Surge Summary: The warnings “Don’t Tread on Me” and “Join or Die” were useful during early American conflicts – and they’re message can serve patriots effectively today. Those citizens who recognize something is deeply wrong in the United States nowadays must rise up, speak out, stand for the truth together.
by Karen Testerman
Dotting the scenes across the land, especially here in New Hampshire is a yellow banner. It sports a snake with the words…Don’t Tread on Me! It expresses that leave me alone mentality with a warning, but why? What is the history.
As battles in the early years of America were being fought a symbol arose. Out of a superstition would arise a simple message. “Join or die.” The superstition about a snake was that if a segmented snake, one cut into several pieces, were reunited with those pieces the snake would rejuvenate and rise to life again. And so, Benjamin Franklin created the woodcut with a snake in eight pieces representing the colonies in the New World during the French and Indian War.
Years later the need to battle a common enemy became evident once again.
And so resurrected the symbolic snake. The symbol began appearing on clothing, buttons, paper currency, banners and flags. As time progressed the snake reconnected with its segments into the American Timber Rattlesnake. In an anonymous letter to the Philadelphia Journal in 1775, the author made observations supported with reasoning on why the snake should represent the new immerging nation.
- The American Timber Rattlesnake was indigenous to Northeast America.
- The eye of the rattler sees keenly symbolizing vigilance.
- The rattlesnake is not aggressive. She does not initiate an attack, but she will not surrender once engaged. She demonstrates generosity giving generous notice to potential enemies signaling the dangers if you tread on me I will strike. Her courage doesn’t allow her to give up.
- And the number of rattles on her tail numbered 13 representing the colonies in this new nation of America
- It is interesting that the rattles are the only part of the snake that can increase in number.
- Separated these rattles are ineffective, but all are aware when they are working together.
This is America. The land of the free and the brave. A land where United we stand, divided we will fall. A land where we are aware eternal vigilance is the price of freedom. Americans are generous, but once we decide to engage a common enemy we will not surrender.
Today we are facing an enemy that has emerged from within our ranks. It is not a country that we can easily identify. That enemy has been patiently planting seed of destruction, distraction and deceit. This enemy has been subtle and quietly under the radar infecting almost every home. We Americans can feel the throbs of distrust. We know in our souls that something is awry.
We are beginning to boldly speak about the truths we observe. The sleeping giant within each of us is stirring, stretching and waking. The time has come. Truth is being revealed. It is not too late to reignite that beautiful yellow symbol called the Gadsen Flag to march through our neighborhoods, the streets and our cities and towns to once again raise the throng,
Don’t tread on me…America is back!. America First. The spirit of America is united.
The views here are those of the author and not necessarily Daily Surge.
Image: By Benjamin Franklin – United States Library of Congress’s Prints and Photographs division; digital ID cph.3g05315; Public Domain; https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10604794
Karen Testerman is a proven leader, defender of life, liberty and property, radio host and speaker. She is the founder of First Principles NH and also the founder and former Executive Director of NH’s Family Policy Council (Cornerstone Policy Research) and the National Heritage Center for Constitutional Studies.
Surge Summary: The warnings “Don’t Tread on Me” and “Join or Die” were useful during early American conflicts – and they’re message can serve patriots effectively today. Those citizens who recognize something is deeply wrong in the United States nowadays must rise up, speak out, stand for the truth together.
by Karen TestermanDotting the scenes across the land, especially here in New Hampshire is a yellow banner. It sports a snake with the words…Don’t Tread on Me! It expresses that leave me alone mentality with a warning, but why? What is the history.
As battles in the early years of America were being fought a symbol arose. Out of a superstition would arise a simple message. “Join or die.” The superstition about a snake was that if a segmented snake, one cut into several pieces, were reunited with those pieces the snake would rejuvenate and rise to life again. And so, Benjamin Franklin created the woodcut with a snake in eight pieces representing the colonies in the New World during the French and Indian War.
Years later the need to battle a common enemy became evident once again.
And so resurrected the symbolic snake. The symbol began appearing on clothing, buttons, paper currency, banners and flags. As time progressed the snake reconnected with its segments into the American Timber Rattlesnake. In an anonymous letter to the Philadelphia Journal in 1775, the author made observations supported with reasoning on why the snake should represent the new immerging nation.
- The American Timber Rattlesnake was indigenous to Northeast America.
- The eye of the rattler sees keenly symbolizing vigilance.
- The rattlesnake is not aggressive. She does not initiate an attack, but she will not surrender once engaged. She demonstrates generosity giving generous notice to potential enemies signaling the dangers if you tread on me I will strike. Her courage doesn’t allow her to give up.
- And the number of rattles on her tail numbered 13 representing the colonies in this new nation of America
- It is interesting that the rattles are the only part of the snake that can increase in number.
- Separated these rattles are ineffective, but all are aware when they are working together.
This is America. The land of the free and the brave. A land where United we stand, divided we will fall. A land where we are aware eternal vigilance is the price of freedom. Americans are generous, but once we decide to engage a common enemy we will not surrender.Today we are facing an enemy that has emerged from within our ranks. It is not a country that we can easily identify. That enemy has been patiently planting seed of destruction, distraction and deceit. This enemy has been subtle and quietly under the radar infecting almost every home. We Americans can feel the throbs of distrust. We know in our souls that something is awry.
We are beginning to boldly speak about the truths we observe. The sleeping giant within each of us is stirring, stretching and waking. The time has come. Truth is being revealed. It is not too late to reignite that beautiful yellow symbol called the Gadsen Flag to march through our neighborhoods, the streets and our cities and towns to once again raise the throng,
Don’t tread on me…America is back!. America First. The spirit of America is united.
The views here are those of the author and not necessarily Daily Surge.
Image: By Benjamin Franklin – United States Library of Congress’s Prints and Photographs division; digital ID cph.3g05315; Public Domain; https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10604794Stay in the loop on killer content,
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