"I tread where I please"

[orangecrush]

Last edited Mon Aug 18, 2025, 09:51 PM - Edit history (1)

From "Catholic Workers" FB page ..


[url=https://ibb.co/7NbgSq2y][img][/img][/url]


To wit -


https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2021/01/dont-tread-on-me-flag-widely-flown-by-capitol-mob-has-complex-history.html

[Celerity]

1. Why are you posting this religio-fascist bollocks?

[The Blue Flower]

2. I think it's a great reply to the Gadsden flag

In the eye of the beholder, I guess. I take the snake to be satan (evil).

[Celerity]

3. The Gadsen Flag and Don't Tread on Me were symbols of the American Revolution gainst the tyranny of the King

Why would I want some chisto-fash projection trampling that?

I also do not give a toss about some RW assholes trying to co-opt it, I refuse to let them take it away, nor do I accept some Christian mythology trying to push up on it.

Gadsden flag

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gadsden_flag

The Gadsden flag is a historical American flag with a yellow field depicting a timber rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike. Beneath the rattlesnake are the words Dont Tread on Me. Some modern versions of the flag include an apostrophe in the word "don't".

The flag is named after Christopher Gadsden, a South Carolinian delegate to the Continental Congress, brigadier general in the Continental Army and Slaver, who designed the flag in 1775 during the American Revolution. He gave the flag to Commodore Esek Hopkins, and it was unfurled on the main mast of Hopkins' flagship USS Alfred on December 20, 1775. Two days later, Congress made Hopkins commander-in-chief of the Continental Navy. He adopted the Gadsden banner as his personal flag, flying it from the mainmast of the flagship while he was aboard. The Continental Marines also flew the flag during the early part of the war.

The rattlesnake was a symbol of the unity of the Thirteen Colonies at the start of the Revolutionary War, and it had a long history as a political symbol in America. Benjamin Franklin used it for his Join, or Die woodcut in 1754. Gadsden intended his flag to serve as a physical symbol of the American Revolution's ideals.

If you search around for that 'I Tread Where I Want' flag you posted, you will see it is a lot RW christo-fashies who are pushing it.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

4. Our Lady of Guadalupe is an aspect of the Virgin Mary that is highly venerated in Mexico and is often used as a symbol

for social justice. It's a deeply meaningful symbol; she is often depicted as treading upon a snake, and overlaying her on the Gadsden flag is often seen as resistance iconography.

[Celerity]

5. I refuse to bend to any Christian iconography that claims 'I Tread Where I Please' Full stop.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

6. No one is asking you to. I'm just telling you why the image is important to some people

[ForgedCrank]

8. No one

is demanding or even asking you to bend anything. There's no need to insult Catholics with such a hateful comment.
If you don't like it, simply ignore it.

[Skittles]

21. I cannot stand that crap either

there sure are a lot of excuses for it though

[writerJT]

25. You forgot to use a U.K. phrase in this one.

[Celerity]

31. Did I now? I think not, not that it matters in the slightest.

[writerJT]

34. Blimey!

Did you get it all out?

[orangecrush]

10. Thank you

That's exactly what it is.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

32. You might be interested in Ben Wildflower's work -- clearly influenced by Ade Bethune and the like.

Note gadsden snake in the second one.

[RPM]

38. The Snake here is the Union. This sucks.

Doubly so when some quasi-religious figure is trampling on it.

[orangecrush]

9. The representation is a reaction to the right wing hijacking

Of said flag.

[Celerity]

13. I refuse RW hijacking of the Gadsen Flag as well. Here's an example of a trad-cath using 'I Tread where I Please' flag

[WhiskeyGrinder]

15. That's not a tradcath. That's a mainstream Catholic priest.

[Celerity]

16. Pushing some RW bullshit is not mainstream in my book. nt

[WhiskeyGrinder]

17. "Mainstream Catholic," I'm saying.

[Celerity]

20. Yes, I understood that, and I do not think that (using his words/retweets):

1. I do not think that (in re US unis) 'What they call a centrist, the entire rest of the world considers far, far left-wing.'

And the priest's use of this: 'I have hard-core democrat friends' is a tell.

2. I do not agree that 'Michael Malice is right when he says, "Public schools are literal prisons for children' nor do I consider Fox News a valid source.

3. I certainly do not think that this abortion framing is valid AT ALL:

[WhiskeyGrinder]

24. Celerity, no one is asking you to agree with Catholic tenets or some random ass priest.

The OP included a symbol that is important both religiously AND culturally to various groups of people, in a context showing it trampling a symbol culturally important to other people. It resonates pretty loudly for anyone who's familiar with cultural touchstones in the Mexican/Central American community, as ICE is targeting precisely those people. It's fine to reject it for yourself; there are a lot of people under the gun in this moment who find it comforting, inspiring and powerful, whether they're religious or not.

[Celerity]

26. I'll always have problems with any religion that claims it treads where it pleases. I highly doubt that synthetic trio,

ie combining a Mexican originated aspect of the Virgin Mary with 2 distinctly Anglo constructs (riffing off 'Don't Tread on Me' plus the Gadsen Flag) is being bandied about by communities of colour now under attack by Trump-stapo ICE and other Trumpian/MAGA thugs.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

29. And I highly doubt I can convince you otherwise, so we'll leave it at that.

[orangecrush]

36. ...

https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2021/01/dont-tread-on-me-flag-widely-flown-by-capitol-mob-has-complex-history.html

[orangecrush]

19. I am guessing

He disapproves of the flag.

[Celerity]

23. That is a false claim. He literally said : 'New background for today's show!'

Link to tweet

and

[orangecrush]

37. ...

https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2021/01/dont-tread-on-me-flag-widely-flown-by-capitol-mob-has-complex-history.html

[Celerity]

39. non sequitur

That link doesn't show anything that proves your claim here:



Whereas my reply to your post 19 shows he does approve of it, enough that he is using it for his show and telling people where to buy one.

[orangecrush]

12. Nonsense

AI Overview



+4
The "Don't Tread on Me" phrase and the associated Gadsden flag are primarily associated with right-wing and libertarian ideologies, often representing a strong stance against government overreach and a defense of individual liberties. However, the symbol's meaning has evolved, and it is also associated with historical and patriotic sentiments

[Celerity]

14. Again I refuse to let the RW co-opt it, and I do not have to lean into AI to do so.

[orangecrush]

18. Ok

Have a great day.

I do enjoy your posts, sorry we disagree.

[orangecrush]

11. ...

AI Overview



+4
The "Don't Tread on Me" phrase and the associated Gadsden flag are primarily associated with right-wing and libertarian ideologies, often representing a strong stance against government overreach and a defense of individual liberties. However, the symbol's meaning has evolved, and it is also associated with historical and patriotic sentiments

[orangecrush]

7. Apparently

You don't know the history of the Catholic Workers movement.

I'll spell it out for you.

The Icon of the Virgin is often depicted as crushing a snake with her foot.

In this case, she is crushing the snake that appears on right wing militia images.

The Catholic workers were founded in the height of the great depression, and are the polar opposite of fascist.


The Catholic Worker Movement is a collection of autonomous communities founded by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin in the United States in 1933. Its aim is to "live in accordance with the justice and charity of Jesus Christ".[2] One of its guiding principles is hospitality towards those on the margin of society, based on the principles of communitarianism and personalism. To this end, the movement claims over 240 local Catholic Worker communities providing social services.[3] Each house has a different mission, going about the work of social justice in its own way, suited to its local region.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Worker_Movement

I will excuse your knee jerk reaction.

[LeftInTX]

42. She's the patron saint of the Americas, but I've never seen the snake thing before, nor anything authoritarian.

Cesar Chavez's movement was devoted to her.

Today is el día de la Virgen de Guadalupe, and millions throughout Mexico and the Southwest celebrate the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico's patron saint. Her image not only serves as a symbol of faith for many but was and still is a source of inspiration for The Movement.

"At the head of the Pilgrimage, we carry La Virgen de la Guadalupe because she is ours, all ours, Patroness of the Mexican people." -Cesar Chavez
#nationalchavezcenter #virgendeguadalupe



When I was in HS, the Gadsden Flag was a symbol of resistance to the Vietnam War. I picked up a patch from the Army surplus and wore it on my jean jacket.

[whathehell]

52. It's a co-optation of a traditional religious picture,

onto a political message. The original, one of a number I grew up seeing as a Catholic child, simply expresses the idea of Mary, mother of Jesus, crushing evil as personified by Satan in the form of a serpent..You may view this as "bollocks" too, but it's got zero to do with "religio-fascism".

[Skittles]

22. that religion often "treads" where they are not wanted

[orangecrush]

27. A lot of religions do that

And there are also some wonderful people in the Catholic church who do amazing work.

[Skittles]

28. yeah, whatever

a lot of people do great work without religion

over and out

[orangecrush]

30. Orange, clear.

[sl8]

33. The "where" now includes a heavy footstep within our schools, in several states. nt

[orangecrush]

35. IIRC

Catholics have their own schools, and have never pushed for religion in public schools.

[orangecrush]

45. I am a firm believer in the separation of church and state

And Idiocracy is where we are.

[jfz9580m]

49. Got it

Yeah Idiocracy was a good documentary.
Apparently originally it was supposed to have an annoying OS as potus rather than Prez Camacho. President ChatGPT..

[orangecrush]

50. "documentary"

Got that right

[sl8]

44. "Supreme Court blocks Catholic public charter school"

I was thinking of Christanity in general, not specifically Catholics, but:

https://www.ncronline.org/news/supreme-court-blocks-catholic-public-charter-school

Supreme Court blocks Catholic public charter school

Brian Fraga
Staff Reporter

Washington, D.C. — May 22, 2025

The U.S. Supreme Court has blocked an effort by two Catholic dioceses in Oklahoma to establish what would have been the nation's first taxpayer-funded religious public charter school.

The high court's 4-4 ruling on Thursday, May 22, sidesteps what could have been a landmark decision that had the potential to impact charter schools nationwide and create a precedent for taxpayer-funded parochial schools.

The one-page decision did not include a tally of how the justices voted. It only stated that a lower court’s previous ruling against the school was "affirmed by an equally divided court."

[...]

In a joint statement, Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley and Tulsa Bishop David Konderla said they were disappointed with the decision and added that they will be exploring "other options for offering a virtual Catholic education to all persons" in Oklahoma.

[...]

[orangecrush]

46. You're right

Not bashing snakes, which are cool.

Just the use of them as a symbol for hate.

Not the snakes fault at all.

[orangecrush]

51. Much appreciated

And Im glad you saw my garbage post!

Did I post a "Spirit" song on that?





Appreciate your comment and your posts!

[LeftInTX]

41. I've never seen OLG with a snake..LOL Nor have her depicted as "authoritarian".

[orangecrush]

47. Definitely not authoritarian

There is this.

And Lady of Guadeloupe is standing on an upturned crescent moon.

"There are many different meanings for this symbol depending on culture and/or beliefs. My simple understanding of it in a Western Pagan sense is that it symbolizes the Moon Goddess due to it being the shape of the crescent moon and being upturned it could represent a vessel/cup/chalice or the womb, thereby, giving it a feminine attribute."

The Catholic church snuck a lot of pagan imagery into stuff, the symbolism of which was lost on the average Catholic, but was taught to the clergy in certain circles.

Found this ...


https://aleteia.org/2020/09/08/why-is-mary-depicted-standing-on-a-snake/

[bif]

53. The Catholic Worker is actually a very cool organization

I've been getting their newsletter for decades. I'm an agnostic but I really appreciate all that they do. They've been feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless for decades, thank's to their founder Dorothy Day.

[orangecrush]

54. She was a depression era "radical"

Insofar as justice and economic parity are radical.

[orangecrush]

56. I've never heard it so well put

Thanks very much for expressing it so well!