History
Error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.
-Thomas Jefferson, 1801: First Inaugural Address

This is one of my favorite quotes. It was part of my email signature a few years back. I found it in one of my most treasured books, Milestones to American Liberty, a collection of writings and speeches by Americans. The book was printed in 1961 and is filled with the patriotic images that filled textbooks of that era. It has a worn leather cover with the image of the Liberty Bell and a musty smell that only older books have. The book was given to me when I was very young by my grandfather and every time I have ever wanted to find the exact wording of the Bill of Rights or FDR's "there is nothing to fear" speech, I have been thankful to my grandpa for this book. I don't know where he bought it or when, but I vividly remember when he gave it to me. I was about eight years-old and the book seemed like some ancient tome of arcane mysteries. Of course, I quickly realized that it was "just history." Still, I liked the pictures and have kept it with me even after I got rid of most of the books from my childhood. As I got more and more interested in history, I've learned to appreciate this book even more.

Thomas Jefferson is a great example of what I love about history. On one hand you have the man who wrote that "all men are created equal." (It was hardly an original idea, but he still said it.) You have a man who spoke out about the evils of slavery. However, at home he did not free his family's slaves because he feared financial ruin.

Thomas Jefferson was not a great man. He did do some great things but he was just a man. The more you read about him, the more you see that he was flawed and human just like the rest us. All of America's founding fathers were and the more I read about them the more their lives become real to me; a real-life drama that happened ove one-hundred years ago. I can imagine TJ torturing himself over the fact that he lacked the strength of character to follow his own convictions. I can imagine Ben Franklin entertaining the Continental Congress with his raunchy jokes and offending the more prudish among them like John Adams. I can see the shy and introverted George Washington panicking when he is asked to speak in front of his peers and when I see how mortal and flawed our heroes can be it gives me hope that if needed, I too could stand up and take my place in history.