"She never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders: She is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage. ... she never wounds 'till she has generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her."

"I confess I was wholly at a loss what to make of the rattles, 'till I went back and counted them and found them just thirteen, exactly the number of the Colonies united in America; and I recollected too that this was the only part of the Snake which increased in numbers. ..."

"'Tis curious and amazing to observe how distinct and independent of each other the rattles of this animal are, and yet how firmly they are united together, so as never to be separated but by breaking them to pieces. One of those rattles singly, is incapable of producing sound, but the ringing of thirteen together, is sufficient to alarm the boldest man living."

These words are believed to have come from Benjamin Franklin. I've often thought this flag is better suited for our nation as well. I've made this emblem my user icon for politics. You can read more about the origins here.

Lyrics

We see it on TV, we get calls on the phone
By the prophets of doom, they won't leave us alone.
The planet is dying and there's no time to spare.
They spend all our days sowing seeds of despair.
We get enough bad news to harden our hearts.
This fear that we feed on is what's keeping us apart.
To say that we're doomed is just an obvious remark.
And it don't make you right, it just keeps you in the dark.

I don't want to live angry, I don't want to live scared.
I don't need no more prophets crying "brother beware."
just put some work in my hands and give me a dollar to spare.
And don't let me sow those seeds of despair.

Well, this earth is a graveyard, it will swallow our bones.
It was here long before us, It will be here when we're gone.
And it's a vain generation that looks for a sign.
Don't you think we could make better use of our time.
Yeah, the air could be cleaner and the water could too.
But what we do to each other are the worst things that we do.
And we can treasure our freedom behind our locked doors.
But God speed the day when we're lonely no more.

I don't want to live angry, I don't want to live scared.
I don't need no more prophets crying "brother beware."
just put some work in my hands and give me a dollar to spare.
And don't let me sow those seeds of despair.

John Mellencamp - Dance Naked - Another Sunny Day 12/25