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Our greatest enemies, the ones we must fight most often, are within.

Thomas Paine

I have always strenuously supported the right of every man to his own opinion, however different that opinion might be to mine. He who denies to another this right, makes a slave of himself to his present opinion, because he precludes himself the right of changing it.
THOMAS PAINE

Change Man Myself Opinion Present Right Slave Support
An army of principles will penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot.
THOMAS PAINE

Army Principle Soldier
Every person of learning is finally his own teacher.
THOMAS PAINE

Himself Learning Person Teacher
A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom. But the tumult soon subsides. Time makes more converts than reason.
THOMAS PAINE

Appearance Habit Reason Time Wrong
Independence is my happiness, and I view things as they are, without regard to place or person; my country is the world, and my religion is to do good.
THOMAS PAINE

Country Goodness Happiness Independence Person Place Religion View World
Every proprietor owes to the community a ground-rent for the land which he holds.
THOMAS PAINE

Community Himself Leadership
To argue with a man who has renounced the use and authority of reason, and whose philosophy consists in holding humanity in contempt, is like administering medicine to the dead, or endeavoring to convert an atheist by scripture.
THOMAS PAINE

Administration Argument Atheist Authority Humanity Man Medicine Philosophy Reason Scripture
I consider the war of America against Britain as the country’s war, the public’s war, or the war of the people in their own behalf, for the security of their natural rights, and the protection of their own property.
THOMAS PAINE

Country People Property Protection Security War
A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.
THOMAS PAINE

Accountable Body Hold Man Trust
Arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property… Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of the use of them.
THOMAS PAINE

Discouragement Law Mischief Order World
No country can be called free which is governed by an absolute power; and it matters not whether it be an absolute royal power or an absolute legislative power, as the consequences will be the same to the people.
THOMAS PAINE

Country Freedom Government People Power Royalty
It is the madness of folly, to expect mercy from those who have refused to do justice; and even mercy, where conquest is the object, is only a trick of war; the cunning of the fox is as murderous as the violence of the wolf.
THOMAS PAINE

Expectation Justice Madness Mercy Murder Trick Violence War Wolf
When a man has so far corrupted and prostituted the chastity of his mind, as to [profess] things he does not believe, he has prepared himself for the commission of every other crime.
THOMAS PAINE

Believe Corruption Crime Himself Man Mindset Preparation Prostitution
There are two distinct classes of men – those who pay taxes and those who receive and live upon taxes.
THOMAS PAINE

Live Man Pay Privilege Tax
It has been the political career of this man to begin with hypocrisy, proceed with arrogance, and finish with contempt.
THOMAS PAINE

Arrogance Beginning Career Hypocrisy Politics
Taxes were not raised to carry on wars, but that wars were raised to carry on taxes.
THOMAS PAINE

Carry Deep Tax War

Our greatest enemies, the ones we must fight most often, are within.

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Our greatest enemies, the ones we must fight most often, are within.

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