Patriotism

[DenyP]

Ralphy,

No problem, just wanted you to know why I backed off, and apologized. I did piss folks off, quite a few by the responses. Sometimes I can't help myself. On this forum, I really want to be friendly and involve myself with our bikes. There are a great many opinions when politics or religion are involved, which is the spice of freedom. I am not afraid of a scrap or to debate my position. Someone suggested I was a drunk not in control of myself. I was pissed off when I read some other political post and with a few brews in me, I will often say what I think. Just wish I hadn't started something here.

Thanks,

Deny

[oseaghdha]

Let's not forget: "Political decent is the truest form of patriotism." -Thomas Jefferson.

False. Thomas Jefferson never said that. It was Howard Zinn in 2002.

The real quote was:
"Political dissension is doubtless a less evil than the lethargy of despotism: but still it is a great evil, and it would be as worthy the efforts of the patriot as of the philosopher, to exclude it's influence if possible, from social life. The good are rare enough at best. There is no reason to subdivide them by artificial lines. But whether we shall ever be able so far to perfect the principles of society as that political opinions shall, in it's intercourse, be as inoffensive as those of philosophy, mechanics, or any other, may well be doubted."

So, depending upon your reading comprehension, he was arguing that it is evil and offensive, and does not belong in social interaction.

Maybe you want to check out some of your other 'facts' more extensively.

[Winterhawk]

More famous quotes by Jefferson.

Thomas Jefferson
3rd President
(1801-1809)



Patriotism is not a short frenzied burst of emotion, but the long and steady dedication of a lifetime.

A Bill of Rights is what the people are entitled to against every government, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference.

In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.

Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.

We confide in our strength, without boasting of it; we respect that of others, without fearing it.

Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances.

Errors of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.

Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.

A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine.

All, too, will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression.

All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to ... remain silent.

Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day.

He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors.

It is our duty still to endeavor to avoid war; but if it shall actually take place, no matter by whom brought on, we must defend ourselves. If our house be on fire, without inquiring whether it was fired from within or without, we must try to extinguish it.

I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial by strength, and bid defiance to the laws of our country.

The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.

[DJinNH]

Just a guess here but I am thinking that Thomas Jefferson, when he said those things, wasn't really talking to the people suggesting they post political rants on an internet discussion boards about motorcycles. More likely he was referring to those who may be afraid to speak up at political town hall meetings....you know....complain to someone who can make changes.

Maybe I'm wrong.

Don

[b.walker5]

He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors

Pretty much says it all really...

Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today

Pretty sure this one has been around a hell of a lot longer than Thomas Jefferson

A few examples....

The proverb is often humorously reversed (see quots. 1869 and 1980). Cf. mid 14th-cent. Fr. le bien que tu peus faire au matin, n'attens pas le soir ne l'endemain, do not wait for the evening or the next day (to do) the good which you can do in the morning.

An olde proverbe‥seith that ‘the goodnesse that thou mayst do this day, do it, and abide nat ne delaye it nat til to-morwe’.
[c 1386 Chaucer Tale of Melibee l. 1793]

Deferre not vntill to morrow, if thou canst do it to day.
[1616 T. Draxe Adages 42]

Secretary Cecil‥would ofttimes speak of himself, ‘It shall never be said of me that I will defer till to-morrow what I can do to-day.’
[1633 J. Howell Familiar Letters 5 Sept. (1903) II. 140]

No procrastination; never put off til to-morrow what you can do to-day.
[1749 Chesterfield Letter 26 Dec. (1932) IV. 1478]

These slow coaches think that to-morrow is better than to-day, and take for their rule an old proverb turned topsy-turvy—‘Never do to-day what you can put off till tomorrow.’
[1869 C. H. Spurgeon John Ploughman's Talk vii.]

It never ceases to amaze me how some people can turn plain simple truths into whatever they want to, in an effort to justify whatever particular bandwagon they're on at the time. Sad really.

DJinNH: Maybe I'm wrong

Nope, your not wrong...