A Presidential Dinner by Megan

A Presidential Dinner by Megan - October 2017 Scholarship Essay

If I could have dinner with any president of the United States of America, I would choose Thomas Jefferson. The third president of the United States, Jefferson was a member of Washington’s cabinet, and he also was the writer of the first draft of the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson was also completely competitive, and there was quite the list of people that he disagreed with politically – including Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr.
While I do not necessarily admire Jefferson for his slave ownership and push to force the newly-born America into the French revolution, I would enjoy discussing France and his political views with him, especially America’s return to France and the famous quote “Lafayette, we are here!” Moreover, I would love to inquire why he had such strong disputes with various politicians of his own time.
Along with Jefferson’s strong political stances and his close race with Aaron Burr in 1800, Jefferson also founded the University of Virginia, which started classes in the year before he died. If he could see the university now, I wonder if he would like what they are doing and how they have continued educating people. I’d also love to ask him about the inventions he is credited for creating, such as the swivel chair and the rotating bookshelf. While the rotating bookshelf may not have stuck, there are swivel chairs in nearly every classroom in the country. To discuss these things as I know them, with Jefferson who would not know them, would simply fascinate me.
Jefferson also had quite the vision for the United States of America. As the president who made the Louisiana purchase, he obviously had a bigger picture in mind for our country. Knowing what our country is like today, I’d like to know if posterity has accomplished what Jefferson had in mind. It would be interesting to have him learn of the Internet and the possibilities that now exist – as an inventor I believe he would be incredibly curious about all of it. Not to mention that during his brief period practicing law, Jefferson fought for slaves who were asking for freedom – I’d like to learn his opinions of current events like the #BlackLivesMatter campaign or women’s activism events such as the play The Vagina Monologues. As the years have passed, would his opinions have changed? Or would he still be there fighting for the rights of blacks and possibly women?
Of course, I don’t agree with much of what Jefferson believed in or much of what he did – including his supposed affair with Sally Hemings, a slave he owned. I may not agree with him, but I do believe that it would be a fascinating evening to have dinner with Thomas Jefferson and learn his opinions on things that have been long since been warped by history. Of any president, I’d most like to have dinner with Jefferson because of his many accomplishments and his beliefs.