James Madison transformed political theory, was against slavery: Turley
Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley reacts to the 'woke' remodeling of the estate of the nation's 4th president on 'America Reports.
James Madison's history with slavery is far more "nuanced" than the public understands, Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley said Monday, crediting the Founding Father for transforming political theory and taking a stand against slavery.
Turley made the comment Monday on "America Reports," reacting to a New York Post report revealing a woke overhaul of Montpelier, Madison’s plantation home in rural Virginia which now displays no American flags and contains not one display highlighting his life and accomplishments as the nation's fourth president.
Instead, the Post said, tourists are presented with high-tech exhibits about Madison’s slaves and racial conflict.
"This is really something that should be alarming to all Americans," Turley told Fox News host John Roberts. "You know, Madison is not just an American figure, he transformed political theory in his writings in the Federalist Papers, he laid the foundation for the world’s most successful democratic system."
Turley said the argument that the philosopher who established our three-branch federal system of government, authored the Bill of Rights and the Federalist Papers, and served two terms as president was an "enslaver" is dismissing a far more "fascinating and nuanced historical subject."
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"If you are really interested in the history, it’s perfectly correct to note that he did have enslaved individuals on his property and that is something that we should acknowledge and deal with," Turley said.
"But it’s far more complex than that. If you take a look at what Madison did, he was against slavery, he wanted to see the end of slavery, he worked hard for it, figures like Lafayette would visit him and they would have meetings of people who were abolitionists on this very property. That’s a far more interesting story that is not being told, and that means it’s not historically true."
David M. Rubenstein (L), co-founder and co-chief executive officer at The Carlyle Group, holds a discussion with former British Prime Minister David Cameron during the SALT conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. May 17, 2017. REUTERS/Richard Brian (Reuters)
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The overhaul was signed off by left-leaning philanthropist David M. Rubenstein, who donated $10 million to the Montpelier estate, the Post writes.
Turley said that while he respects Ruberstein's effort to preserve the historical site "and has given a great deal to the country," he is "quite astonished" that he would give the green light on a transformation of this kind.