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Frankly, however, I wouldn’t put much weight on that. Indeed the “Don’t Tread on Me” flag has at times in the past been hijacked by less than savoury groups. If you’re wondering if it’s ever been used to promote racist agendas before, yes, it has. Its application in history is rooted in its imagery – the infamous snake has been used in the past by Benjamin Franklin’s “Join, or Die.” – which was actually the first political cartoon – and the rattlesnake as a symbol continued to be used throughout the years as the representation of the American people and their drive for self-determination. Originally, it was flown by the Continental Marines as a motto flag along with the Moultrie (Liberty Flag). The Gadsden Flag was designed in 1775 during the American Revolution by the general and politician Christopher Gadsden.
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Regardless of where you’re from, I think this is a sentiment you can relate to on a human level. It’s a fair warning for all would-be oppressors to back off. In my mind, “Don’t Tread on Me” is very similar to the Roman, “Si vis pacem, para bellum” (If you want peace, prepare for war). This is spelled out, not as a contrarian argument, but more as a fact – a plainly put statement of resistance, which makes it far more applicable to day-to-day life and thus far more frequently used and thus ubiquitous in terms of seeing it used regularly. It’s not a declaration of war, but rather an implicit threat implying: “We won’t take shit from anyone.” The comparison is apt as they both represent responding with force to perceived threats, but I have always preferred the Gadsden flag as the perfect expression of subtle defiance and resistance. The Gadsden flag is often described as the American equivalent of the Spartan “ molon labe” (“come and take ”) motto. What Does “Don’t Tread On Me” Mean? What Does the Rattlesnake Symbolize? It’s a message that has lived on through the ages, and I feel will continue to represent strength in the years to come. Ever since it’s creation, the rattlesnake, the flag itself, and the message – “Don’t Tread on Me” have been a visible symbol of American individualism and assertiveness over the years.