Historical Background:
Rattlesnake Symbolism:
– The rattlesnake has represented the American colonies since the 1750s.
– Benjamin Franklin popularized it with his 1754 political cartoon “Join, or Die,” where the segmented snake symbolized the colonies needing unity.
– The rattlesnake isn’t aggressive unless provoked—vigilant, defensive, and ready to strike when stepped on.
Christopher Gadsden:
– In 1775, Christopher Gadsden—a politician and general from South Carolina—designed the flag.
– It was presented to the Continental Congress and used by the Continental Marines (early U.S. Marines) as one of the first naval ensigns.
Revolutionary War Use:
– The flag sent a clear message: “Back off, Britain.” The colonies were ready to fight for their freedom.
Later Usage and Modern Context:
Over the years, the Gadsden flag became a symbol of American patriotism, individual freedom, and standing up against government overreach—values most people say they believe in until it gets uncomfortable.
It’s been flown by the U.S. military, embraced by libertarians, and—yeah, I’m including this even if it grinds my gears—the Tea Party movement in recent decades.
(My personal take? The Tea Party folks either didn’t grasp the historical context or didn’t care. Probably the latter, but I digress.)
Controversy:
– Lately, some far-right groups have latched onto it, muddying the flag’s perception.
– But let’s be real: The flag’s core meaning is about freedom and warning against tyranny—simple as that.
History Repeats Itself (Even If We Pretend It Doesn’t)
Everyone loves to say, “We need to learn from history!” Cool idea. Shame nobody actually does.
We fought the Nazis in World War II, came home victorious, and—let’s be honest—enjoyed a good run of unity and prosperity. Fast forward to the 1960s, and suddenly our government is sending folks off to die in Vietnam.
(And for the purists: No, I didn’t forget the Korean War—we’ll get to that in another post. Patience.)
Post-Vietnam, America slid into this weird comfort zone. Yeah, we had our problems, but people were generally chilling—popping out kids, living that “American Dream” vibe. Except for that little Ronald Reagan caveat (depending on who you ask).
But here’s where I think we screwed up: We got too comfortable. Generations passed, and somewhere along the way, we forgot to teach our kids that sometimes you’ve got to stand your ground, or people will walk all over you.
I really started noticing this during Desert Storm.
Full disclosure: I didn’t think we should’ve been there.
Some of you will argue, “But… our allies! Our oil!” Yeah, I get the argument. Doesn’t mean I have to like it—it’s still about money when you boil it down.
What really struck me, though? The lack of protests. Vietnam had the country in turmoil, body bags on TV every night, and massive demonstrations. Desert Storm? Not so much. Was it because fewer soldiers came home in coffins? Or had we, a couple of generations removed, become desensitized to government BS?
It took a huge disaster in this country to bring us together and make people give a shit again.
I’m talking about 9/11. After that, we all said, “Well, they just blew us the hell up—go get them.”
There was unity then. How did we get from that to what feels like an authoritarian government now? That’s a question I ask myself every day. Honestly? I didn’t see this coming.
Now that we’re here, let me remind everyone: We’re all immigrants. And guess what? They don’t really care about us.
Historically, I’ve voted Democrat because life is usually better for disabled folks when there’s a Democrat in the White House. I didn’t vote for the current president. If you’re still reading and you did, I’ve got a serious question: Do you want people like me to not be here? If that’s the case—fuck you.
I’ve got friends who voted for him, and to those people—I don’t get it. Can you explain it to me? Are you really going to tell me, “Oh, he’s not going to hurt you, Lucas”? Really? How do you know that?
Also—seriously—why do you care what body part someone has? If someone uses a bathroom stall, you don’t know what’s in their pants. And why does it matter? Are you that insecure? Live your life and let others live theirs.
Back to being disabled—Medicaid pays for a medication that keeps my muscle spasms under control. That medication costs around six grand every three months. Without Medicaid, I’d be screwed. Some of you are cheering the “dismantling” of the government, but they’re not using a scalpel—they’re swinging a chainsaw. And sooner or later, that’s going to hurt people like me.
We’ve got to stand up. If we don’t, we won’t recognize this country anymore.
Call your congressman. Maybe it’s time to march.
I’ve been contacting my congressman, and both senators, nearly every day for the last few months.
It’s time to march.
Organize.
Mobilize.
Donate.
Demonstrate.
MAKE SOME NOISE!!!