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2 comments:
Another misunderstood phrase, “No taxation without representation.” Too often this is presented as opposition to taxation. Actually, it was about refusing to pay taxes to the East India Company rather than the British Parliament in London. It also included the issue that the Massachusetts colonists didn’t have adequate representation in London. Paying taxes was not the issue, who received the taxes was the issue to become violent over.
The problem with the misunderstood quotes is who misunderstands. Using a quote intending to mean what it meant originally nobody hearing it would know what you meant. They would logically jump to the current understanding.
Language changes too, gay in 1944 is not the same as gay in 2024. It doesn't matter what you meant, it's what people think you meant.
xoxoxoBruce
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