I wasn’t aware that Gadsden’s flag had become an “issue” recently. But, that said, everything is becoming an issue these days. Everything is white supremacist, everything is racist. Tim Worstall links to a blog about this.
Post-Charlottesville, I have often stated that the war on American history would not end with Confederate generals, or Confederate privates. Every American historical figure is at risk. Recent evidence of this was the city of Charlottesville’s decision to end its observance of Jefferson’s birthday. But almost every day some American figure or symbol is being targeted.
Around July 4th, it was the Betsy Ross flag. Now it is the iconic “Don’t Tread on Me” Gadsden Flag. Why? Because apparently some white supremacist somewhere has embraced it.
I guess that makes the United States Navy a white supremacist organization. From 1980 to 2002, the Navy used a variant of the rattlesnake/Don’t Tread on Me symbol on the Navy Jack flown by the oldest commissioned ship in the fleet. Since 11 September, 2002, all ships in the Navy have used this jack. I guess that also makes the United States Naval Academy (one of my alma maters) a white supremacist organization: Navy sports teams have worn rattlesnake/Don’t Tread on Me-emblazoned uniforms since 2014.
The Professor’s response to this behaviour?
So here is my response.
You have “issues” with the Gadsden Flag? Go fuck yourself.
You have “issues” with the Betsy Ross flag? Go fuck yourself.
You have “issues” with my “Come and Take It” shirt? Go fuck yourself.
I could go on. But you get the idea.
I cannot emphasise strongly enough just how spot on this approach is. Every time some SJW gets uppity about some perceived offence, tell them to go fuck themselves. Every time the twitter mob go into meltdown because someone, somewhere offended their delicate sensibilities and is therefore a racist or a xenophobe, tell them to go fuck themselves. Never justify, never explain and never, never, apologise to these people for they are poison and their ideology is pure, unadulterated evil.
So, it seems the Gadsden flag is a problem for someone called Chris Pratt because he wore one on a shirt:
Chris Pratt has sparked a debate on social media after stepping out in a controversial tee shirt. The Avengers: Endgame star was recently photographed on a date with new wife Katherine Schwarzenegger, but a few *Twitter users singled out the shirt that Pratt was wearing.
Journalist Hunter Harris posted a zoom of Pratt’s black shirt on Twitter, which features the American flag. If you look closely however, a coiled rattlesnake symbol can also be seen on it alongside text which reads “Don’t tread on me”.
So, clearly he is a racist white supremacist. Altogether now: “Go fuck yourself!”
*For Twitter users who do this sort of thing, insert “fuckwit” it scans just as well, if not better.
Edited to add: You will see this image in my sidebar. Call that my personal “fuck you” to those who might have issues with it.
Don’t tread on me. The apostrophe is necessary.
They are colonials, what do you expect?
Can we please make every possible use of the term Woken SS so that hopefully these scum become aware of the term, that’ll upset the bastards?
http://www.timworstall.com/2019/07/18/the-woken-ss/
Yes, indeed.
I’ve seen that snake and don’t tread on me logo in the past and wondered what it meant. So, what does it mean and why is it upsetting for the offendatrons?
Apparently a white supremacist was seen using it somewhere. That’s enough for the twitter cretins.
It was used during the American Revolutionary war as a symbol of resistance. Leave me alone and we will be fine, but tread on me and I’ll strike.
The CFMEU union, a really thuggish union, uses it in Australia. A friend of mine had T shirts made with a picture of a mongoose killing a snake with the slogan “if you strike, we’ll fight back”.
Yeah, anything can be usurped.
Thanks, Longrider. We should start the GFY Movement. 😉
Glad to be aware of your blog. I’ll add it to my RSS and visit regularly.
Cheers,
The Streetwise Professor
It’s a pleasure.
What’s that old football chant? “Come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough.”
Thanks for the explanation, every day is a schoolday. Ok, if this symbol originated at the time of the US civil war it possibly has racist roots. But the meaning about wanting to be left alone to live your life but being prepared to fight back against those who don’t get the message is pretty universal. There is some conflict at work at the moment because quite a few of us don’t want to waste a day going indoor karting. I think I might have to get a tee shirt with this logo on it.
No, the revolutionary war against Britain.
Wasn’t the main issue there about taxation without representation? In that case I’m not sure how the snake metaphor applies. It still remains a thing that can be applied more generally to other situations though.
As the revolution developed, it moved towards the concept of liberty.
“The Rebellion in North America.” Still not put down, btw.
I think this was one of the finest blogposts I have ever seen and thanks to both you and Tim for highlighting it. The previous post on Trump’s tweets vs ‘The Squad’ is on a par. Suffice it to say this blog joins yours on the list of required reading for anyone of sound mind
ISTR seeing the exactly same banner being used by a parlimentry unit in the English civil war. Unfortunately I cannot find the source
A bit early I’d have thought…