Marie's Crisis stands on the site where American Founding Father Thomas Paine died.  His 1776 political pamphlet, Common Sense (written in common language for mass appeal) led directly to the American Revolution.  His humanist values, and his commitment to democracy and the common person, along with the spontaneous, democratic nature of the singing at Marie's, leads one to ask, 'does the spirit of Thomas Paine still reside at 59 Grove Street?'

"What you're finding in Paine is the language of protest... radical democracy"
Dr. Eric Foner

"There's a direct connection between Thomas Paine and the way every American thinks... people sing Songs of Angry Men at Marie's and they may not know they mean it, but they kind of have to mean it."
Dr. Mark Buchan