Thomas Paine paid a price for his writings that challenged the secular powers of his day. He called upon his fellow Colonial Americans to arm themselves against tyranny, first and foremost with their own informed consciences. The natural result of Paine’s prophetic voice was a call to arms to stand against the tyranny of taxation without representation. I wonder what he would make of today’s scandal at the Internal Revenue Service. Thomas Paine’s point in the above quote is that freedom costs, and its price is but a demonstration of its value. His essay challenged Colonial Americans to take up arms in a Revolutionary War against tyranny despite personal cost. He criticized those who entered the revolution only when convenient, only to abandon it in planting or harvest season. These “summer soldiers” and “sunshine patriots” incurred the wrath of Paine’s pen. “Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered . . . What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly.
Posted on: Thu, 06 Jun 2013 17:32:42 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015