Everybody
wants to co-opt the writings of the Founding Fathers to justify their own
opinions, even if it means cherry-picking, editing beyond recognition or even
fabricating something they wished had been said or written. I understand
that our venerable (and venerated) founders are viewed as almost divinely
inspired (they were men, remarkable to be sure, but mortal and fallible
nonetheless). If you truly want to honor them by quoting their writings, you
owe it to them (and to those who may read what you’re saying) to at least be
accurate in your choices of citations, thorough in your research, and honest in
not taking their words out of context.
The Founding
Fathers were not in agreement on everything; some weren’t in agreement on
anything. Some couldn’t stand the others, either personally or politically. For
every argument you pull from one founder, even a little research can find a
counter-argument from another. Neither were the founders even always consistent
within their own writings. So how did the Constitution ever get written? Key
word: compromise.
Oh, and by the
way, the irony of attributing support of one amendment or another to the
authors of the Constitution: they thought it was fine WITHOUT the first ten
amendments; those were added essentially to garner support from those reluctant
to pass the document without additional protections. I'm not saying they didn't support them, once added, but they weren't the crucial pieces some today would like to believe. And that Bill of Rights?
Those first ten amendments didn’t even apply to state laws fewer than 100 years ago, until 1925 (Gitlow v. New
York), when an “activist” Supreme Court expanded the power of the federal
government. Those who yearn for the “original intent” of the Founders (as if
they were of one intent) tend to ignore these and other inconvenient bits of
history.
My point is
this: like quoting the Bible, you can find whatever you want to make any point
you want, but it’s intellectually dishonest to claim that because you’ve quoted
(or misquoted, or misattributed, or taken out of context words from) George
Washington (or Thomas Jefferson, or Alexander Hamilton or….) those words are
now Gospel or engraved on stone tablets. It proves nothing and gives your side
(whichever side that may be, because it’s common practice) no claim on truth,
justice or the American Way. As far as I’m concerned, an edited, made up or
inaccurate quote detracts from
your argument.
So I beg of
you, if you’re going to handpick a quote from one of the founders (or pass
along one that somebody picked for you), please do at least of modicum of
research and make sure it’s accurate and not conveniently edited or “enhanced.”
George and the boys must be spinning in their graves, and they were no
strangers to dirty tricks and mendacity in politics. Let them rest peacefully
with the words they actually wrote, not ones created for modern political gain.
