Our nation points Agriculture, in order to give their Children a right to study Painting, Poetry, Musick, Architecture, Statuary, Tapestry and Porcelaine. away from politics and war—and toward science, industry, and art. National service should only be for times as dire as Even then, Adams’s own. there is an overwhelming case that it can and should still be voluntary. old rival Thomas Jefferson was blunter: earth belongs in usufruct to the Adams’s “The living… Raise Jefferson from the dead, ask him about national service, and the dead have neither powers nor rights over it.” he might say we should serve by minding our own ask But if we really insisted, he might say that “Don’t me. I’m dead.” business and by imposing on no one else. a debt be happy to pay. That’s I’d
Agriculture, in order to give their Children a right to study Painting, Poetry, Musick, Architecture, Statuary, Tapestry and Porcelaine. Our nation points away from politics and war—and toward science, industry, and art. National service should only be for times as dire as Adams’s own. Even then, there is an overwhelming case that it can and should still be voluntary. Adams’s old rival Thomas Jefferson was blunter: “The earth belongs in usufruct to the living… the dead have neither powers nor rights over it.” Raise Jefferson from the dead, ask him about national service, and he might say “Don’t ask me. I’m dead.” But if we really insisted, he might say that we should serve by minding our own business and by imposing on no one else. That’s a debt I’d be happy to pay.
Premier-Debate-Brief-SO17.docx