Jack’s Winning Words 7/6/07
“To argue with a person who has renounced reason is like administering medicine to the dead.” (Tom Paine) No wonder he wrote the book called, Common Sense. Tom dropped out of school at age 12 to become a corsetmaker. Writing was more appealing to him, and I’m glad for that. His words, “These are the times that try men’s souls,” at the beginning of the American Revolution, seem appropriate, even today. ;-) Jack

FROM SPARTAN J.S: Women's souls too.

FROM GOOD DEBT JON IN OHIO: Few people may know that Thomas Paine’s pamphlet, ‘Common Sense’ sold more than 500,000 copies. Paine donated all of the money from the sales to the Continental Congress to prosecute the war. Even at a shilling a piece, this would have been a most considerable fortune in Colonial America. He was the first “embedded” reporter traveling with Washington’s troops and write more than 10 installments during the war. He died broke and penniless in 1806 of a stroke (age 72).

From the east to the west blow the trumpet to arms Through the land let the sound of it flee.
Let the far and the near all unite, with a cheer,
In defense of our Liberty Tree.
Thomas Paine (1775)

FROM J.C. IN HONG KONG: How common it is still even today for the "thinkers" to renounce as "brain dead" those who would disagree with them. Respecting our adversaries will guarantee our own growth.

FROM J.S. IN MICHIGAN: He was also a rabble rouser and a pain in the neck to the moderates who won the revolution...a lot of your left wingers have a habit of being that way. They tend to be better at criticism than at building constructively. Take a look at the American REv. run by modeates and the French Rev. run by the far left. Need more be said?

FROM MOLINER, D.S.: You know, Jack, I think I'll just keep my thoughts on this one to myself!!!

FROM A.M. IN MICHIGAN: I reread Common Sense this year.Seemed that the times called for me to ponder those words.