Bush's July 4th Monticello speech cherry picks Jefferson quotation

[Beemer]

Thomas Jefferson understood that these rights do not belong to Americans alone. They belong to all mankind. And he looked to the day when all people could secure them. On the 50th anniversary of America's independence, Thomas Jefferson passed away. But before leaving this world, he explained that the principles of the Declaration of Independence were universal. In one of the final letters of his life, he wrote, "May it be to the world, what I believe it will be -- to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all -- the Signal of arousing men to burst the chains,[ ? ] and to assume the blessings and security of self-government."

What words did Bush eliminate from the Jefferson quote? 10 points for the right answer.

[Theophylact]

Google is your friend.

I'm hardly surprised that Bush would do this, or that you'd pick up on it.

[Beemer]

Actually Theo, I didn't pick up on it as much as I stumbled upon it at one of my favourite legal blogs that specialises in the Constitution of the United States, the principles behind the Separation of Church and State and the issues that arise, as well as correcting erroneous claims of what the Founders had to say.

Bush Edits Out Jefferson's Religious Views

I wanted to open the thread with a question hoping to stimulate a bit of intellectual curiosity.

[M_Six]

Jefferson made many such statements, of course. Clearly they are best edited out by those who advocate nothing if not monkish ignorance and superstition.

Or in Bush's case, monkish ignorance and fear.

[pickel]

I find that George W Bush , by far, the most irresponsible and reprehensible president (?) in our Country's history and has the Balls utter Jefferson's name and misquote the man to boot. As bad as Sadamn was, I beleive Bush has ruined more lives and institutions thru ignorance and arrogance by his twisted but purposeful applications and collusions. His abuse of the power of the presidency is unprecedented in the annals of humanity.

[TOAD6147]

...arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves...

Isn't that the essence of what Obama was trying to say but was vilified for in the press and by right-wing talking heads?

[SiliconJon]

Counting bodies like sheep...

And the sheep follow men who use a speech stating rights apply to all men in order to rally for murder by the millions...and in the same breath can gather adherence to stating not everyone (gitmo, gays, etc) deserves the rights of man to keep the mindless in line with other methods of control (cough, religion, ignorance, irrationality).

But maybe there's nothing wrong with letting lemmings jump from the cliff if they know no better. The hard part is finding a safe spot to watch from when the lemmings are equipped with nuclear weapons and ammunition containing depleted radioactives.