-1200x0-70.jpg
https://static1.polytrendy.com/005b3d36eaed40a1688055f0f.jpg
FYI the Eminent Lives biographies are very reasonable when purchased through abebooks.com. I am looking at a copy in good condition that is $5.90 with free shipping.
Thank you for the suggestion. I just bought the ebook on amazon for $6.49. Christopher Hitchens was a wonderful author.
I love Hitchens. His dry humor makes me laugh more than any comedian. I wish he were still here.
He was also the most powerful man of her acquaintance. Power is an aphrodisiac. She had known him all her life. There is no evidence to believe he raped her. I have read several biographies of Thomas Jefferson and he was a humane man. The most recent biography was written by Christopher Hitchens in the Eminent Lives series. Excellent. I have been quite impressed with the quality of these small biographies. They get to the essence of the person and are highly readable. I loaned the Jefferson biography to my son but I intend to reread it sometime in the future.