Thomas Paine – The First American Blogger
His Words in Today's Context
“A nation under a well regulated government, should permit none to remain uninstructed. It is monarchical and aristocratical government only that requires ignorance for its support.” -Thomas Paine, Rights of Man Believing that a company is too big to fail, while the education of the coming generation falters, is an aristocracy of government-by-corporation that cannot …
Continue reading “On the Better Use of a Billion Dollars: Corporate Bailouts or Scholarships”
“A little matter will move a party, but it must be something great that moves a nation.” -Thomas Paine, Rights of Man Political polarization is not the path to true leadership. When politics refuses to go beyond party at all costs, it remains small, unable to lead. Greatness and leadership is usually found outside the …
Truth never envelops itself in mystery, and the mystery in which it is at any time enveloped is the work of its antagonist, and never of itself. Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason Truth is onto itself always, requiring nothing, and hiding from no one. Those that aim to deceive others from where truth lay, …
“An avidity to punish is always dangerous to liberty. It leads men to stretch, to misinterpret, and to misapply even the best of laws. He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates his duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.” -Thomas …
A nation under a well regulated government, should permit none to remain uninstructed. It is monarchical and aristocratical government only that requires ignorance for its support. -Thomas Paine, Rights of Man It is the government with something to hide, or thinks itself justified in so doing, that we must fear most.
“…the slavery of fear had made men afraid to think.” -Thomas Paine, Rights of Man Fear is the enemy of reason. Fear invites suspicion, prejudice, division. Overcoming fear is the path to freedom.
“Ignorance is of a peculiar nature; once dispelled, it is impossible to re-establish it. It is not originally a thing of itself, but is only the absence of knowledge; and though man may be kept ignorant, he cannot be made ignorant.”-Thomas Paine, Rights of Man To be ignorant is not bliss, to remain ignorant is …
“Why may we not suppose that the great Father of all is pleased with a variety of devotion? And that the greatest offence we can act is that by which we seek to torment and render each other miserable? …I do not believe that any two men, on what are called doctrinal points, think alike, …