[USMA:36695] RE: Countering the "heritage" argument.

[Phil Chernack]

I think the response is easy:  Thomas Jefferson.   Thomas Jefferson was the one who first proposed a metric type system.  While his exact proposal did not catch on, it did link the new United States of America to the idea of a metric system.  You could stretch the truth a little.  After all, we all know that Jefferson (and Benjamin Franklin) had connections to the French at the time metric was developed.  We also know that metric standards were employed in the first survey of the country.  I would therefore contend that metric is as American as apple pie as well.  Afterall, we sought to shed most things British in the early life of the country, why not measurement?   Phil   From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Remek Kocz Sent: Sunday, April 30, 2006 11:19 AM To: U.S. Metric Association Cc: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:36693] Countering the "heritage" argument.   I find that most of the positions against metric are pretty easy to rebuff.  But how does one counter the argument that USC is part of our heritage, that it's as American as apple pie?  The patriot card seems to be the toughest one to beat, even though one could bring up the fact that the current measuring system is defined exclusively in metric, or that the US has been a significant participant and contributor to the development of SI.