“If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace;” and this single reflection, well applied, is sufficient to awaken every man to duty.”

“Let them call me rebel and welcome, I feel no concern from it; but I should suffer the misery of devils, were I to make a whore of my soul by swearing allegiance to one whose character is that of a sottish, stupid, stubborn, worthless, brutish man.”

“There are persons, too, who see not the full extent of the evil which threatens them; they solace themselves with hopes that the enemy, if he succeed, will be merciful. It is the madness of folly, to expect mercy from those who have refused to do justice; and even mercy, where conquest is the object, is only a trick of war; the cunning of the fox is as murderous as the violence of the wolf, and we ought to guard equally against both.”

” I dwell not upon the vapors of imagination; I bring reason to your ears, and, in language as plain as A, B, C, hold up truth to your eyes.”

“The Crisis” by Thomas Paine Dec. 23, 1776, Link Here.

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Reclaiming Our Essential Radical Tradition: Why The Courageous Example Of Thomas Paine’s ‘Common Sense’ Is Relevant To Today

Chris Hedges, Cornel West and Richard Wolff provide a fascinating discussion on the historical significance – and modern applications – of Thomas Paine’s truly radical vision and assessment of the true nature of power and what is real change. West speaks of the challenges and costs of speaking truth to power. Hedges calls Paine America’s only true revolutionary and asks, “Where are the monuments to Thomas Paine?” For a nation that likes to tout being founded in revolution against despotism it is a good – and telling – question.

These three activists sandblast all the old paint and deceptive varnish off of our national illusions. This video is well worth the time.

Link to 1-Hour, 23-Minute Video