Is there Paine in us today?

     Who is Thomas Paine? The Thomas Paine biography on “Bio True Story” website says, “Thomas Paine was an influential 18^th-century writer of essays and pamphlets.” Thomas Paine was boring in England in 1737. Thomas received very little education as a child. As he grew up, he learned how to read and write. At the age of thirteen, Thomas Paine began to work. His first job was with his dad as a corset maker. Thomas picked up another job as an officer of the excise. In 1760, Thomas experienced a lot of pain in his life. He lost his wife and his child in childbirth plus he lost his business as a corset maker. With all the pain and problems going on is Thomas’s life, he decides to speak his mind about his job in an article called “The Case of the Officers of Excise.” This was an article talking about Thomas taking defense on higher pay for excise officers. This article got Thomas fired from his job but it also lead to other great writings of Thomas Paine.

http://www.biography.com/people/thomas-paine-9431951?page=1

http://www.biography.com/imported/images/Biography/Images/Profiles/P/Thomas-Paine-9431951-1-402.jpg

After doing my research on Thomas Pain I asked myself, what makes Thomas Paine relevant today? There are plenty of things that make Thomas Paine relevant today but the one thing that stood out to me the most is how he related to the first amendment. The “Word Net” website says that the first amendment is “an amendment to the Constitution of the United States guaranteeing the right of free expression; includes freedom of assembly and freedom of the press and freedom of religion and freedom of speech.” Thomas Paine was a very opinionated man when it came to writing. I feel like he expressed the first amendment very well with his work. For example, in his pamphlet titled “The Age of Reason,” Thomas talked about the place of religion in the society. This pamphlet relates to the first amendment because it expresses the freedom of religion. The first amendment also shows in “Rights of Man” and his most popular work titled “Common Sense.” “Common Sense” was about Thomas’s views and opinion on why America should be free from British rule. A lot of political people didn’t like it but the common people loved it. Some reports say that “Common Sense” sold as may copies as the Bible. I think that is any amazing achievement.

http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=first%20amendment

http://www.biography.com/people/thomas-paine-9431951?page=1 (Common Sense)

Is there Paine in us today? Yes, I think a lot of people relate to Thomas Paine today. People today still express the first amendment when they want their opinions or views to be heard publicly. Instead of people trying to write books or pamphlets to be heard, they use the internet. The internet is the best way for people to talk about their views and opinions because plenty of people use it. This is how bloggers, writers, and news reporters make themselves well known today. For example, a economic professor at Pepperdine University named Gary Galles wants to give his view on the freedom of association so he used the internet. Cary believes the Constitution protects the freedom of association because it relates to freedom of assembly, which is in the first amendment. If people don’t feel comfortable about writing on the internet, then they will make a video. This is why YouTube is popular. I believe Thomas Paine made a huge mark in history for opinionated writers, bloggers, and reports.

http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=22783

(FirstAmendmentMike Views and Opinion of Today)

Thomas Paine was a very open and opinionated writer who made himself a part of American history. Thomas Paine is still relevant today because of the first amendment. The first amendment gives people the right of freedom of expression, assembly, the press, religion, and of speech. I believe there is a little bit of Thomas Paine in everyone because everybody has their own opinions. This is why bloggers, writers, and reporters are important when it comes to speaking their mind on the internet. After writing this blog about Thomas Paine, I feel like it is okay to speak your mind because somebody may feel the same way as me.