ACTIVISTS FOR THOMAS PAINE

Add your name to the Thomas Paine Friends network and news exchange.

[ ] YES, I will join Thomas Paine Friends, Inc. Annual dues $10. Member benefit is BULLETIN of Thomas Paine Friends.

[ ] YES, I will work on THOMAS PAINE DAY in my state.

[ ] YES, I want to work on a project of Thomas Paine Friends.

[ ] YES, I want to participate in and suggest activities related to public recognition of Thomas Paine.

[ ] YES, I have news of Paine activities to post in the BULLETIN; or a short article about 500 words) for the BULLETIN.

[ ] YES, I want to receive the BULLETIN ~~ donation suggested, to cover costs of four issues per year.

NAME........................................................................................................................................................................................................

MAILING ADDRESS (No., Street, Apt.) ..................................................................................................................................................

CITY/TOWN, STATE, ZIPCODE...........................................................................................................................................................

TELEPHONE...............................................................................................FAX.......................................................................................

EMAIL.......................................................................................................WEBSITE...............................................................................

If you are paying dues or making a donation, make your check or money order to
Thomas Paine Friends, Inc. and mail to

�

Thomas Paine Friends, Inc.

185 Middle Street
Amherst MA 01002-3011

To Know Paine, Read Him ~ Florence Stapleton

2 See Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org) for brief biography, also "Google" Arthur Herman, to learn of his recent "neocon" exploits. He is author of four books, including Joseph McCarthy: Reexamining the Life and Legacy of America's Most Hated Senator, The Free Press, 1997 and most recently To Rule the Waves: How the British Navy Shaped the Modern World, Harper Collins, 2004. Mr. Herman is the coordinator of the Smithsonian Western Heritage Program and an adjunct professor at George Mason University.

3 Craig Nelson's, Thomas Paine, was reviewed in the Bulletin (October 2006, vol. 7, no. 3) and Harvey J. Kaye's, Thomas Paine and the Promise of America, was reviewed in the October 2005 issue (vol. 6, no. 3).

4 "Neocon," the popular term, is used in place of "neoconservative." Wikipedia was helpful in explaining the origin of the term.

5 Look at the "neoconservative" entry in Wikipedia. The hallmark is their aggressive foreign policy, not their economic policies, or enthusiasm for capitalism. Wikipedia interprets Irving Kristol, neoconservatism's founder, as follows: "Patriotism is a necessity, world government [insert: UN] is a terrible idea, the ability to distinguish friend from foe, protecting national interest [insert: multinational corporations and

America

's wealthiest investors] both at home and abroad, and the necessity of a strong [insert: excessively strong] military" [insert: bringing

America

to the brink of bankruptcy and insecurity]. Inserts are compliments of Irwin Spiegelman.

6 Getting Serious About Iran: A Military Option, in Commentary, November 2006, shows Mr. Herman is still a "neocon" true-believer. He is not for bombing

Iran

to halt its development of nuclear weapons, but instead argues for our military to seize the Straits of Hormuz, allow free tanker access to the region's oil for all nations, "save"

Iran

, and to take over Iranian oil terminals and off-shore oil production. According to this crack-brained scheme,

Iran

, starved for oil revenues, will see a regime change and

Iran

, in Mr. Herman's fevered mind, will be unable to retaliate!

Thomas Paine Friends, Inc.

185 Middle Street

Amherst MA 01002 -3011

Independence Is My Happiness

My Country Is The World,

My Religion Is To Do Good

Rights of Man, part 2, 1792

B U L L E T I N
Newsletter Of, By, For ThomasPaine Friends, Inc.

Volume 7 Number 4 December 2006

MEMBERSHIPS and RENEWALS
Date on the Mail Label above is Membership Renewal Date.

Please Renew If Renewal Date Has Passed or Is Soon Approaching.

Dues Are $10 per Year. The Newsletter is a Membership Benefit.

THANKS TO ALL MEMBERS and SUPPORTERS OF THOMAS PAINE FRIENDS.

A Letter by Robert Walsh to Newspaper Editors for Thomas Paine Day, January 29, 2007

Once again it's time to honor the the father of our revolution, Thomas Paine, the co-equal of George Washington in founding our country and gaining our independence. Few of you will recognize him described in those terms because most history books mention little more than he was the author of Common Sense, if they mention him at all. But he didn't stop there. He continued to write about world issues wherever he went, for the next 30 years, along with dashing off a book or two.
Considering that the Freedom Forum's Newseum recognizes him as one of America's six pioneer journalists, one wonders why the newspapers of the country don�t wake up and recognize him in some way? He achieved every journalist's ultimate dream, his writing changed the world! Not only did he cause a revolution, and help found the "United States of America," (which term he coined), but he also caused 50,000 Loyalists to move to Canada, which also led to an immigration to Australia.

The revolution over, he found himself in France working for democracy there. Believing the French were losing their faith in God, he became concerned. As a deist, he believed in a higher power, but not in the Christian, Jewish or Islamic faiths. His effort, taken as criticism, angered the public and labeled him an atheist.

Returning to America in 1802, he died several years later with little notice. (For more information, Google yields 1,800,000 entries!)

So where is he today? No one knows! In 1819 William Cobbett brought Paine's remains to England for interment there, but the remains were seized by the Crown for Cobbett's debts, and they subsequently disappeared. Among those who claim his remains is a woman in Australia who alleges she has his skull.

So "Happy 270th Birthday" to Thomas Paine, born in Thetford England, January 29, 1737.

British by birth, American by choice, French by declaration. --from Robert N. Walsh

Robert Walsh encourages anyone to model his letter for communication to a newspaper, and to use any excerpts that may be helpful. No attribution is necessary if the letter is not the Walsh letter verbatim.

                               Bust of Thomas Paine                             Thomas Paine in
                                at University for Peace,                      a detail of a glass relief

                            an Institute of the United Nations         at Washington Crossing PA
                            in Costa Rica                                         State Park
                                    Sculptor, Mazzone                         Sculptor, Joseph Dougherty

12 Bulletin of Thomas Paine Friends, vol. 7, no. 4, December 2006

~ ~ END volume 7, number 4, December 2006 ~ ~