In God We Trust

A declaration engraved into the currency of a country, establishing itself with a separation of church and state, a mandate written into the First Amendment of it's own Constitution. This statement is just the tip of the ice berg, in representation to the hypocrisy demonstrated by its government on a regular basis, claiming to be the "Land of the Free" where most occupants are unconsciously enslaved to the system and money that perpetuates its power.

Before discussing the topic of freedom in this country's current state of affairs, I would also like to highlight the foundation of "freedom" this country was built on. European colonists came to this land, initially not to discover a new world, but to increase the power and resources of an old one, seeking new routes to Asia, exchanging imports from China and India, and seeking other resources this new land had to offer. These colonists, not only began to inadvertently steal land that was not theirs, while claiming "rightful" ownership, but they viewed the Native people as "godless heathens" who needed Christianizing. Religious conversion was seen as the first step in the process of "civilizing" Native people in European fashion - thus eliminating the threat the Natives posed to colonization. Europeans generally interpreted cultural differences as evidence of their superiority to Native people, both morally and in practical matters of daily life. The belief of Europeans in their superiority enabled them to justify claiming Native land and imposing their social and economic systems on Native people. The sad truth to the history of this "free country" is that it was founded on a genocide. Those migrating from Europe, on the quest to freedom, eventually convinced themselves that consciously slaughtering & enslaving hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children was a necessity because the land they desired was occupied. The Native American way of life was considered "wrong" to colonists because it was different, and instead of choosing to understand their beliefs, which could have resulted in a major positive evolution, these early settlers dismissed them, while manipulating relationships to gain trust. Colonists befriended Natives offering new weapons never before seen, supplying them with an upper hand to take over rival territories on their Native land, and when there were no more rivals left, it was too late for them.

This would be a good transition into the man who secured himself a spot on the twenty dollar bill, Andrew Jackson, "perhaps America's worst president and the only one guilty of perpetrating a mass act of ethnic cleansing." "By clearing the Cherokee from the American South, Jackson hoped to open up more land cultivation by slave plantations. He owned hundreds of slaves, and in 1835 worked with his postmaster general to censor anti-slavery mailings from northern abolitionists." "If that weren't enough, he was a war criminal who suspended habeas corpus and executed prisoners for minor infractions during his time as a general in the War of 1812." "Andrew Jackson deserves a museum chronicling his crimes and dedicated to his victims, not commemoration on American currency."

This country, the country we consider to be the "Land of the Free", was built on the genocide of one race, facilitated by the enslavement of another race, while simultaneously implementing a judicial system that would consider this means of acquisition to be criminal and punishable by its own law. The Native American in this mural, mirrors the stance of Andrew Jackson, symbolically representing the struggle imposed on their race, by leaders like himself. A bloody tear drop slowly falls from the eye of the warrior, as his peace pipe is replaced by the gavel of the new systems implemented, rendering him powerless with resentment and contempt, faced with one of two choices: to flee his home, or die fighting for his land, his family, and his honor.

As we fast forward through time, I reflect on this history, and observe how it has unfolded to this present day. We live in an illusionary state of freedom, enslaved to the taxes shoved down our throats, the rules we agree to, and the boxes we put ourselves in, in the name of that freedom.

Between, Federal Tax, State Tax, Excise Tax, Property Tax, Taxes for Roads, Tolls for Roads (even though we pay Taxes for them as well) on top of a Sales Tax for anything we want to purchase for ourselves, with the money that has already been taxed, the average American doesn't even receive half of the money they earn, after it is all said and done.

Our money is being taken, we certainly do not control, or even necessarily approve of the resources it is funding, and our voices are not being heard. Our needs are not being met, and the freedom is conditional. In the famous words of Abraham Lincoln, "that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth". This country was supposed to be a land for the people and by the people. The school systems, the political systems, and the social systems have been designed to brainwash us into thinking this is not only the best way, but it is the only way to remain safe, secure, protected, and free. This mural is shining light onto the level of high end manipulation that we experience from our government, sadly depicting the reality of a society being trapped as prisoners of a system that we originally created, ironically enough, to escape this very fate.

To make matters worse, both democratic and republican parties representing our government, not only refuse to take responsibility for economic crisis' in this country, but they take it a step further & have brainwashed the masses to turn on each other, convincing the average person who is buying into main stream media, to blame those that identify with opposite parties for the issues this country faces. People are literally committing physical acts of violence in the name of one party over-powering another. We have the audacity to call ourselves the United States of America, as many citizens proudly and defiantly identify with either a Republican or Democratic Party, isolating themselves from others that do not share the same point of view. The energy between the masses of common people could not be more divided.

As we continue life using the currency that was created for us hundreds of years ago by the "Founding Fathers" of the country, further introspection reveals they may have been onto something with the words inscribed on the back of this dollar bill, despite the religious implications. All human beings are flawed, and regardless of qualifications, when given immense amounts of power and control, no human can fully be trusted. As we have seen with presidents like Richard Nixon in the Watergate scandal, power corrupts people. When an ordinary human is given such immense power, they are presented with choices. And even when some people choose to use power with their best intentions, such as JFK, greater forces of power come along, and demonstrate the reality of it's magnitude. His assassination was the most thoroughly documented crime in American history, revealing shocking facts, timelines, & secrets over the course of many years following, ultimately reinforcing this notion that regardless of the situation, when it comes to giving human beings power, whether it is a presidential title, or an elite government organization such as the CIA, no human beings can actually be trusted, leaving this mural titled with a timeless truth:

IN GOD WE TRUST

References:

Pequot Museum, Connecticut

JFK, Revisited

Andrew Jackson was a slaver, ethnic cleanser, and tyrant. He deserves no place on our money. by Dylan Matthews, April 20, 2016 5:12pm EDT

In God We Trust

Completed, August 13th, 2022

John F. Kennedy Assassination

November 22nd, 1963 12:30 P.M. CST

Dallas, Texas - Riding in a Presidential Motorcade through Dealey Plaza

Andrew Jackson - $20 - Twenty Dollar Bill

"Andrew Jackson was an executioner, a slaver, an ethnic cleanser, and an economic illiterate. He deserves no place on our currency, and nothing but contempt from modern America." - Dylan Matthews

World Trade Center

September 11, 2001, 8:14AM EST

Number of deaths: 2,996

The media delivered the story of four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks, carried out by militant Islamic extremist network, al-Qaeda, against the United States. This allowed the government to implement new laws that violate our freedom, such as The Patriot Act, in the name of terrorism.

Richard Nixon "I am not a crook"

November 17th, 1973

"Nixon made the now-famous declaration during a televised question-and-answer session with Associated Press editors. Nixon, who appeared "tense" to a New York Times reporter, was questioned about his role in the Watergate burglary scandal and efforts to cover up the fact that members of his re-election committee had funded the break-in. Nixon replied, "people have got to know whether or not their President is a crook. Well, I am not a crook. I've earned everything I've got."

Richard Nixon resigned on August 8th, 1974.

(reference - history.com/thisdayinhistory/november17)

Abraham Lincoln - $5 - Five Dollar Bill

April 14, 1865 10:15PM EST

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, was assassinated by well-known stage actor John Wilkes Booth, while attending the play "Our American Cousin" at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. Shot in the back of the head, the bullet was lodged into his right eye cavity, as Lincoln watched the play. He died the following day at 7:22AM in the Peterson House opposite of the theater. He was the first President to be assassinated. Booth wanted revenge for the Confederates, and he wanted to revive their cause. While succeeding in his assassination, his attempt to revive the Confederates failed, and he was consequently killed 12 days following the murder he committed.

Native American Tribute

The Native American in this mural, mirrors the stance of Andrew Jackson, symbolically representing the struggle imposed on their race, by leaders like himself, representing the "Free Country". A bloody tear drop slowly falls from the eye of the warrior, as his peace pipe is replaced by the gavel of the new systems implemented, rendering him powerless with resentment and contempt, faced with one of two choices: to flee his home, or die fighting for his land, his family, and his honor.

Cornucopia

This became the symbol of an abundant harvest for the Pilgrims when they celebrated the first Thanksgiving in this country. The first Thanksgiving celebrated by the Pilgrims and Native Americans was a harvest celebration. (However, it did not become an annual public holiday until the Civil War. President Lincoln decided a public holiday celebrated by North and South would be a good way of unifying the divided nation.) I added a little mold to the inside of the fruits in this cornucopia, as a foreshadow to the relationship of the Native Americans and Pilgrims following their first harvest celebration.

Benjamin Franklin - $100 - One Hundred Dollar Bill

Benjamin Franklin was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. Among the leading intellectuals of his time, Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, a drafter and signer of the Declaration of Independence, and the first US Postmaster General. As an inventor, he is known for the lightning rod (above), the bifocals, and the Franklin stove, among others.

Benjamin Franklin's Kite Experiment

"...a universal blow throughout my whole body from head to foot, which seemed within as well as without; after which the first thing I took notice of was a violent quick shaking of my body..."

"May not the knowledge of this power of points be of use to mankind, in preserving houses, churches, ships, etc., from the stroke of lightning, by directing us to fix, on the highest parts of those edifices, upright rods of iron made sharp as a needle.. Would not these pointed rods probably draw the electrical fire silently out of a cloud before it came nigh enough to strike, and thereby secure us from that most sudden and terrible mischief!"

George Washington - $1 - One Dollar Bill

George Washington was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789-1797. "The cherry tree myth is the most well-known and longest enduring legend about George Washington, (and his ability to be trusted). In the original story, when Washington was 6 years old he received a hatchet as a gift and damaged his father's cherry tree. When his father discovered what he had done, he became angry and confronted him. Young George bravely said, "I cannot tell a lie... I did cut it with my hatchet." Washington's father embraced him and rejoiced that his son's honesty was worth more than a thousand tree."

Mason Locke Weems, The Life of Washington the Great (Augusta, GA: George P. Randolph, 1806),8-9.

Chains of Slavery

This image illustrates the reality that this country was built on slavery, completely enslaving one group of human beings, in order to create a land, where another group of human beings could celebrate freedom.