Friday, August 20, 2010

‘Should Our Motto Feature ‘Apple Pie’?‘
  The Republic piece by Thomas D. Segel

Harlingen, Texas, August 21, 2010:  Apple Pie arrived on these shores at the same time our first colonists stepped foot on America’s soil.  Early in our history the statement “As American as Apple Pie” was used to describe a person or a trait that was symbolic of our country.  It is said that during World War II when American soldiers were asked what they were fighting for….the most common answer was “For Mom and Apple Pie.“

“Why would anyone be fixated on Apples or Apple Pie at a time when the United States is facing so much trouble,” you ask?  It could very well be because apples have always been important to our culture and to our history.

Apples have long been a symbol of youth, love and happiness. They have been symbolic of having ample food for the population and a bountiful harvest.  In the United States alone, there are more than one thousand different kinds of apples…and they are all descendants of one wild crab apple tree.  So, from the one we are many – just as in this country, from the many we are one.  Apple blossoms are white and pink, symbolic of courage, strength, action, motion and passion.

In the late 1700s it was the law of the land that anyone purchasing or being granted new property was required to plant a minimum of 50 apple trees.  This was to assure those on the property would always have food available.

Few school children have not read the legend of Johnny Appleseed.  It is perhaps our most prevalent legend.  The man did live and did plant almost countless apple trees.  John Chapman was born in 1774.  In his mid-twenties he started a journey back and forth across the country offering apple trees and seedlings to settlers.  Still in force was the law requiring landowners to plant 50 apple trees during their first year after acquiring the property.  This law allowed Chapman to make a living by his distribution efforts.  He continued his work planting seeds, growing his own orchards, distributing saplings and offering trees to settlers for the next half century.  It was his dream that nobody in America would ever go hungry.

The motto of the United States of America is “In God We Trust”, but today we have a people and a national leadership that do not even trust each other.  There is a fracture running through America with one side of this divide belittling or denigrating all symbols of patriotism.  The remaining citizens still strongly uphold the Eagle, the Flag and “In God We Trust”.

Those who look with disdain on patriotic symbols are quick to counter any charge that ‘they’ are unpatriotic…and perhaps in most cases that is true.  However, they still seem to find fault with all of our traditional symbols.  Perhaps we can change some hearts and bring them back into the fold with a fresh motto that should rally all voices.  Maybe we should once again bring up from the past that old saying…”As American As Apple Pie”.  Few people turn up their noses at Apple Pie, so how could they fault such a statement if it were our patriotic cry?

Semper Fidelis

Thomas D. Segel
http://thomasdsegel.com/

Posted by Thomas D. Segel on 8/20/10

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