“In Light and Liberty, Eric Petersen has gathered together
a volume of Thomas Jefferson's writings which are at once
deeply spiritual and practical. This inspirational book
has the potential to capture the imagination and
energize the present-day world to dream great dreams
and to do good deeds.”

- Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Welcome

 

Light and Liberty is the book of inspiration that Thomas Jefferson never wrote, although every word here is his. Editor Eric S. Petersen, after extensive study of Jefferson's reports, state papers, speeches, and twenty thousand letters, has elegantly woven together thirty-four concise essays of profound wisdom on how to lead a meaningful life, as individuals and in our life as a nation.

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Speaking Engagements

For a complete history and samples of Eric's speaking engagements, radio interviews and television appearances, kindly click on the "Events" button.

The United Nations, New York, NY (Keynote speaker)

The Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic: Welcoming remarks to the Council of Europe  on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the European Convention for the Protection of  Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Prague, Czech Republic.

The Smithsonian Institution's Folklife Festival, Washington, D.C.: "Monarchy and Democracy" and "Gross National Happiness"

The Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, Atlanta, Georgia

The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library, Hyde Park, New York

Pace University, New York, NY and Westchester, NY

Florida International University Honors College Excellence Lecture, Miami, Florida

University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland 

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Television Interviews

 CNN 

CNBC 

FOX News Channel

NBC Weekend Today in New York

WGN TV Chicago, IL 

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Radio Interviews

Eric has conducted over 130 radio interviews in more than 40 states, across the entire political, spiritual, social and economic spectrum, including the following: 

 ABC Radio (national) New York, NY: Interview with John Batchelor on “The John Batchelor Show.”

Bloomberg Network (WBBR AM 1130 in New York): “Bloomberg on the Weekend” Interview with Joe Franklin. (national and international)

CNN Radio (national): Interview with Pat St. Claire on “Leatherbound”

“Dialogue Radio”, Washington, D.C.: Interview with George Seay of the Woodrow Wilson International Center.

“Interfaith Voices.” Interview with Maureen Fiedler (Syndicated in the U.S. and Canada).

KPOJ 620 AM, Portland, OR: Interview with Thom Hartmann.

New Hampshire Public Radio, Concord, NH: “The Exchange” Interview with Laura Knoy.

WBAI 99.5 FM-Pacifica Radio. New York, NY: Interview with Janet Coleman on “Cat Radio Café”

Wisconsin Public Radio: Interview with Kathleen Dunn on “Conversations with Kathleen.”

WNYC Radio, AM 820 and FM 93.9, Brooklyn, NY: Interview with Brian Lehrer on the “Brian Lehrer Show”

 

At Jefferson's Taper:

“The happiness of mankind is best promoted by the useful pursuits of peace.”—Thomas Jefferson

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"Many of these [charges] would have required only a simple denial, but I saw that even that would have led to the infallible inference, that whatever I had not denied was to be presumed true. I have therefore never done even this, but to such of my friends as happen to converse on these subjects, and I have never believed that my character could hang upon every two-penny lie of our common enemies.”    —Thomas Jefferson to William A. Burwell, Nov. 22, 1808

 

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"It has been so impossible to contradict all their lies, that I have determined to contradict none; for while I should be engaged with one, they would publish twenty new ones."—Thomas Jefferson to James Monroe, May 1800

 

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"During the course of this administration, and in order to disturb it, the artillery of the press has been leveled against us, charged with whatsoever its licentiousness could devise or dare. These abuses of an institution so important to freedom and science are deeply to be regretted, inasmuch as they tend to lessen its usefulness and to sap its safety...Nor was it uninteresting to the world that an experiment should be fairly and fully made, whether freedom of discussion, unaided by power, is not sufficient for the propagation and protection of truth...The experiment has been tried; our fellow-citizens looked on, cool and collected; they saw the latent source from which these outrages proceeded; and when the Constitution called them to the decision by suffrage, they pronounced their verdict, honorable to those who had served them and consolatory to the friend of man who believes that he may be trusted with the control of his own affairs."—Thomas Jefferson, Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1805