Jefferson’s words
Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2024 8:00 pm
.
A close friend recently visited Washington DC. (I’ve yet to visit there.)
She was impressed by the ‘new’ monuments to Korean and Vietnam wars….but especially noted these words - engraved on the Southeast side of the Jefferson Monument. It seems apropos to our times….Jefferson’s own words:
"I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions, but laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy as a civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors."
The ‘originalists’ in our legislature and judiciary should take note.
.
A close friend recently visited Washington DC. (I’ve yet to visit there.)
She was impressed by the ‘new’ monuments to Korean and Vietnam wars….but especially noted these words - engraved on the Southeast side of the Jefferson Monument. It seems apropos to our times….Jefferson’s own words:
"I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions, but laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy as a civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors."
The ‘originalists’ in our legislature and judiciary should take note.
.