I am currently reading Christopher Hitchens' biography Thomas Jefferson, Author of America. So, one more reference to books and I'll not bring them up again. For awhile.

It is a fine book and one that only a Christopher Hitchens could author. After all, Hitchens puts great store in the writings of the greatest minds and few equal the best of Thomas Jefferson. Although I vehemently disagree with Hitchens on some subjects, I would stand with him against any crowd on others. His ability to translate a silver-tipped tongue to a silver-tipped pen poised against paper is with few peers. I would rather wrestle an alligator than wrestle words with Hitchens.

During Jefferson's times, the Boston Tea Party sparked a revolution over—not tea—taxes. Battles fought. Declarations written. Countries born. On to the next tax revolution. Daniel Shays, a farmer and once a captain in George Washington's militia, felt he was being too taxed and launched an unsuccessful revolution.

I admire the principled person, the eccentric artist, the one listening to another drummer, that makes all of us more aware of our environs. Such people wake us to our passions, whether as friend or foe.

And so it was with Jefferson. He admired the anti-tax, anti-authoritarian spirit of 1776.

Jefferson in a letter to Abigail Adams, the wife of John Adams:

 

"The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it to always be kept alive. It will often be exercised when wrong, but better so than to not be exercised at all. I like a little rebellion now and then. It is like a storm in the atmosphere."

 

Yeah, what he said.

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