We Have It in Our Power to Begin the World Over Again Reagan
Permit'due south non forget that Ronald Reagan, to the chagrin of conservatives similar the Burkean George Will (for conservatives had always despised Paine and sought to suppress his memory and legacy), regularly and joyfully quoted Paine's line from Common Sense – "We have it in our power to brainstorm the earth over again" – in his 1980 presidential entrada and that in dissimilarity to Obama, Reagan enthusiastically cited Paine'south authorship. Believe me, I'k non worried that Obama is a bourgeois. But his failure to pronounce Paine's name makes me wonder what kind of liberal he is. The best I can exercise right now is to recount the thoughts and sensations that ran through my listen on hearing Obama recite Paine's words…
Watching the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama not only inspired me, only likewise, I confess, made me teary-eyed. The wonders of a democratic transfer of ability... The first black president... The huge crowds gathered on the Mall amidst the monuments and memorial to Washington, Lincoln, and the veterans of World State of war II… The cease of the Bush Administration and the possibility that hope might now trump fright, and that "Yes, we tin can" would mean something quite different than simply going to Disney Earth and shopping at the mall… Hell, I could practically hear Paine – non Reagan – saying "We take information technology in our ability…"
Eager for change – democratic change, in which "Nosotros the people" redeem America's purpose and promise and once once again extend and deepen freedom and equality – I attended as best I could to every line of the new president's countdown address. I paid detail attention to his historical references, trying to read them for signs and portents. And of grade, given the terrible crisis we face – not to mention my current efforts to write a book on the Four Freedoms – I listened with the thoughts of Franklin Roosevelt in my caput, wondering if Obama possessed the liberal, progressive and, yes, radical commitments and aspirations that FDR did.
Half-style through, I wasn't exactly sure what to make of the inaugural accost. I loved it that Obama spoke of working people's lives and struggles in lines such equally: "For usa, they packed upwards their few worldly possessions and traveled beyond oceans in search of a new life. For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth. For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sanh." I welcomed the inclusiveness of "Nosotros are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and nonbelievers." And even so, recalling FDR's talk of "economic royalists," I was disappointed by the tepidness of Obama's observation that "Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, just also our collective failure to brand hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age." I wanted him to indict those who accept so selfishly and viciously governed public and corporate life for so many years.
Still, I continued to listen closely… And so I heard Obama state: "In the twelvemonth of America'due south nascence, in the coldest of months, a pocket-size band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the begetter of our nation ordered these words be read to the people." And all of a sudden I found myself leaping out of my chair and shouting, "He's going to quote Paine!" So he did: "Permit information technology be told to the time to come earth ... that in the depth of wintertime, when zippo but hope and virtue could survive ... that the city and the country, alarmed at 1 common danger, came forth to meet [it]."
But a few moments later I began to wonder… Was I incorrect? Were those not Paine's words? For Obama had moved on, leaving people to call up they were George Washington'due south.
I ran to the computer and sent out this confused message: "More on the speech later – merely I must say I thought we were going to hear Paine's words when Obama spoke of Washington along the Delaware...." But then I idea again and realized that, of form, they were Paine's words, though words not every bit famous as "These are times that try men'due south souls," which open The Crisis. And I quickly dashed off a fresh bulletin: "THEY WERE PAINE'S WORDS!!!!!!"
I felt good. Yet just a few moments later it striking me. Obama had not mentioned Thomas Paine himself. I felt agitated. How could I explain it… Blow? Not a chance. Ignorance? Come up on, Obama is an intellectual. The error of a presidential speechwriter (the young Jon Favreau)? Not likely, since Obama took the lead in writing the address. A desire not to beal Pastor Rick Warren, who surely cares little for Paine the militant deist? Hundred-to-one, since Obama had already spoken of "nonbelievers" (which in any case Paine was not) – plus Reagan himself hadn't hesitated to talk of Paine before a national gathering of evangelicals. Or, I began to worry, was it due to a desire to avoid clan with radicals (a trouble he definitely had had on the campaign trail)? Maybe, for by leaving the paradigm Washington and his troops in everyone's mind, Obama could almost sound like a Republican…
Absolutely, they're just words…
But I don't mean that. They're not just words. They're words about history. They call upon and shape our historical retention and imagination.
So over again, I remind myself, Paine'south persistent presence in American consciousness never really depended on presidents (though notably, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt did much to promote Paine'due south place in public memory). Paine's vision and arguments were sustained and advanced from the bottom up past freethinkers, workingmen's advocates, suffragists, abolitionists, socialists, anarchists, populists, progressives, liberals, labor organizers, and sixties radicals.
And now, I guess, information technology'southward upwards to us.
And then, here we are. It's near January 29 – Paine's birthday. In fact, this twelvemonth in June nosotros will mark 200 years since his passing. Let us toast Paine'due south life and labors. And let the states – those of u.s. who believe like Paine that "The sun never shined on a cause of greater worth" – educate our fellow citizens about Paine'southward life and labors, encourage and hogtie our president to pursue freedom, equality, and democracy, and campaign to put a monument on the Mall to Paine, so that the next fourth dimension nosotros inaugurate a president he or she volition not only proudly proclaim Paine's proper noun, but besides run across his prototype continuing aslope those he inspired and encouraged to create the nation, sustain the Revolution, and make America freer, more than equal, and more than autonomous.
Lorraine Paul - one/27/2009
How dare that scroundel, Ronald Reagan, quote the inspiring words of Tom Paine!! Not only that but twist them to adapt his inhuman agenda!
I must ask my friends here if they heard Obama quoting Paine. How heady!!
Professor Kaye, I would honey even more than to hear that you are indeed going to write a book on the Four Freedoms.
Alan H. Vocalist - 1/26/2009
I too was struck past Obama'southward treatment of Paine. The radical patriot's words were stirring enough to be included in the accost simply it was politically besides dangerous for the new moderate President to cite the authorship. There indeed was a bit of trickery employed equally well. Most people were led to believe the words were Washington's.
You are correct Professor Kaye. It is upwardly to united states every bit I call back it always has been. Paine's role in the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and the Enlightenment cannot exist overstated. On Jan 29, equally I celebrate Paine's birthday(and my own) I will make sure that my students understand his importance. After class, I volition toast the excise officer from Thetford.
Thanks for a nifty mail service!
Marking Adam Dragoni - one/26/2009
Of course, Paine never ran.
I call back this is more about ignorance on the part of those at the Mall than the homo at the pulpit. Who is Tom Paine? The last thing an orator wants is a perplexed look mirrored on a million faces all looking back at him. It'south sad that Paine is not well enough known, the historian James Schmidt said it best when he proclaimed that Paine deserved his place on coinage much more than certain other politicians. Notwithstanding Washington is always in our memory - at that very mall his monument stands similar a streak of white coursing towards the heavens on a great sail - quite literally larger than life. Paine on the other hand was the simply American to ever attack the Great George Washington.
At the moment, Obama is placating the conservatives. When the truly divisive issues come to the foreground nosotros may see more of Paine, with all due respect paid.
I agree though, we need to meliorate educate the American people and so that they recognize Paine when he is mentioned.
james joseph butler - 1/26/2009
Paine remains the radical and Obama is way likewise smart to be pigeon holed. Every bit anything. Let lone a 21st century, bland, socialist, Paine acolyte. Idealists like Paine stand a million miles abroad from winners like Obama.
Obama may well exist the smartest,, all-time, pres. for now. Paine was never elected.
Source: https://historynewsnetwork.org/article/60563
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