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About Thomas Jefferson and the Press

Posted on 2/18/17 at 8:49 pm
Posted by AUstar
Member since Dec 2012
17042 posts
Posted on 2/18/17 at 8:49 pm
Today, in lieu of John McCain's remarks about Trump, a lot of talking heads have been quoting Jefferson's opinion of the necessity of a free press. They are referring to this quote:

quote:


"The basis of our governments being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. But I should mean that every man should receive those papers and be capable of reading them." --Thomas Jefferson to Edward Carrington, 1787. ME 6:57


However, what they haven't mentioned is Jefferson also said this:

quote:

"The most effectual engines for pacifying a nation are the public papers... A despotic government always keeps a kind of standing army of newswriters who, without any regard to truth or to what should be like truth, invent and put into the papers whatever might serve the ministers. This suffices with the mass of the people who have no means of distinguishing the false from the true paragraphs of a newspaper." --Thomas Jefferson to G. K. van Hogendorp, Oct. 13, 1785. (*) ME 5:181, Papers 8:632


Just Saying...
Posted by Vacherie Saint
Member since Aug 2015
39498 posts
Posted on 2/18/17 at 8:52 pm to
Liberals see free press as "free to write whatever tripe they choose".

Conservatives agree, and also see the freedom to call out the tripe when they see it. Freedom is not limited to the press.
This post was edited on 2/18/17 at 9:04 pm
Posted by JohnDeere
Big D
Member since Jan 2017
416 posts
Posted on 2/18/17 at 8:53 pm to
They also fail to mention ole TJ was pussy grabber too
Posted by AUstar
Member since Dec 2012
17042 posts
Posted on 2/18/17 at 8:54 pm to
quote:

They also fail to mention ole TJ was pussy grabber too



His flavor of preference was chocolate.
Posted by TheFolker
Member since Aug 2011
5185 posts
Posted on 2/18/17 at 8:55 pm to
I thought the left hated Jefferson.
Posted by Big12fan
Dallas
Member since Nov 2011
5340 posts
Posted on 2/18/17 at 8:56 pm to
quote:

This suffices with the mass of the people who have no means of distinguishing the false from the true paragraphs of a newspaper." --Thomas Jefferson to G. K. van Hogendorp, Oct. 13, 1785. (*) ME 5:181, Papers 8:632


But the public, like never before in history, have the means of distinguishing the false from the true, if they are diligent in finding the truth today. The variety of sources of information are greater than ever. People just have to be able to distinguish between the good and the bad sources and do their best to govern their own biases.
Posted by LSUTigersVCURams
Member since Jul 2014
21940 posts
Posted on 2/18/17 at 9:25 pm to
He also once said a man who reads nothing is better informed than a man who reads nothing but newspapers.
Posted by Redbone
my castle
Member since Sep 2012
18857 posts
Posted on 2/18/17 at 9:27 pm to
quote:

People just have to be able to distinguish between the good and the bad sources and do their best to govern their own biases.
Most people do not have the time or will not take the time. They depend on MSM to be truthful.

Based on your thoughts I would be left to think anyone that considers themselves to be the "press" can write or say just whatever enters their heads and we would have to ferret out every detail for ourselves.

Phuque McCan't. He never fails to pass up an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.
Posted by Redbone
my castle
Member since Sep 2012
18857 posts
Posted on 2/18/17 at 9:30 pm to
quote:

Liberals see free press as "free to write whatever tripe they choose".
But for some reason they appear to believe the president DOES NOT have that right.
Posted by LSUTigersVCURams
Member since Jul 2014
21940 posts
Posted on 2/18/17 at 9:58 pm to
This post was edited on 2/18/17 at 10:05 pm
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