[MD] Values to die for

[Ant McWatt]

Platt stated July 4th 2006:

I can't help but wonder if many of us would put our lives and the lives
of our loved ones on the line for our values as the Founding Fathers
did. Since much of what we have and know we take for granted, having
required little effort on our part, I fear we may not value our
heritage of individual rights enough to fight and die for them, whether
challenged within or without.

As Thomas Paine, a fiery figure in the American Revolution, wrote,
“What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only
that gives every thing its value.”

Ant McWatt comments:

Thomas Paine was a great proponent for the working class in the US, the UK 
and France and made a lot of sense whether it was for American independence, 
the abolition of slavery, the abolition of the monarchy & the House of 
Lords, questioning the truth of Christianity, introducing a graduated income 
tax to alleviate the conditions of the poor, family allowances, education of 
all children and old age pensions as a right for all.  Ironically, if Paine 
was around today, I don’t think he would be very impressed with many of 
Platt’s posts.

Anyway, the Working Class Movement Library (WCML) which has a collection of 
books, periodicals, pamphlets, archives and artefacts concerned with the 
activities of the labour movement since the 1700s has a considerable archive 
of Paine which is listed at:

http://www.wcml.org.uk/holdings/tom_paine_coll.htm

Best wishes,

Anthony



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