The Founding Fathers

[Travis]

So, what do you think?;)

PS I did do a search and couldn't find a similar thread but the search function has failed me in the past so if this is a repeat......I'm sorry.

[Wildy]

Well Parkes died before he got to see his vision become reality, Kingston was ostracised because he and his wife took in one of his kids that he had with another woman, Barton didn't seem to have any problems and he was elected the first PM and I don't know to much about the other key players.

What do you mean not those founding fathers?

[Dragoonster]

Both. Most were visionaries or progressives, but many also legitimately viewed slaves as property and blacks as innately inferior with no desire to change this view. Others viewed them as such but still felt they should be given more rights. Some felt slavery was terrible and all humans were equal, but felt they couldn't do anything about it at the time because a) they were only one person, can't abolish it by themselves, and/or b) their desire for cheap labor for their estates overrode their morality.

So, false dichotomy I guess?

[JoeEllison]

I think the proper answer is "both, and it doesn't matter."

[Travis]

I think the proper answer is "both, and it doesn't matter."

Would a "false dichotomy, and it doesn't matter" option have been ok?:)

Actually we had a thread a while back that argued the relevance of the Founding Fathers. Personally I fell their opinions on matters of importance today are relevant only in that they may articulate what is at stake in the matters rather well. However we should not fall into the trap of trying to make the USA of today conform with the ideals of long dead individuals just because of some strange notion of loyalty.

[MRC_Hans]

I vote Planet X. When you ask a silly question....

Hans

[Travis]

34 votes..... more than I thought there might be.

[I Ratant]

Men of their times, but better educated than most... even most now!

[Loopus]

When we think of certain historical events, such as (for Americans) the American Revolution and the founding of this country, we like to think in terms of heroes and villains. King George was the bad guy. Washington, Jefferson, Adams, etc. were the good guys. Of course, that's black and white thinking. No one is all good, nor is anyone all bad. Like all humans, the men who founded this country were complex, with good aspects and flaws. They weren't gods handing down wisdom that we should revere as infallible, nor were they hypocrites for founding a republic while condoning slavery (they were men of their time, as was said above).