Thomas
Jefferson, the third president of the United States of America and an icon of
freedom, had contrasting views on both the Native Americans and the African
Americans. Jefferson believed that slavery was an immoral act and that it
should be discouraged at all levels despite the fact that he argued that, the
Negroes were an inferior race to the whites (Catlett 90). In his view, it was
dangerous for the people of America to continue practicing slavery on the
Negroes since it undermined the concept that all men are equal before God and
that it tainted the American morals. A similar contrasting view on the Native
Americans is that, he viewed them as unspoiled group though he advocated their
extinction.
Jefferson
believed that the American Indian community was victims of history while he had
the view that the Negroes did not easily adapt to a particular environment but
their behavior and approach of life was a natural cause. Jefferson was of the
view that the ‘blacks’ was a huge obstacle in the liberation of the Negro
slaves since he believed that the blacks are inferior to the whites by all
means and that they were distinct with time (Catlett 90). Jefferson had the
view that the Native Americans were the best orators in the world because he
believed them to have a higher ability to speak. This was because of one of the
Native Americans who used combination of words to describe his humanity, which
was moving, and he did not understand any of the words used in the description.
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The mind of Jefferson was full of comparison
of classical cultures on the Native Americans. Jefferson was of the view that
if the Negro gains liberation, the chance to be part of the United States
should be a dream for them and at no time should they interacts with whites. For
Jefferson, the whites had a superior beauty to the blacks since their skin
color is natural, which forms an immoveable veil that disguises the emotions of
the African Americans (Catlett 90). He argued that the skin of the whites shows
expressions of passion since it is suffused with red. For the Native Americans,
Jefferson believed that they face death with emancipation compared to any other
race across the globe.
The attitude of the Native Americans to face
death with liberation is because they form strong friendship under uttermost
extremity and based on faithfulness. Jefferson, on happiness for the Native
Americans, he was of the view that they exhibit happiness much more than any
other race on the earth (Catlett 90). Jefferson praised both the Native
Americans and the Africans Americans on various grounds. He praised the Native
Americans for their courage and approach in life, and was of great help to them
when prosecuted against deficiency in sexual ardor.
He
praised the African Americans on their brevity and memory ability, which he
believed that, equaled that of the whites. However, he had the view that the
reasoning and rationality of the African Americans compared to that of the
whites was inferior and that the Negros had a dull and tasteless imagination
(Catlett 90). Finally, Jefferson had both positive and negative views
concerning the African Americans and the Native Americans though he believes
that the Negros are inferior in relation to the whites and Native Americans is
a race that is bound for extinction.
Work Cited
Catlett, Lowell, Thomas Jefferson: A Free Mind, Trafford
Publishing, Print. 2004, pg. 87-97
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