Gun-rights quotes are bad, but bills are worse

[SecularMotion]

“I cannot tell a lie, Pa,” said young George Washington — or so many Americans have been led to believe. The author of this quote was actually Mason Locke Weems, the Washington biographer who was seeking to create a noble mythology about the nation’s first president.

The durability of this simple quote about lying conveys a kernel of truth: Humans have a tendency to regurgitate spurious information, anecdotes and words associated with influential people.

The Internet is a breeding ground for this. Phony quotes from America’s Founding Fathers especially run rampant.

The latest example comes from a small band of state legislators pushing a give-no-quarter gun-rights agenda in Olympia. Rep. Matt Shea, R-Spokane Valley, has sponsored House Bill 2975, also known as the “Washington State Firearms Civil Rights Act.” As News Tribune reporter Melissa Santos first reported, Shea’s bill cites quotes allegedly from Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton — despite a general agreement among historians that they’re bogus.

http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/editorials/article59239158.html

[GreydeeThos]

1. The people opposed to citizen's rights to arms are now smearing George Washington

Nice.

[Bad Dog]

2. It's not a smear.

It's the truth, the cherry tree story was a work of fiction.

Those of us outside America don't have such a rose tinted view of America's first millionaire.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

5. Who???

Washington was the first American millionaire? Check your history. There's this fellow form the 17th century who privately owned over 45,000 square miles of land which became known as Pennsylvania. Maybe that depends on how you define "American".

[Bad Dog]

6. You're splitting hairs.

So there was one person who made it before he did, depending on how you define American. Washington did very well for himself.

George Washington

Lived: 1732-1799

Place of Birth: Westmoreland, Virginia

Wealth: about 0.14% of the U.S Economy

http://www.nkornitankwa.com/americas-first-millionaires/

[MH1]

3. Wow, do you really think the cherry tree story was real? nt

[TeddyR]

4. Completely agree

That any bill quoting anyone for any reason should be entirely accurate. Had to do a bit of digging to find which three quotes were incorrect and they were three that I'd never heard. I like this quote from Mason, which is included in the bill and as far as I know is accurate, made during Virginia's Convention to Ratify the Constitution in 1788: "I ask, Sir, what is the militia? It is the
whole people. To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them."

The bill itself appears to contain a lot of silly stuff though, like repealing background checks.

[Eleanors38]

7. Michael A. Bellisiles out gunned 'em all.