On the Liberty of the Press

 

Author: David Hume

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company

 

 

In looking for something to read, I came across David Hume’s Of the Liberty of the Press. While Hume and I disagree, for the most part, on the best form of government,  I do agree with him on the importance of the press. He begins this essay noting that foreigners find Britain’s freedom of the press surprising. This is due mainly to the fact that other governments are absolute and they do not allow such political, social, or religious freedom. These freedoms were even better realized in America, but this essay was written before the founding.

Part of what makes the people free is the freedom to speak. Liberty is kept by people, and people keep it, in part, by speaking. But such liberty can be taken away if the people are silent or are silenced. This is why we in America have the freedom of the press, freedom of speech, freedom to bear arms, freedom to religion, and so many other liberties. These are natural rights, but as Hume says, such liberty can be taken away slowly.

‘Tis seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once.

He compares such a loss of liberty with slavery. Slavery did not become so great or so well accepted all at once but it disguised itself “in order to be received.” This is true for any freedom, right, or liberty we enjoy: it can be taken away piece by piece. Liberty is not lost all at once, but it can be lost and perhaps not regained, at least for a time (unless there is a revolution, to which I direct you to the Declaration of Independence).

And this is why we should strive to defend our rights lest any person, group, or government try to deny us of them. One way to do this is to keep the press free. We should not permit people or ideas to be shut down or encourage censorship, even if we disagree with what is said! We should allow dissenting or opposing opinions! This is often how change happens. If something is wrong, we can speak out. If we believe something to be true, we can publish it without fear of a loss of liberty.  Let us keep the market of ideas open. In this way we shall preserve liberty. To do anything else would result in a loss of liberty. We must not allow “such a bare-faced violation of liberty” by a “despotic government” or anyone else. If we stand by while people – with whom we agree or disagree – are silenced, we may conclude like Hume that the liberty of our country “is gone forever when these attempts shall succeed.”

~Rose

Bluetooth

While I am more often than not researching books and their contents, I do every now and then venture out into the world of music. It is not that I do not like music – I actually play a handful of instruments and sing – but I sometimes find it distracting when I am writing or researching. But even now, I am listening to the song that began me on this search for “bluetooth”: Blue Swede’s “Hooked on a Feeling”. Recently, I was searching music with my husband when this song came up. We were listening and I thought, what is the band name again? Haven’t I heard this somewhere? So I did a quick search and found mostly stuff about their band until I found what I was looking for: a Swedish viking named Harald Bluetooth. Now, Blue Swede and Bluetooth do not have much in common with each other, unlike I first thought, but Harald has much in common with me.

Like many people of European heritage, I am a descendant of William the Conqueror. (Truly, the farther you go back, the more closely connected you are to other people. Though this is obvious with Noah and his sons, it is even clear with recent ancestry). While I was doing research on my ancestry, I came across this neat fact along with the name of one of his ancestors, Harald Bluetooth. Now I love history, and I have studied for a long time, but I never once came across this name before. And even while I was doing research on my ancestry and I did discover him, I did not do a whole lot more with this person except find out where and when he was born and when he died, and find out who his parents were. There was a lot of other research to do at the time. But now, as I was looking up information of Blue Swede, I decided to do a little more digging.

Harald Bluetooth was a viking. He ruled in Denmark and Norway and was a convert to Christianity. His daughter would end up marrying a man he helped in Norway, Richard the Fearless, and their son would become the grandfather of William the Conqueror. His nickname “bluetooth” is derived from “Blachtent” or “Blåtand” which meant a “blue or black tooth”, or what appeared dark. Color names were more broad than how we use them today. But what made Bluetooth more significant was that fact that he was a great communicator. He brought warring nations together in peaceful negotiation. He made these connections strong and with little conflict. And this is what makes this man of old culturally significant.

In case you have not already guessed it, this is where Bluetooth technology got its name. Just as Harald Bluetooth was a good communicator and great at making connections between people, so too is Bluetooth technology used to make connections between two separate devices. Unsurprisingly, the creators of this technology are Scandinavian. Like humans are prone to do, we take things from our ancestry and preserve them in landmarks, children, and even inventions. Thus, these inventors took a name from their heritage that was both fitting and memorable. No doubt those of Scandinavian heritage knew this story, even if some in the rest of the West, like me, did not. And what about that little symbol that appears everywhere Bluetooth technology is used? That symbol comes from the first futhark rune of Harald’s first name, ᚼ, and the first rune of his nickname, ᛒ. Combining these runes, called a bindrune, created the well-recognized Bluetooth symbol.

Though I have used the Bluetooth device before, I never once thought to look up its origins. I do not have a good reason why, but now I am more inclined to look up other tech names to find their origins. Perhaps I am late to the game, but I find the etymology of Bluetooth fascinating. History is all around us, especially in names. This is why I spend so much time researching names and different etymologies. I hope this encourages you to know more about the devices you use and why things are named the way they are, including why you have the name you do.

Blessings to you and yours,

~Rose

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Works Referenced

Why is Bluetooth called Bluetooth?

Harald Bluetooth

Harald I, King of Denmark

The Legacy of Ham

In the past month, I have managed to finish my section of Japheth and have since moved onto the one for Ham. Despite what many seem to think, the Scriptures are far from negative or ignorant towards the descendants of Ham. In fact, so far I have come across over 700 references to him and his people int he Scriptures, and I am only half-way done with the sons of Mizraim. Indeed, while Canaan was cursed for a misdeed of his father, those punishments have come and gone. Many of his, Ham’s, descendants have held something of an important place in Israel’s and the world’s history, which includes Canaan.

Beginning with Cush, his descendants became, mainly, the Ethiopians and the Sudan, among others. One of their kings ended up ruling Egypt and is recorded in the Scriptures. And in the New Testament, a eunuch of the Ethiopia’s queen, while reading the book of Isaiah, is among the first of the Gentiles to hear the Gospel. One Ethiopian in the Old Testament even received special protection for a message he delivered.

Of course, one descendant of Cush is somewhat infamous: Nimrod. Most likely instigator of the Tower of Babel, Nimrod was a nuisance to the early world for a time to come even after Babel and likely also brought rise to the idolatry that quickly spread among his people and to so many others. But as I found, his great buildings were an architectural feat even to the present, as ziggurat and pyramid like structures are found all over the world, a testimony to what happened at Babel so many centuries ago.

But now I am on Mizraim and his sons, and that has been a trial. It would be an understatement to say that Egyptian chronology is confusing, a lie to say that it is complete or even close to it. There are a number of Pharaohs and even a queen recorded in the Scriptures, but their names do not always match up to the histories of Egypt. Likely, this is because of a language barrier and the lack of understanding of Egyptian. However, after more time than I would have preferred, and with more extra help than I care to admit to, I was able to tentatively line up some of these said pharaohs, starting with Mizraim, and the likely possibility of his son Naphtuhim, and going to Hophra. There are even possible cases for Joseph and the many Pharaohs of the Exodus. While much more work needs to be done regarding Egyptian chronology on both Christians and secularists parts, I think the work of mine and others may help solve the riddle of Egypt’s complex but fascinating history.

Fun fact: when one looks at the construction of the Great Pyramid, the reign of Kufu, and Abram’s journey to Egypt,  one may find an interesting correlation. Some texts believe that Abram, coming from Ur of the Chaldean’s, may have bought the knowledge that led to the building and better construction of these marvelous feats of architecture.

So now I am partway done with the descendants of Ham, who so far have been found to dwell in modern day Egypt, Ethiopia, the Sudan, and Libya. After I finish Mizraim and his descendants, I will continue onto his brother Put, who I already know is in Libya and was joined with a couple of Mizraim’s sons, and the last brother Canaan. His story and people, I hope, will be quite interesting as I have reason to believe that some of his people may have traveled to the far reaches of Asia. I can hardly wait to see what I will find!

Lastly, I have reached somewhere around 140 pages to my book. While it may not seem like much, it is quite a feat for me, as I have only been writing hard for a couple of months. And yet, I know my work is far from complete, or even drafted. But Lord willing, I will finish strong and before the year is out.

Blessings to you who find this,

~Rose

Plates, Names, and Togarmah

Hello, all.

I meant to wait until Saturday to make another post, yet some things simply need to be written when they come to mind.

As you may know, I have been researching one grandson of Noah for the last couple of days and it has been frustrating to say the least. I ha e moved on to Togarmah and while he may not be as elusive as Riphath, he may have three times as many various names. Perhaps I am exaggerating, slightly, but the emphasis must be understood. It seems as though I have been dancing around the southern Turkey and northern Syria area, knowing my foot is bound to land on the right source, but getting awfully tired all the same. Still, I truly thank God that I was born in the era of the internet and search tools. Do not mistake me, as a former library worker and current research junkie, nothing can truly replace having a book in your hands. But I am not independently wealthy and have yet to own my own library. So the internet is a blessing.

Still, sometimes the endless interlocking circles of texts can wear me down.  I feel, some days, like I am balancing stacks of plates on my fingertips with each carrying a collection of names, maps, and words all waiting to fall. While I m balancing them, I move different plates to different fingertips. Then, just as I think they are going to fall, they do. Suddenly, all of them line up and I see that I made a trail that makes some semblance of sense from the first plate to the last, and I can write a paragraph at last. I do not always know how the jumps are made, but they are and the result is satisfying.

This is what just happened; alas, there is still more to do. But hey, here’s to one more step taken and one more victory won.
Blessings to you,

~Rose