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THE AMERICAN CRISIS: Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God

by Thomas Paine

THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated. …

I TURN with the warm ardor of a friend to those who have nobly stood, and are yet determined to stand the matter out: I call not upon a few, but upon all: not on this state or that state, but on every state: up and help us; lay your shoulders to the wheel; better have too much force than too little, when so great an object is at stake. Let it be told to the future world, that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet and to repulse it. Say not that thousands are gone, turn out your tens of thousands; throw not the burden of the day upon Providence, but "show your faith by your works," that God may bless you. It matters not where you live, or what rank of life you hold, the evil or the blessing will reach you all. The far and the near, the home counties and the back, the rich and the poor, will suffer or rejoice alike. The heart that feels not now is dead; the blood of his children will curse his cowardice, who shrinks back at a time when a little might have saved the whole, and made them happy. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death. My own line of reasoning is to myself as straight and clear as a ray of light. Not all the treasures of the world, so far as I believe, could have induced me to support an offensive war, for I think it murder; but if a thief breaks into my house, burns and destroys my property, and kills or threatens to kill me, or those that are in it, and to "bind me in all cases whatsoever" to his absolute will, am I to suffer it? What signifies it to me, whether he who does it is a king or a common man; my countryman or not my countryman; whether it be done by an individual villain, or an army of them? If we reason to the root of things we shall find no difference; neither can any just cause be assigned why we should punish in the one case and pardon in the other. Let them call me rebel and welcome, I feel no concern from it; but I should suffer the misery of devils, were I to make a whore of my soul by swearing allegiance to one whose character is that of a sottish, stupid, stubborn, worthless, brutish man. I conceive likewise a horrid idea in receiving mercy from a being, who at the last day shall be shrieking to the rocks and mountains to cover him, and fleeing with terror from the orphan, the widow, and the slain of America.

The Voice of the White House

In recent past issues, we have carried comments from a very well-iniformed source inside the White House. Some of these remarks, most especially one about Bush’s physical and mental problems, drew an enormous number of viewers and hundreds of inquiries, most especially from foreign press entities. Our source was the first to expose, and we were the first to make public, the accusations that the President of the United States was a man that suffered from serious psychological problems. He also revealed ongoing plans to attack Iran.  Since our initial publication of his postings, there has been increasing interest in the subject and herewith, we present additional input from inside the White House. If you have a weak stomach, do not read the following material. Not being able to either confirm of deny any of this information, we present it without comment or endorsement.

November 7, 2004: “Many manifestations of pathological glee here in the Monkey Palace these days. We learn that Bush has cut down on his medication because he is euphoric over the election. He claims, and has done so in my presence, that God had given him a complete  mandate[ 51 percent and a lot of that outright stolen by the Rove people] to change the political and moral face of America! Rove is behind all of this, telling everyone that God did indeed demand a complete restructuring of  the grossly immoral American lifestyle. Homosexuality is to be made illegal [a new Federal law suggested by Delay and firmly endorsed by Rove] a form of Creationism to be taught in all schools, a modified draft, [mostly of technicians], military action against Iran and Syria, a strong message sent to both North Korea, the PRC and Russia to keep out of American business or suffer “serious consequences,” utter destruction of Iraqi cities that harbor any terrorists, regardless of the civilian casualties [‘Nits make lice,” as Rove told me when I mentioned the possibility of large casualties, to include women and children]  US to get political control over the Ukraine and other Russian or former Russian areas, the securing of oil areas in Iran and the subsequent cutting off of exports to China [whom Rove loathes] and Japan with all oil being shipped either to the US or England. France, Germany and several other countries to be “starved of oil” for their lack of support for Bush, a board to be set up to control “vile and degrading pornography” in the films coming out of Hollywood and “encouragement” to produce more Mel Gibson-style religious films, the prohibition of any American citizen to make any investments or bank deposits outside the United States and the sequestering of any such funds in countries under treaty with us, resurrection of the old sedition laws to prevent any more criticism of government or what is amounting to the state religion, the overturn of Rove v. Wade and a host of environmental acts that Bush’s business friends claim are restricting their businesses, a strong encouragement to permit open and free immigration by Mexicans [already 13 million here as of two weeks ago] so they can supply American business cheap labor and replace some of the grunt jobs that even India won’t perform, laws to permit off shoring American jobs by business friends to improve their profit margins, investigation of legal possibilities to permit Bush to run again [i.e., lifting the two-term mandate] and the calculated marginalization of the Democrat party and a planned strategy to oust Democrats as state governors. Another planned assault on Democrats in Congress is being worked up even as I write. Rove has told me, and others, that this is to be a one-party state and if he achieves this, it will be his “crowning glory.”  This ought to be enough for now. Am sending off the list of patrons of the male whore house and hope you have the guts to publish them. And I ought to tell you that sainted Fat Karl has some very bad things in his own background. Always suspect a man who accuses everyone of sexual deviancy and proclaims themselves to be a paragon of virtue. More on this really ugly subject later when I am able to make Xeroxes of the relevant  files [kept in a safe well away from the Monkey Palace]”.