cleve callison’s blog

Today I got a viral email from some friends who like to pass these sorts of things on. Usually I just hit the Delete key but I read enough of this to get the gist. It began by recounting all the things someone thought were wrong with America now, together with a number of quotations from Thomas Jefferson (supposedly). The farther you read the more they emphasized the importance of firearms, including the now-notorious one about the tree of liberty being nourished by the blood of patriots.

I don’t usually reply to these things, but today I did. Here’s what I wrote to all the recipients of the message:

I don’t expect everyone to agree with my political beliefs. Heck, I contradict myself half the time.

But when I receive emails that suggest armed insurrection against the government is an appropriate answer to America’s current problems, I believe all well-meaning people should say “STOP!”

Thomas Jefferson was in many ways a great man. He drafted the Declaration of Independence. He founded the University of Virginia. He did more than any one person to insure that the United States preserves liberty of conscience in religious matters.

But we rightly reject some of his ideas. For example, slavery. And among other things, the quote about the tree of liberty being nourished by the blood of patriots and tyrants. Chairman Mao said that political power comes from the barrel of a gun. So when someone suggests violence they might be following Jefferson. Or they might be following Mao.

It’s worth remembering that Timothy McVeigh was wearing a shirt with this slogan when he was arrested. Presumably h thought he was following Jefferson’s ideas. But he was neither a great man nor a good one. He was a savage, murderous terrorist who cowardly killed innocent men, women and children because he thought violence against the U.S. government was OK.

Let’s disagree all we want. Get angry, even. But name-calling is bad, and destructive of the “marketplace of ideas” that — guess who? — Jefferson advocated. And threats or event hints of violence should be off the table, absolutely, anywhere, in any context.

I’m speaking out about this. Will you?