Ben Franklin on war and peace
Having been born and raised in Philadelphia, I'm especially fond of Ben Franklin. His name is everywhere in that city, seen adorning all sorts of fine things from the Free Library system to the University of Pennsylvania, each tagged with a sign that reads:
"Founded by Benjamin Franklin in ..."
William Penn's dream remained a dream until it was brought into being 100 years later by Franklin.
Two-Hundred-Twenty-One Years and a fortnight ago, he wrote a letter to Sir Joseph Banks, then in Passy, which said:
"I hope ... that Mankind will at length, as they call
themselves reasonable Creatures, have Reason and
Sense enough to settle their Differences without
cutting Throats: For in my Opinion
there never was a good War,
or a bad Peace."
This insight from a man who knew about both.
He had seen war. The enormous amount of blood-letting and massacre done during the American Revolution is not often discussed in our histories.
As to Peace -- he is said to have fathered more than 100 children in London and while Minister to France, and enjoyed making quips, puns and wordplay.
Link
"Founded by Benjamin Franklin in ..."
William Penn's dream remained a dream until it was brought into being 100 years later by Franklin.
Two-Hundred-Twenty-One Years and a fortnight ago, he wrote a letter to Sir Joseph Banks, then in Passy, which said:
"I hope ... that Mankind will at length, as they call
themselves reasonable Creatures, have Reason and
Sense enough to settle their Differences without
cutting Throats: For in my Opinion
there never was a good War,
or a bad Peace."
This insight from a man who knew about both.
He had seen war. The enormous amount of blood-letting and massacre done during the American Revolution is not often discussed in our histories.
As to Peace -- he is said to have fathered more than 100 children in London and while Minister to France, and enjoyed making quips, puns and wordplay.
Link
posted by Saintperle at
10:37 AM
