The Greatest Thomas Jefferson quotes

It's always nice to look back and see what was said by those who had a hand in the formation of these United States. By looking back, you can see exaclty where they stood on subjects, as opposed to only listening to those who claim to hold the ideals of the Founders, yet in practice, betray them.

For all those who've fallen victim to false "Patriotism" and "Freedom" as defined by government officials and their "fifth columnists" in the media and elsewhere, I present a sampling of the words of a true patriot........

"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."

"The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it."

"To take from one because it is thought that his own industry and that of his father’s has acquired too much, in order to spare to others, who, or whose fathers, have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association—the guarantee to every one of a free exercise of his industry and the fruits acquired by it."

"When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty."

"I am not a friend to a very energetic government. It is always oppressive."

"In matters of style, swim with the current;
In matters of principle, stand like a rock."

"The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive. It will often be exercised when wrong, but better so than not to be exercised at all."

"The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg."

"God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion. The people cannot be all, and always, well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented, in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions, it is lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty.... And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to the facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure."

"I have never been able to conceive how any rational being could propose happiness to himself from the exercise of power over others."

"Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty."