Changes in the Paine Review

Dear Readers, thanks for keeping track over recent years of the heretofore somewhat scholarly history focus of this blog. At the time it began, that was the prevailing direction in this author's work and there has not been time to do more. The direction of this blog will -- as you can tell -- change a bit. There will be more political and social commentary -- hopefully some useful exchange with thoughtful readers -- while retaining our "set the record straight" feature with Thomas Paine studies in particular and history more broadly.

Tom Paine: the worker who helped make a revolution

It should be added that it was NOT John Adams who wrote that the sword of Washington would have been raised in vain but for the pen of Tom Paine. That was Joel Barlow. Otherwise a good, timely and overall accurate essay.

http://www.ueunion.org/ue-news-feature/2012/tom-paine-and-the-4th-of-july-the-worker-who-helped-make-a-revolution

The Two "F"s: Fanaticism and Feudalism.

The world is once again in a great struggle with feudalism and fanaticism. This is not a war on "terror." All the parties involved use terror and terrorist practices. Nor is the world in a struggle against Islam or any of the world's great religions -- no matter how transgressive and open to criticism they may be. Christians practice terror in the name of their religion just as all the world's "great" religions do. And a great many more Christians, Muslim, Jews, Hindu and Buddhists live peaceful, benevolent and pro-social lives in the name of their religion. The problem isn't in the religions. Our enemies are the fanatics among them all and any who advocate or practice a feudal system.
The world is in a struggle against feudalism and fanaticism.

© Kenneth W. Burchell - 2015 - All Rights Reserved.

"Science, the partisan of no country ..." Thomas Paine.

"Letters, the tongue of the world, have in some measure brought all mankind acquainted, and by an extension of their uses are everyday  promoting new friendship. Through them, distant nations become capable of conversation, and losing by degrees the awkwardness of strangers, and the moroseness of suspicion, they learn to know and understand each other. Science, the partisan of no country, but  the beneficent patroness of all, has liberally opened a temple where all may meet. Her influence on the mind, like the sun on the chilled earth, has long been preparing it for higher cultivation and further improvement. The philosopher in one country sees not an enemy in the philosopher of another; he takes his seat in the temple of science, and asks not who sits beside him ..."

Thomas Paine
Letter to the Abbé Raynal

One wishes that Mort Zuckerman and Benjamin Netanyahu would take Paine's words to heart.

American Crisis at Swann Galleries auction

http://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/asp/fullCatalogue.asp?salelot=2368++++++23+&refno=++692152&saletype=

Harvey J. Kaye -- August 14: Time to Reinvigorate the Fight for the Four Freedoms

 Any real Paineites out there will already know that the star hitter on the Tom Paine batting roster is Prof. Kaye. Here he is at his best on the Fight for the Four Freedoms. Do you remember them? “FREEDOM FROM FEAR AND WANT – FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND RELIGION.”

http://ourfuture.org/20140813/14-august-time-to-reinvigorate-the-fight-for-the-four-freedoms#.U-vOzcDDeWk.mailto

Harvey J. Kaye on Thomas Paine and "general revolution"

 Perhaps no one presently does more to bring the name of Thomas Paine before the public that Prof. Harvey J. Kaye. Here is yet another on the real meaning of American exceptionalism and the "general revolution" of the world:

http://ourfuture.org/20140725/a-dangerous-idea-the-progressive-vision-of-of-american-exceptionalism#.U9KhdQwFxt0.twitter