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An Epidemic of Historical Ignorance


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Cambridge - the home of Harvard, MIT, and other renowned institutions of higher learning....and yet the Cambridge City Council has voted to remove the State flag from its council chamber, claiming that the images on the flag represent the oppression of Native Americans.

 

From Wiki:  The flag of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts displays, on both sides, the state coat of arms centered on a white field. The shield depicts an Algonquian Native American with bow and arrow; the arrow is pointed downward, signifying peace. The arm itself is of Myles Standish[1] and signifies the philosophy that one would rather lose their right arm than live under tyranny.

 

Despite this clear explanation that is taught in grade school, these mental midgets have chosen to misinterpret the flag symbols, claiming that the sword over the native represents a "threat" and is a reference to the "genocide" carried out against the tribes.  The ignorance is overwhelming.

 

Flag-of-Massachusetts-XL.jpg

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Not sure about the arm representing Miles Standish’s statement about freedom though. In heraldry it signifies a cavalry connection.

Its on the crest of the 7th Cavalry and also Mass National Guard units.

 

16D96357-232B-4423-91DA-CE623E151766.jpeg

867B3F85-0A26-47CB-986E-2AD1667F7E78.png

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13 minutes ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

Not sure about the arm representing Miles Standish’s statement about freedom though. In heraldry it signifies a cavalry connection.

Its on the crest of the 7th Cavalry and also Mass National Guard units.

 

16D96357-232B-4423-91DA-CE623E151766.jpeg

867B3F85-0A26-47CB-986E-2AD1667F7E78.png

 

The Mass. NG Crest appears to be the same as that arm on the flag. I knew the sword/sabre often represented the military, but it seems it also can represent justice and honor. I was unaware of a purely cavalry connection. Can you elaborate?

I looked here to double check:

http://www.americancollegeofheraldry.org/achsymbols.html

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6 minutes ago, Sixgun Sheridan said:

It is only a matter of time before George Washington and Thomas Jefferson are labeled as nothing but racist white slave owners and their statues/images start getting taken down everywhere.

You mean they haven't been already? :angry: 

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WOW!  On the same day that I write about the Baseball Hall of Fame and its hypocrisy I find this parallel form of hypocrisy as well.  I will just quote myself:

 

Quote

What's weird is how times and mores change but we only selectively allow those changes to go backwards in time and then, from my saddle, anyway, only negatively.  America is so politically correct and race based politics so much in the forefront that it is easy as pie to condemn Thomas Jefferson for owning slaves, to condemn Abraham Lincoln for not actually being favorably disposed towards black people, to call Franklin Delano Roosevelt a racist, etc.  Very modern concepts, yes? 

 

 

So I have to ask, if these oh-so-sensitive mental midgets elected to these modern legislatures fail to understand their own state's history how long will it before, Mount Vernon is locked up tight, Monticello is town down, and American military heroes are refused burial in Arlington National Cemetery because the land once belong to Robert E. Lee, and remember, he is still recognized as one of the greatest American generals of all time, no matter which side he fought on during the "Recent Unpleasantness".

 

These people are sanctimonious hypocrites and will be the ruin of everything great that the United States of America stands for.

 

 

 

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27 minutes ago, Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 said:

For a bit more history, below is the 1775 version of the State Seal; notice the armor and the sword shape.

 

Massachusetts state coat of arms (illustrated, 1876).jpg

 

LL

I've been digging around in vain for my reference book on heraldry.  :angry: A bare arm raised and bent at the elbow is referred to as embowed. If clothed it is "vested" and if armored it is "vambraced" if I recall. Maybe SD Joe can elaborate. He's also into Heraldry. A very complicated system.

The raised arm with saber appears on hundreds of family and city coats of arms or crests. In the middle ages it was associated with strength and military prowess. It eventually became closely linked to the chevaliers of France an through that lineage to cavalry. It is most associated with modern cavalry units these days and has been since the Revolution.

I've looked at several Standish coats of arms but haven't seen the same representation, so the mystery is who came up with the Mass crest and associated the arm with ole Myles.?

More Standish info here than anyone needs. ;)

 

 

HeraldryArm.jpg

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3 hours ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

Not sure about the arm representing Miles Standish’s statement about freedom though. In heraldry it signifies a cavalry connection.

Its on the crest of the 7th Cavalry and also Mass National Guard units.

 

16D96357-232B-4423-91DA-CE623E151766.jpeg

867B3F85-0A26-47CB-986E-2AD1667F7E78.png

The pilgrims had cavalry?  Outstanding!

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3 minutes ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

The pilgrims had cavalry?  Outstanding!

They were Pilgrims, not Quakers. :D

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Yes, anything offensive to “indigenous peoples” is to be eradicated. Even if there are no indigenous people offended or even present. I am sure if you drill into this you will find the latest cancer involved in this decision. That cancer is a group spreading across the land called Govt Alliance on Racial Equity. Look em up. They have infiltrated 127 cities and city agencies across the country.

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A complete guide to Heraldry, Chapter 10:

When the whole arm from the shoulder is used, it is always bent at the elbow, and this is signified by the term "embowed," and an arm embowed necessarily includes the whole arm. Fig. 262 shows the usual position of an arm embowed, but it is sometimes placed embowed to the dexter (Fig. 263), upon the point of the elbow, that is, "embowed fesseways" (Fig. 264), and also, but still more infrequently, resting on the upper arm (Fig. 265). Either of the latter positions must be specified in the blazon. Two arms "counter-embowed" occur in many crests (Figs. 266 and 267).

Fig. 259.—A hand "in benediction."

Fig. 259.—A hand "in benediction."

Fig. 260.—A cubit arm.

Fig. 260.—A cubit arm.

Fig. 261.—An arm couped at the elbow.

Fig. 261.—An arm couped at the elbow.

Fig. 262.—An arm embowed.

Fig. 262.—An arm embowed.

Fig. 263.—An arm embowed to the dexter.

Fig. 263.—An arm embowed to the dexter.

Fig. 264.—An arm embowed fesseways.

Fig. 264.—An arm embowed fesseways.

Fig. 265.—An arm embowed the upper part in fesse.

Fig. 265.—An arm embowed the upper part in fesse.

Fig. 266.—Two arms counter-embowed.

Fig. 266.—Two arms counter-embowed.

Fig. 267.—Two arms counter-embowed and interlaced.

Fig. 267.—Two arms counter-embowed and interlaced.

 

I may or may not have at one point in my history spent time as a field herald in the SCA, so I can't say for sure if I can remember without reference the significance of "an arm embowed, vambraced, holding a sabre"...

 

 

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1 hour ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

They were Pilgrims, not Quakers. :D

And it is pretty certain that they didn't have any horses to speak of and almost no spare baggage to bring over, such as firearms (pretty primitive if they had more than a few), or armor, or much to gain by fighting against superior numbers and weapons of  enemies with more experience than they themselves had, and with a greater  knowledge of the land and how to get by in / on it.  :o

 

 

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