Join or Die!: A Fresh Look at an Old Classic
This work, is a refreshed and updated version of the original illustration. It has historical relevance that still applies to the United States today, but oddly in a slightly different way. I have shown the Benjamin Franklin $100 dollar bill in juxtaposition to his illustration to contrast the two ideas. One is unchecked capitalist greed, and the other is a message urging the population to unify. Greed is just one of the many things dividing the country right now. But also hard party-line extremists, unwilling to meet in the middle and compromise on hot-button issues, seem to be polarizing the general population A.K.A. the working class, politically. The snake that Benjamin Franklin originally illustrated represented the colonies, and was originally used as propaganda during the French and Indian War. The idea was that the country was like a chopped up snake- divided- but colonists needed to band together or suffer a huge loss. The illustration had so much impact and was so successful that it was used during the American Revolution to encourage the 13 colonies to join together to fight a common enemy, which at that time was the British government unfairly taxing colonists, without giving them representation in their parliament. I’m not really sure if they even cared about being represented after a certain point, so much as gaining complete independence, and recognition of said independence by the British.
Benjamin Franklin’s illustration, which may have actually been inspired by a French illustrator before him, has new relevance today. Today, the “United” States seem divided once again. This time not into colonies, but definitely states, but moreover parties that can’t seem to get much done. Not to sound too idealistic or extreme, but it does seem like if we can’t “join” or unite on some issues, then we may not literally die- at least not at first- but definitely fall apart. Not many people want to see this country fall apart, although there are some that might favor that idea in lieu of a stale go-nowhere government. To them, falling apart may be a chance for a fresh start. But in answer to them I would quote Abraham Lincoln:
America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.
In essence, the above expresses the same message the “Join or Die” poster conveys when viewed in the context of today. I think it’s relevant that this was said by a Civil War president. The Civil War proved nothing, if not that we should learn to compromise about certain issues, and relentlessly pursue changes if we see that something is ethically wrong with the country. If we are truly united, we’ll never be divided.
However, in the spirit of freedom, and the pursuit of ethically sound change within the borders of this country, I will end with another quote from Lincoln:
“If by the mere force of numbers a majority should deprive a minority of any clearly written constitutional right, it might, in a moral point of view, justify revolution.”
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