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You cannot undermine police authority and then complain about rising crime.

Thomas Paine

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
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
Rights are not gifts from one man to another, nor from one class of men to another. It is impossible to discover any origin of rights otherwise than in the origin of man; it consequently follows that rights appertain to man in right of his existence, and must therefore be equal to every man.
THOMAS PAINE

Discover Equality Existence Gift Impossible Man Right
If those to whom power is delegated do well, they will be respected; if not, they will be despised.
THOMAS PAINE

Hate Power Respect
The right of voting for representatives is the primary right by which other rights are protected. To take away this right is to reduce a man to slavery, for slavery consists in being subject to the will of another, and he that has not a vote in the election of representatives is in this case.
THOMAS PAINE

Election Himself Man Protection Representation Right Slave Vote
Character is much easier kept than recovered.
THOMAS PAINE

Character Easy Recovery
What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value.
THOMAS PAINE

Light Value Worth
He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.
THOMAS PAINE

Enemy Establishment Himself Liberty Oppression Reach Security Violate
A nation under a well regulated government, should permit none to remain uninstructed. It is monarchical and aristocratical government only that requires ignorance for its support.
THOMAS PAINE

Government Ignorance Nation Politics Support
Men should not petition for rights, but take them.
THOMAS PAINE

Action Man Right
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
A constitution defines and limits the powers of the government it creates. It therefore follows, as a natural and also a logical result, that the governmental exercise of any power not authorized by the constitution is an assumed power, and therefore illegal.
THOMAS PAINE

Constitution Exercise Government Illegal Limitation Logic Natural Power Result
Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice.
THOMAS PAINE

Angry Principle Vice Virtue
A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right.
THOMAS PAINE

Appearance Habit Right Thinking Wrong
Government is best which governs least.
THOMAS PAINE

Government Politics Rule
When all other rights are taken away, the right of rebellion is made perfect.
THOMAS PAINE

Perfection Rebel Right

You cannot undermine police authority and then complain about rising crime.

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You cannot undermine police authority and then complain about rising crime.

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