Thomas Paine’s Common Sense 1774 went “viral” in the American colonies in 1774 and inspired our Declaration of Independence. We just celebrated its 249th anniversary. It was a declaration of freedom from the impulsive edicts and wars of a mad king, from taxation without representation, from state-imposed religion. That freedom has been expanded to abolish slavery; to extend the right to vote to all races and genders and the right to marry between all races and genders. For most of the past two centuries, a variety of madmen, autocrats, kleptocrats, oligarchs and religious zealots worldwide have been arrayed against the principles of freedom and democracy espoused by Thomas Paine and embraced by our Thomas Paine Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Norbert Capek, James Reeb, Viola Liuzzo, and others, including the millions who demonstrated on No Kings Day last month, have stood up to these bullies and would-be tyrants. We are in good company, and we are still standing.