There used to be a New York City street named in honor of Thomas Paine.

And rightly so. Our country wouldn't exist without him. Thomas Paine is like the founding fathers’ founding father. He’s the one who made the convincing case for independence. And when it happened, New York City became the country’s first capital. Its also the place where Paine chose to spend his final years, after being given a farm by New York State as a thank you gift for his role in the formation of the nation. But his religious convictions didn’t align with those of Trinity Church. So they lobbied--successfully--to change the street named in honor of Paine from Reason Street to Barrow Street, after a rich church-member.

Lets change it back.

It will be a symbolic victory. But not at all an empty one. When we show our leaders that we think its important to honor the heroes of religious liberty, they'll push policies with the same principles, knowing they have our support (i.e. not letting the agendas of religious establishments become institutionalized by law and, in effect, preside over people of different religious pursuasions and orientations.) When that happens, Reason Street will pay homage to Thomas Paine as well as the petitioners and politicians who made it a priority.

The guy who did as much as anyone to spark the creation of a country founded on religious liberty deserves to be honored for it. Thats a good reason. That’s common sense.