Duane Parsons on Jefferson & the Constitution

Sheila and I had known them casually for several years but were just getting better acquainted with Charlotte and Duane Parsons in the months before his sudden death in May of 2013. But our lives were greatly enriched by that relatively acquaintance. We had a great time with these friends in December of 2012 when we attended at blues concert at Eddie's Attic together. I always enjoyed Duane's thoughtful and always well researched comments on my blog and Facebook posts. You can search his name on my Facebook page or my blog and find many examples. 

Today Charlotte posted a couple of pictures of Duane in recognition of his birthday. It spurred me to look back as some of his Facebook posts and I thought I'd share this one in his honor today.

The following was posted by Duane Parsons with the accompanying photo on March 28, 2013:

Thomas Jefferson left us with a wealth of correspondence; therefore, it is difficult to misinterpret the thoughts of this Founding Father. With such a wealth of writings to choose from, perhaps there is some justification the quotations chosen for the memorial were egregious examples of invoking Jefferson for purely transient political purposes when it was planned and built during the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Nevertheless, the words inscribed on four panels on the walls of the Jefferson Memorial, reflect Thomas Jefferson’s most important principles.

The Panel 4 Quotation (Constitution and Laws) at the Jefferson Memorial is edited (redacted and excerpted) from a Thomas Jefferson letter to Samuel Kercheval dated July 12, 1816. Advocates of the living Constitution (opponents of Originalism) argue that the present-day meaning of the Constitution should not be determined by the “dead hand” of the long-ago Framers and often site this Thomas Jefferson quote. Times change, and the interpretation of the Constitution should change with it. The original passage reads:

"I am certainly not an advocate for frequent and untried changes in laws and constitutions. I think moderate imperfections had better be borne with; because, when once known, we accommodate ourselves to them, and find practical means of correcting their ill effects. But I know also, that laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths disclosed, and manners and opinions change with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also, and keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy, as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors."