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On January 16, 1998 the Thomas Paine Society of Pasadena selected Dr. John Beresford, Nora Callahan and Ralph Nader the recipients of the first annual Thomas Paine Awards. The Thomas Paine Awards were instituted to recognize and reward individuals who through their efforts have helped to encourage and inspire freedom, justice and reasoned thinking, principles that Thomas Paine struggled to promote throughout his life and works. Thomas Paine was a man with the resolve to stand by his convictions regardless of public opinion or sentiment. He was among the first to publicly oppose slavery and to write in support of women's rights. Recipients of the Thomas Paine Awards are selected for their courage to stand up for what they believe, in spite of opposition or personal hardship. The annual Thomas Paine Awards are intended to stimulate and renew interest in the works of Thomas Paine and to inspire the ideals of truth and social justice that he fought so hard to advance. Thomas Paine was America's most effective pamphleteer, encouraging the American Revolution with his treatise, Common Sense, the most widely read doctrine of his day. The Thomas Paine Society selected Nora Callahan of The November Coalition, for her tireless effort in the development of the November Coalition website, and newspaper, The Razor Wire. Both these media operate in the true spirit of Thomas Paine by giving the prisoners of America's "Drug War" and voice and a forum. John Beresford, was also awarded this honor for his struggle to maintain the Albert Hofmann Museum and for his unending dedication to publicize the plight of the "Drug War" prisoners around the world. Ralph Nader was honored for his lifetime protecting citizen's rights and who is currently working to improve our election process. The Annual Thomas Paine Awards include a lifetime membership in the Thomas Paine Society of Pasadena, a Thomas Paine Society Award Certificate and a cash award of $500.00. "When it shall be said in any country of the world, my poor are happy, neither ignorance or distress is to be found among them; my jails are empty of prisoners, my streets of beggars, the aged are not in want, the taxes are not oppressive . . . When these things can be said, then may that country boast its constitution and its government." Thomas Paine, The Rights of Man (1791) |
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