HBO's John Adams - Thomas Jefferson and John Adams' faith in humanity

A scene from HBO's John Adams miniseries in which Thomas Jefferson and John Adams illustrate their differences of opinion on having faith in humanity.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• john
• adams
• thomas
• jefferson
• faith
• humanity
• government

[ws81086n]

It is fashionable to rip all the Founding Fathers for owning slaves but the fact is only some of them did and the rest hated slavery. Adams, for instance--along with Franklin, Hamilton, and Paine abhorred it. The ones who did own slaves felt very guilty about it and knew it stood in contradiction to their professed ideals. It is a blot on their characters, to be sure, but it should not obscure their other accomplishments and redeeming qualities. Perhaps we moderns should take a step back

[TheNorthernSun]

Jefferson is going to be a great Stannis Baratheon! GOT for the win!

[Baldwynmayhem]

@ws81086n I cant believe Jefferson had slaves after writing and saying what he had, amazing really. But anyway, I personally still agree with Jefferson moreso than the watered down Tories like Adams/Hamilton.

[choochoo808]

That opening shot is magnificent. The contrast between the lounging Franklin and stodgy Adams, the beautiful sky, the topiary and statue behind them.

[sfafasfasfsa]

@Baldwynmayhem so we don't live in jefferson's world we live in Hamiltons the self made orphan, miltary man who always gets painted as an aristocrat while jefferson the southern aristocrat gets painted as a populist.

jefferson didnt even govern by his ideals at all. the embargo act, louisana purchase, he kept the national bank and all the financial infrastructure he made because it worked.

Hamilton and the federalist wrote the constitution maybe you should listen to their interpretation.

[sfafasfasfsa]

@Baldwynmayhem he believed in a society of only farmers with no manufacturing no banks no commerce

while Hamilton believed in commerce manufacturing in small new england towns, like modern day suburbia, stable regulated banks, and trade.

jefferson was a southern aristocrat who loved revolution but never fought in it

Hamilton was an orphan self made immigrant who stood up for all men not just whites he increased the size government to prevent the suffering and death caused by lack of supplies

[Baldwynmayhem]

@ws81086n Well Thomas Jefferson's idealisms are considered "extreme" by the US MSM apparently in 2011, Ron Paul is totally ignored and called an isolationist, amazing rhetoric.

[kepler1000]

Slavery was a world wide norm and common for most of human history well into the 19th century and only declined because some Europeans and Americans started to feel slavery was wrong starting in the 18th century. Revolutionary people tend to create worlds they themselves cannot live in. It is idiotic to dam people who lived in a different time with our morality and values. We praise people like Jefferson because they were a step in the right direction, something better than what proceeded.

[taxidrivernwo]

@casdhn I kinda disagree. I would use one of Jefferson quotes to sum up that statement "I would rather have dangerous freedom, then safe slavery" or something along those lines.

[ws81086n]

and consider whether or not some abominable moral practices exist in our time that later generations will correctly censure us for. Abortion, anyone?