Starting today we head into this long 4th of July weekend that celebrates 250 years since our nation’s founders decided to put their lives on the line and declare independence from Great Britain.  One of those patriots who put their life on the line was Thomas Paine.

Paine did not put his name on the Declaration of Independence and was a fairly new immigrant to the America’s.  He only arrived in November 1774, but it was his writings, including Common Sense, that helped stoke the flames of independence.  Common Sense, a short pamphlet, was authored and distributed by Paine with a February 14, 1776, dateline — only four short months before the Declaration of Independence was signed and the pamphlet was instrumental in convincing colonists that independence was the best action forward..

I’ve read Common Sense and I find Paine’s thoughts incredibly insightful and quite full of “Common Sense”.  Here’s just a couple of his arguments on why Americans should seek their independence as written in Common Sense:

 

• “In the following pages I offer nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense.”

 

• “The sun never shined on a cause of greater worth.  ‘Tis not the affair of a city, a country, a province, or kingdom, but of a continent — of at least one-eighth part of the habitable globe.  ‘Tis not the concern of a day, a year, or an age; posterity are virtually involved in the contest and will be more or less affected, even to the end of time by the proceedings now.”

 

• “Europe, and not England, is the parent country of America.  This new world hath been the asylum for the persecuted lovers of civil and religious liberty from every part of Europe.”

 

• “It is the true interests of America to steer clear of European contentions, which she never can do, while by her dependence on Britain, she is made the make-weight in the scale on British politics.”

 

• “For as Milton wisely expresses, “never can true reconcilement grow where wounds of deadly hate have pierced so deep.”

 

• “. . but there is something very absurd, in supposing a continent to be perpetually governed by an island.  In no instance hath nature made the satellite larger than its primary planet.”

 

• “But where says some is the King of America?  I’ll tell you Friend, he reigns above. . . . . that so far as we approve as monarchy, that in America, THE LAW IS KING.  For as in absolute governments the King is law; so in free countries the law ought to be King; and there ought be no other.”

 

• “. . .until an independence is declared, the Continent will feel itself like a man who continues putting off some unpleasant business from day to day, yet knows it must be done, hates to set about it, wishes it over, and is continually haunted with the thoughts of its necessity.”

 

Those are some of my favorite takes on Thomas Paine’s thoughts on liberty.

And for a little extra post-script on America here’s a video version of Johnny Cash’ “Ragged Old Flag” as presented before Super Bowl LIV (54) in 2020:

Enjoy America’s weekend and give thanks for those who have made it possible and continue to make the U.S.A. the “Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave”!!!

May God Bless America!!

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