OBSERVATION | 1999-01-09
Commenting on Jefferson's reputed mulatto offspring, one editorial writer said that, "in his older years, Jefferson was concerned that liberation of the slaves would lead to racial intermarriage."
Why "in his older years?" Virginia had had an antimiscegenation law since the middle of the seventeenth century. Jefferson always supported it. Like every other influential white American of his age, Jefferson opposed miscegenation all his life.
At first I found this "older years" business surprising. Obviously all the Founding Fathers were concerned about miscegenation and similar problems, because they wanted the blacks moved back to Africa. Jefferson was always against intermarriage. All the Founding Fathers were. So why "the older Jefferson?"
Stupid of me. The answer is obvious.
To a liberal, and therefore to a respectable conservative, the only reasons to be loyal to America are, 1) Five Words and 2) Emma Lazarus.*
A liberal will say he supports America, but ONLY so long as America exists for the Five Words: "All men are created equal" and 2) as long as America exists for immigration, and lives up to the words of Emma Lazarus on the Statue of Liberty.
These are the only reasons a liberal, and therefore a respectable conservative, feels America is worthwhile. So why did the writer have to imply that, in his younger years, Jefferson SUPPORTED racial intermarriage?
Because YOUNG Thomas Jefferson WROTE the Five Words!
No liberal or respectable conservative could allow himself to even THINK that the young Jefferson was against interracial marriage. To be against racial intermarriage is to be anaziwhowantstokillsixmillionjews!
It has to be only in his "older years" that Jefferson became anaziwhowantedtokillsixmillionjews, you see.
I wonder if the writer even knows why he put in those words "the older Jefferson?"
I don't think so. I think it was automatic.
* Please see my October 31 article, "Five Words and Emma Lazarus" in the Archives, top of page.