“Perhaps the sentiments contained in the following pages, are not yet sufficiently fashionable to procure them general favor; a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defence of custom. But the tumult soon subsides.”

We can blame the government as much as we want, but we obey the unwritten rules of custom with more loyalty than legislation.

A little constitutional have it rights like a big constitutional?

Wonderful. Such gems of wisdom provide great joy to a thinking mind. Each quotation is essence of a great man's view of life and its situations, diverse and complex.

If there is a tradition of tyranny, the ideas of freedom may seem strange at first, but will eventually take root. Freedom has to win in the end, because it is the only thing that actually works. It is the only thing that allows virtue to truly exist. Tyranny may have occasional victories, but it can't last. Unfortunately, forces combine to overthrow freedom also. It is the duty of freedom-loving people to root them out. Sic semper tyrannus.

Common Sense but then brilliant as well. True, simple and brilliant.

Brlliant

A B S O L U T E L Y ! Ron Paul could have used this quote as his campaign moto. Save America, vote Libertarian!!! The pendulum is swinging.

The old way of saying "paradigm shift". Such shifts effect society and history for a long time.

A good quote but I'm not so sure on how soon "the tumult" will subside. Too many variables to address that question.

a wise quote

This has captured the last 8 years of our lives. Well said.

We could use a good deal more of these "revolutionary, radical, outspoken pamphleteers" this very day. Thank goodness there are records of such thought.

The ideals of liberty and personal responsability have gone woefully out of fashion in America. I pray that the mob does not become too comfortable with tyrrany. There aren't any more continents to escape to.

What I didn't see: Love your neighbor as yourself. Do unto others as you would want them to do unto you. America the beautiful--but if we refuse to take care of the least, we end up being ugly--Dr. Dapo

I STILL AGREE: GIVE ME DEATH OR LIBERTY.....

Thomas Paine is fantastic! A true "American" political philosopher in his own right.

he who trades liberties for freedoms will soon have neither

I believe it's "He who trades liberty for security will soon have neither."

Magnus Frater Spectat Te

Paine's words are as true today as they were in his time. Liberal progressives have believed the tripe they have been fed by Communists and Marxists for so long that they and other ignorant folk believe it. They think that collectivism is the only way to survive in a dog-eat-dog capitalist world. The government will protect these whiners, professional victims, and just plain useless flotsam from the cradle to the grave because they believe it is their God-given right to have the government take care of them. This unsavory portion of society has grown so large and are so active at the voting booth that it will be hard to defeat them. And even if we do, it will only serve to make them dig their heels even deeper to force the government to overcome the freedom loving people of America once and for all. It is no accident that both Bush and Obama were educated in the same Ivy-Leage schools and were taught that progressivism is the new wave for society. Progressives have only one goal and that is destroy the American way of life and to convert the unwashed masses to their way of dictatorship "for the good of society." Heil Obama!

What amazing foresight the writer possessed. If all true Americans would fully understand the meaningfulness of this quote we may yet be able remain a free and liberated society.

Love that quote! Indeed, we have been sold a long bill of goods that are NOT good for "The People" at all! Now is the time to right those wrongs, and reduce our bill (ConsumerISM & Corporatism), and take back our lives and create real FREEdom(ain)!

DE OPPRESSO LIBRE

These are the first lines of Common Sense. Everyone should read the rest of it. Its a short read and well worth it.

The sanity of those that came before us, keeps me sane.

Read enough of Paine and his contemporaries...and gain from the exposure....

Quotes of our Belief's that we must hold on to for our decency that shall also keep us in check. Semper Fi.

Nice quote, and very true today as it was back in Mr. Paine's day. But let me ask you all this, Have anyone, as I have, wondered why it is that while we as conservatives will fight fight a wrong or a threat, once we conceive the matter solved we return to our own lives and tend to leave the arena of debate. The left on the other hand will fight on no matter they win, lose, or draw. what is it that drives them and keeps them in the game long after we have gone back to our own business ?

The Truth stands on its own merits.

Ultimately, by whom can it be gainsaid?

As Daniel Webster expressed it:

" There is nothing so powerful as truth, and often nothing so strange."

This is the case of the recreational sex and drugs so normally practiced in our world. The normal vulgar accompanying behavior is just unreasonable. Humans practice sex to bring forth new members of the species. These drug concoctions, what can be described as garage and basement manufactured drugs are not needed because of no proven effectiveness. And humans try valiantly to present themselves dignified and honorably.