Dangerous Freedom

Description

A celebrated quote by Thomas Jefferson. In this scene, George Washington prays at Valley Forge. A powerful depiction of the conviction our fore-fathers had about the cause that they fought for. This theme aims to celebrate this spirit with not only this depiction of George Washington, but a loud and proud depiction of Ol' Glory, our nations flag, adorned on either end with the Gadsden Flag and the National Rifle Association's (NRA) emblem. Two icons of our past that carry us into our future, however uncertain it may be.

Here is the original quote in context from Mr. Jefferson:

"Societies exist under three forms sufficiently distinguishable. 1. Without government, as among our Indians. 2. Under governments wherein the will of every one has a just influence, as is the case in England in a slight degree, and in our states in a great one. 3. Under governments of force: as is the case in all other monarchies and in most of the other republics. To have an idea of the curse of existence under these last, they must be seen. It is a government of wolves over sheep. It is a problem, not clear in my mind, that the 1st. condition is not the best. But I believe it to be inconsistent with any great degree of population. The second state has a great deal of good in it. The mass of mankind under that enjoys a precious degree of liberty and happiness. It has it's evils too: the principal of which is the turbulence to which it is subject. But weigh this against the oppressions of monarchy, and it becomes nothing. Malo periculosam, libertatem quam quietam servitutem. Even this evil is productive of good. It prevents the degeneracy of government, and nourishes a general attention to the public affairs. I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical." - Jefferson to James Madison, January 30, 1787