Longing for some "Common Sense"

Where have you gone, Thomas Paine?

With last week's Republican National Convention introducing even greater levels of acrimony, nonsense, and downright Orwellian doublespeak (see clip below) to the national scene, it has me thinking back to the times of our founding fathers and marveling at how much we've lost touch with their story. It became difficult to watch as the grand old elephants heaped criticism on Barack Obama for being intelligent and inspiring. It was repulsive to listen to Sarah Palin mock and belittle Mr. Obama's background as a community organizer, passing off not only his work but the work of all grass roots community leaders as insubstantial and fruitless.

Where would we be without grass roots community organizers willing to sacrifice their well-being for the sake of change? Where would we be without the intelligent and articulate likes of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin? Today these three would be denegrated as East Coast Ivy League snobs. Nowadays we are more than content to be subject to the ridiculous whims of our own King George.

Back in 1776, Thomas Paine wrote a pamphlet that helped change the course of human history. His Common Sense inspired a burgeoning nation to wake up and recognize the opportunity that stood before them. Watching this presidential campaign devolve into a string of made-up stories and shallow insults, I wish there was a voice powerful enough to give us some Common Sense. Even if there was, I doubt you could hear it over the constant stream of noise that envelopes our day-to-day lives. And besides, nonsense sells better.