Thomas Paine was born 270 years ago today. Take some time to read some quotes from this brilliant man, or better yet, read a whole essay. Start with Common Sense.
“A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right.”
“He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.”
“One good schoolmaster is of more use than a hundred priests.”
“He who is the author of a war lets loose the whole contagion of hell and opens a vein that bleeds a nation to death.”
“The most formidable weapon against errors of every kind is reason.”
“War involves in its progress such a train of unforeseen circumstances that no human wisdom can calculate the end; it has but one thing certain, and that is to increase taxes.”
Hmmm… That last one used to be true. Guess it isn’t anymore.
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