Messaging on the Willy-B

Messaging on the Willy-B

Manhattan entrance to pedestrian walkway, Williamsburg Bridge.

With events so significantly ramping up over the last few days regarding the possible move to impeach
U.S. President Donald Trump, I could not help but flash back to that June afternoon when the photo was taken.
There were several anti-Trump messages posted in addition to this one calling for his impeachment.

But what really caught my attention was the incisive quote from Mark Twain
making up the stripes of the American flag: (Click twice to enlarge)

“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time
And your government when it deserves it.”

Well, if not a direct “quote,” it’s actually an accurate enough paraphrase of remarks Twain made to
a meeting of the Male Teachers Association of the City of New York, in 1901. His actual words, in the
context of discussing how he would teach the concept of patriotism, were: “I would throw out the old maxim,
‘My country, right or wrong,’ etc., and instead I would say, ‘My country when she is right.’ Because patriotism
is supporting your country all the time, but your government only when it deserves it.”

So, how long has this been going on?

Well, that June afternoon when the photo was taken…was in 2017.

©2019 Steve Ember
https://medium.com/@emberphoto/as-a-songwriter-once-asked-how-long-has-this-been-going-on-f86bbd83598a