Carlyle Group purchases Magna Carta

Carlyle Group purchases Magna Carta

edition.cnn.com

(CNN) -- The only copy of the Magna Carta in the United States, regarded as the earliest declaration of human rights, will be returned to the National Archives by the man who purchased it for more than $21.3 million.
...
The winning bid came from David Rubenstein, co-founder and managing director of the Carlyle Group.
...
The Magna Carta previously was owned by the Perot Foundation, who purchased it from an English family in 1983

(visit the link for the full news article)

Hmmm, I wonder why?

edition.cnn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I guess the elites find it funny, It's a complete insult to all good things for these jerks to own such a document.

[edit on 12/19/2007 by Rockpuck]

Originally posted by Rockpuck
Or it could have been a guy who collects and cares for antique American documents, and wanted the document returned to the National Archives for patriotic reasons.

OMG!!

Magna Carta 1215....written in England for English Law.

How in God's name did you think it was an American document?

[edit on 19-12-2007 by infinite]

reply to post by infinite


I suppose I would call it American because of the close relationship of America and the UK, that we based much of our own beliefs and government ideologies off of the Magna Carta. Maybe not made by Americans, but it had a big effect on Americans.

reply to post by Rockpuck


Well, it's not American is it?

It's apart of English law and constitution (Even though parts are VERY out of date). America was more influenced by our Bill of Rights after the Glorious Revolution by William of Orange.

/End History Lesson

Originally posted by Alxandro
Hmmm, I wonder why?

Either to use to light their cigars or to wipe their behinds with it.

Just a cynical joke, no doubt. Sort of like Dr. Mengele's human-skin lampshades.

So the Perot Foundation sells to the Carlyle group.

There was an article here
about the impending sale, and I had a thread running here when
the sale was first announced.
This particular document dates from 1297 if memory serves, and is the only copy ever to be in private hands.

Personally I'd like to know how it GOT into private hands, and in a foreign country.
Maybe we should ask for the bill of rights or the declaration of independance or the constitution in return.

Also, I LMAO at the suggestion that it's an american document from someone who professes to be a lover of history.

Originally posted by budski
Also, I LMAO at the suggestion that it's an american document from someone who professes to be a lover of history.

I am still in deep shock over it (seriously, I am).

As you said, I'm too disappointed it's been brought by a foreign country. Yeah, the original is in the House of Commons, but still...we shouldn't sell it off

I know what you mean - I was really laughing quite hard, especially after I looked at the avatar!

There's a couple of serious points over this sale though:

The Perot Magna Carta dates to 1297 and was endorsed by King Edward I. The National Archives said that of the 17 original versions that still exist, 4 are from the reign of John; 8 are from Henry III; and 5 are from Edward I. Mr. Neilson said that some jurists consider the Perot Magna Carta to be the most important one because it was the one that was entered into the statute books in England.

source

The first is that it's considered the most important of the surviving documents.

The second is about the originalowners and the sale:

Mr. Perot, the onetime independent candidate for president of the United States, bought it from relatives of James Thomas Brudenell, the Earl of Cardigan, who led the charge of the Light Brigade in 1854, during the Crimean War. The copy was said to have been in the family’s possession since sometime in the Middle Ages.

But later generations were apparently unaware of its importance. The National Archives in Washington said it was “discovered” in 1974 during an inventory at the family’s estate at Deene Park in England. The National Archives said it came into the family’s hands through Edmund Brudenell, who served as attorney general under Richard II in the 14th century, or through Sir Robert Brudenell, who was chief justice of common pleas under Henry VIII in the 16th century.

By the time Mr. Perot bought the copy, it had been on the market for four years, and at least one deal had fallen through before Mr. Perot came along. At the time, Mr. Perot said he was “amazed” that it had been for sale.

source

Now call me old fashioned, but shouldn't our government have stepped in here instead of wasting billions propping up a company in peril at taxpayers expense (northern rock).

reply to post by infinite


leave the yanks alone over this one
they might have missed the small prints where it said written in Britain

seriously though i think this is a joke
i mean isnt the patriot act and so on eroding almost everything this stands for?

In most american grade school history classes, the students are asked to read the "foundational documents" antecedent to the constitution. Those usually include the Magna Carta, The Rights of Man, writings by Hobbes, Payne, Declaration of Independence, and even the Iroquois Federation and the code of Hammurabi.

I knew what the poster meant (I think most readers did); I didn't think the poster thought the M. C. was anything other than an English document protecting the rights of barons. It has relevance for the history of American democracy, even as the Declartaion of Independence and US constitution have had an impact on subsequent European documents.

Lol the document which institutionalised Habeus Corpus in the hands of the Carlyle Group. Someone has a sick sense of irony. It'd be even better if Ron Paul gets an anonymous $21M donation tomorrow

reply to post by dr_strangecraft


No, really...
the poster said it was an American document and that's why us British members cannot stop laughing

And its quite ironic that he was absolutely right about what I meant, I just worded it wrong. However, carry on the nationalistic jokes.

now that they have it, they can say it never existed in the first place! rewrite the history books, dismiss all those that believe it really happened as conspiracists and there you have it... maybe they'll "forge" a new one that gives all the rights to the government... oh wait, that's the patriot act... it's all becoming too clear now...

Originally posted by infinite
reply to post by dr_strangecraft

 

No, really...
the poster said it was an American document and that's why us British members cannot stop laughing

God forbid someone makes an error in a post. This is obviously serious business.

Either way, we should be thanking David Rubenstein.

reply to post by never_tell


You may be right, and the rewriting has probably already started, especially since 45% of Britons have never heard of Auschwitz, poll shows.

Could it be SYMBOLIC that the MC has finally been returned to its true owners, to the land of the Real Puppet Masters, because they know human rights will soon be a thing of the past?

Originally posted by Alxandro
Could it be SYMBOLIC that the MC has finally been returned to its true owners, to the land of the Real Puppet Masters, because they know human rights will soon be a thing of the past?

"true owners"

I don't follow.

This document was written in 1215 in England, before the Illuminati* even existed. It's going to be VERY hard to make a conspiracy out of it.

But, it will be interesting if you find a conspiracy in it.

*I'm kinda guessing you was referring to them