T Jefferson Notes

In Thomas Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia, he makes an interesting point regarding religious freedom, that sums up an American ideal, as well as one of the greatest conflicts to man throughout history. This battle between freedom and control is the basis of much of the conflict between people since the beginning of civilization, and still is today.

On the one hand, Thomas Jefferson mentions mentions the Quakers "were flying from persecution in England" (283). America was founded on people trying to escape persecution and reach freedom to practice religion and create laws and such as they chose. It could be argued that this was one of the main, if not the main, ideal on which America was built. Freedom. Eeven today Americans are seen trying to forced this ideal on people, such as trying to set up democracy in the Middle East. Our country was founded on people trying to be free, and that carries onto today, our countrie's slogan being "Land of the free, home of the brave."

Yet, even a country supposedly based on freedom, who had broken away from a colony (England), in search of freedom, immediately returned to the old patterns of control. The young colonies immediately established laws hindering the Quaker's freedoms such as prohibiting the unlawful assemblance of Quakers, and stopping a master of a vessel to bring a Quaker into the state. Control seems to be an unavoidable trait in humanity. Even today as we are supposedly "freeing" the Iraguis, we are using violence and force to control them.

This passage from Thomas Jefferson does an excellent job of describing an age old conflict of man, and also showing that time does little to change things. Although, our country was created on the ideal of freedom, we wasted no time in trying to control that freedom. It should be called freedom (to and extent). And even centuries later, people fall into the same pattern of advocating "freedom", but using a means of control to get there. It must be an unavoidable human trait.