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Fasces on Capital Hill
What great symbolism in this picture from President Obama's speech on health care before the Congress. First, notice the placement of the term "IN GOD WE TRUST" over the figures of the statist deities. Yes, folks, government is a religion.
Then, we have the fasces that flank this malevolent trinity. A little about fasces from wikipedia.org:
The bundle of rods bound together symbolizes the strength which a single rod lacks. The axe symbolized the state's power and authority. The ribbons binding the rods together symbolized the state's obligation to exercise restraint in the exercising of that power. [Fat chance on that last part.]
In other words, the axe symbolizes what happens to those who don't recognize the State's authority.
Of course, Washington, DC is filled with fasces symbolism. Abe Lincoln's hands rest on fasces (with the axes removed. I guess 650,000 dead in the War Between the States proved the symbolism a bit quaint).
There were also fasces on the mercury dime.
Trust in your gods in government...or get the axe.
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The great non sequitur committed by defenders of the State, including classical Aristotelian and Thomist philosophers, is to leap from the necessity of society to the necessity of the State.--Murray N. Rothbard
More about fasces in America.
This is important stuff. The presence of those fasces is not unintentional or based on some nebulous admiration for the "greatness" of the Classical Civilizations. It is a clear reference to collectivism and militarism. Good work grabbing the images! I hope people will spread these around, especially to their friends who think Abraham Lincoln "saved the union", when, in fact, he destroyed much of the Constitution.
Thanks, kimosabe!
That picture of Abe Lincoln with his hands as the axe head of the fasces is so telling as to his intent. It reminds me of voodoo chile by Jimi Hendrix.