people want to remove him from the textbooks? what the hell for?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Some conservatives in Texas claim that the current American history textbooks are too "liberal" and want to replace them with more "conservative" versions. Buncha bullcrap...

by Anonymous 13 years ago

So they want to get rid of one of the founding fathers? What a bunch of idiots.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Indeed.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

He's not "slightly liberal." Heck, he'd be the most (in the main sense of the term) conservative of anyone alive today. He was a a wealthy landowner. A tobacco farmer. He wanted to maintain an agrarian Union. He believed in a limited federal government with the power endowed within each state. Tell me how that's liberal.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Hey, I'm not the one saying that he's liberal. It's the Texas School Board. Although from what I've read, the school board people seem to be complaining about how Thomas Jefferson advocated the separation of church and state and used the term 'democracy' in his writings, while being fairly willing to ignore any of Jefferson's conservative views or contributions to American government.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

He was slightly liberal. People in Texas are in charge of textbooks (which should only happen when Nebraska is in charge of ocean liners), and Texas is extremely conservative, so they don't like Jefferson at all.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

It shouldn't really matter what they like or don't like, though. He's still a part of our history. That's ridiculous, I hadn't heard anything about this till now.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Exactly the country's point.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

thats ridiculous he's like one of the most important people in american history.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Exactly the country's point. And I find it slightly ironic that your username is Thomas.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

:D You quoted my post

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Which one?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

This one http://www.amirite.net/381796

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Ah, that one. I wondered where I first heard that, it's an amazing quote. I have used it a few times outside this site. Thank you.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Aw shucks

by Anonymous 13 years ago

It's disgusting, it's a travesty, and if I still lived in TX I would protest it. The very IDEA that history should be re-written to support a partisan agenda literally makes my stomach churn. That is just another step toward some ugly shit, man. Those "educators" should be ashamed of themselves.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Toward brainwashing!

by Anonymous 13 years ago

It's a stupid idea, I'm a conservative, but still, come on now.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Oh my gosh. I can't even begin to say how retarded that is. Beyond retarded. Just because you don't like a piece of history gives you no right to just pretend to erase it! Sheesh. Some people have no right to call themselves adults.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

How about we do a little research first. They are not removing him from textbooks, they're removing him a section. Specifically asking students to "explain the impact of Enlightenment ideas from John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, Voltaire, Charles de Montesquieu, Jean Jacques Rousseau and Thomas Jefferson on political revolutions from 1750 to the present." It's very minor, besides, I could put up a decent argument that Thomas Jefferson wasn't that impactful on Enlightenment thinking. I mean, he stole his most famous line from John Locke.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

While most of the ideas weren't his, his part in the enlightenment was still important, because he used enlightenment thinking in the Declaration of Independence, which obviously has major influences in history...like forming America, and influencing the French Revolution.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

It's influence in forming America has been overstated in my opinion, but saying that document influence the French Revolution is quite absurd. The French Revolution (unlike the American) was one of the peasants. I highly doubt the Declaration made much impact in France because it was before France got involved, most peasants were illiterate and it's just a list of grievances. The French don't care why Americans are pissed at England, they just want some fucking bread!

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Actually the French made a declaration drawing some of its themes from the DoI, (I think it was the declaration of the rights of man and the citizen). By the way I like your username :D

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Yeah, that is what it's called. It is somewhat similar to the Declaration of Independence and googling it to look at it further (because did I actually read it last year when I was supposed to? Not really) I rediscovered that T-Jeffs was the French ambassador in 1789 so I guess you have more of an argument than I initially thought.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Haha, I know I had to read it two years ago, and ...well I really like French history, but I skimmed it. I probably would have paid mroe attention if it had actually been in french. But even so, your initial point is still true, in terms of the enlightenment alone, TJ's not really that important. Obviously the DoI part, but that can be in another chapter or whatnot.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

T. Jeff was da man yo!

by Anonymous 13 years ago