Paine lacked even the distinction of being regarded as a hero. As I wrote in an earlier essay, “The man who inspired the country to secede from a corrupt state had six people in attendance at his funeral [in 1809], none of whom were dignitaries.”
Much later, Teddy “warmonger” Roosevelt famously described Paine as “a filthy little Atheist.” It was a false characterization, but most people neither know nor care that it is.
Donald Trump, Julian Assange, Alex Jones, and Rudy Gulianni are in deep trouble with the US state. How about you?
Most likely you feel safe because your voice hasn’t attracted a large following. What would the state’s enforcers gain by attacking a little guy? They’re big game hunters. Pull the plug on the big guys and their everyday followers float away like bathtub water down a drain.
Possibly you believe you aren’t really attacking the state with your social media posts, just the corrupt regime currently in power. As long as your words don’t go too far off the rails you think trouble will leave you alone.
That’s the theory, at least.
Most libertarians are not Rothbardians. They think the state is necessary but needs to be slashed, not done away with — much like the heroic Javier Milei is doing in Argentina. Their comfort zone is a minimalist state, and they write or lecture from that position. As such these people are explicit defenders of the state per se and therefore cannot be considered enemies of the state.
The SWAT team hacking at your door could care less.
Why would they pick on you, an inconspicuous promoter of seditious thoughts? The big guys have money and influence to defend themselves. You have nothing. You would be at their mercy, and they have no mercy. Would you stand your ground or crumble like a shack during a hurricane? Would you wave your First Amendment rights at their weapons or would you forget your own name? Your story would shake the social media world, exactly their reason for attacking you.
Is it really worth your life defying the state?
In June 1989 Tank Man stood in front of a column of Chinese tanks as they advanced on Beijing’s Tiananmen Square to crush a student protest. No one knows who he was or what happened to him. Yet for a few tense minutes he stopped the progression of the tanks by holding his hand up before being swept away by Chinese officials. He did this in daylight, while in full public view. Most people are asleep at six in the morning when the SWAT boys come knocking.
Don’t think being an unarmed senior citizen will protect you. Or a 5’2” unarmed woman. As Dr. Simone Gold told Lifesite News,
It was dramatic and what I want to say is that I weep for our country. If you can pull in a person like me … [and] have the FBI break down your door with 20 guns, shackle you [in] handcuffs [and] drag you off, I mean it was really terrible … I’m telling you America, this can happen to you.
The firebrand Thomas Paine
Be seeing you
MCViewPoint 
