Listening to a recent episode of “The Engines of Our Ingenuity,” author Andrew Boyd gave a historical look at our coinage in the U.S. and how it represents our culture.
He wrote: “Liberty. Out of many, one. In God we trust. U.S. coins offer a fascinating perspective on American culture. U.S. citizens are free to act as they choose – members of a republic founded on individual liberty. Yet, e pluribus unum, it’s recognized that the many must band together as one for the common good. And though the nation strives toward the highest ideals, it constantly grapples with conflicting principles. In God we trust is a foundational belief for most Americans; but for some, it violates the separation of church and state. Yet there it appears on one of the great symbols of American power.”
As I heard this, I thought about the recent news coverage of Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert who publicly insulted Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Muslim, saying she was part of the “jihad squad.” What an amazing holiday gift it would be for Congresswoman Boebert to reject the divisive, acrimonious, threatening, accusation-filled rhetoric of the far right, and think about the common good.
E pluribus unum, a republic that stands or falls as one. Those coins we hold in our hands represent diversity and liberty and union. We will struggle as Boyd notes with conflicting principles, but we must keep the highest ideal ... the common good.
Happy Holidays to one and all!
Timothy Thomas
Durango
