The Legacy of Thomas Jefferson
The podcast reacts to the narrow question of whether Thomas Jefferson’s warts, namely the one where he owned over 600 slaves during his life, only freed at his death what most historians believe were his own children created by his ongoing sex, maybe against her will, with his slave Sally Hemings. Stated publicly that black people were inferior to whites whose freedom could only work by sending them away from America (colonization not emancipation), who called Native Americans 'wretches unable to govern' and whether those character flaws when measured against his creative crafting of a new country based on a foundation of the statement “all men are created equal?”
By comparison, is the institution of American slavery a moral equivalent to the Jewish Holocaust? If yes, are there, or should there be, statues erected to Hitler or SS officers if history can show they did great things for their society but sent 6 million Jews to their deaths? Or if a Catholic priest who is honored by Catholics for his work is discovered to have abused children, would that reverence change? In other words, are some behaviors deal breakers for future adulation by societies?
This episode is predicated on the premise that listeners will like listening to a full conversation about a thorny current issue that may be rooted in former limited understandings of our history.
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The Republican Party Is Undermining the very Idea of Free Elections: EP-313
Why Biden should push the American Families Plan through without Republicans: EP-312
Republicans Keep Coming Down on the Wrong Side of Racial Sensitivity: EP 311
Liz Chaney Will Lose Her Leadership Position for Speaking the Truth: EP-310
Should Washington D.C. Get Statehood? EP-309
Time Is Not on the Side of Republican Politicians Using the Race Card: EP-308
The Question Is How Good Are Our Lives: EP 307
Americans Should Be Required to Vote: EP 306
Politicians Relegate Women to a Status They Would Never Impose on a Man - EP 305
America Was Built on Racism and the British Empire Thrived on It: EP-304
How Did The Republicans Become a Cult: EP-303
The Filibuster Is Why Washington Never Gets Anything Done: EP-302
Jerry Gets His COVID - Shot: EP 301
Republicans want Trump to be their leader The rest of us not so much: EP -300
Democrats do the right thing. It doesn't even take courage, just decency: Ep - 299
Trump Is A Twice Impeached Loser: EP-298
Republicans Need To Hold Trump Accountable For The Insurrection: EP-297
The Second Impeachment of Donald Trump - Volume 2: EP-296
Trump's Presidential Pardons: EP 295
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