We Texans know it well.
Posted on 11/11/2009 5:11:00 AM PST by marktwain
I’ve always been a history buff at heart and more recently an avid gun enthusiast, but most importantly, a supporter of Second Amendment rights. There’s a difference between just shooting guns and knowing the vast history behind our right to do so.
Jesse Trimble
The United States, as a country and before it was a country, has had a long history of flags — specifically, flags relating to our independence when we were at war with Great Britain. Many may come to mind, such as the “Don’t Tread on Me” flag, also known as the Gadsden flag, which is yellow and features a rattlesnake coiled up, prepared to strike. Or there is Ben Franklin’s popular “Join or Die” flag.
However, my personal favorite is a flag that may be better known to Texans.
My father was born in Texas, and so were all of his sisters and one brother, so even though I’m not a Texan, the state holds a special place in my heart.
The flag I’m talking about — recently gaining popularity among conservatives and gun-rights activists — originally was called the “Come and Take It” flag, or Molon labe, a Greek phrase that means “come and take them.” Mixing my love of guns and history, it was a magical moment for me finding out about this flag.
The phrase “come and take it” was a slogan used during the Texas Revolution in 1835, and if it weren’t for the small town of Gonzales, Texas, we may not have this flag today. The Battle of Gonzales was fought on Oct. 2, 1835 between Texian settlers and a detachment of Mexican army troops.
(Excerpt) Read more at herald-online.com ...
We Texans know it well.
And so will the next one
Every Person Will Draw a Line,,,,,
Thank you for posting this. This is one subject in history where I’m woefully deficient. Incidentally, while researching events that took place in New York during 1835, I kept coming across announcements titled “Meeting in Support of the Texians” in the newspapers of the time. It’s intrigued me, to say the least.
My family was in the Nacogdoches, TX area prior to the revolution, and Texas school children used to be taught about their history and the “Come and Take It” flag, as well as other early rebellions against the Mexican dictatorship of Santa Anna.
Now, these things are swept under the rug to keep from offending people, in the name of political correctness. History should be taught, warts and all. Only that way can we learn about what created this grand country of ours.
The lady who wrote the article almost got to the crux of the matter when she mentioned “Molon Labe”, as a Greek term meaning Come and Take It. But she didn’t explain the rest of the story.
At the battle of Thermopolye, the Persian King Xerxes sent an ambassador to Leonidas, the Spartan King commanding the pitifully few forces opposing Xexes multitudes. He demanded that the Spartans surrender and give up their arms.
Leonidas, according to Herodotus, replied, “Molon Labe” or Cme and take them.
It’s not surprising that this response has resounded down through the ages and inspired the Texans who stood their ground for freedom at Gonzalez and the Alamo.
And now you know the rest of the story.
Little known Hell
Since I work in Gonzales every day I guess I see it all the time
there is a huge one as you come into town from the East It makes me smile every time I see it
I actually hang mine the whole month of October just ‘cause I can
Of the multiple banners that flew over DeWitt Colony territory and those under which DeWitt colonists served and died, this famous flag is one which originated solely within and is unique to the DeWitt Colony and a symbol of contribution of the region to the Texas Independence movement. The banner can be said to be the counterpart in concept and message of resistance as the early "Don't Tread on Me" flags of the American Revolution. Some say it was made from the white silk of the wedding dress of Empresario DeWitt's daughter, Naomi, and was flown by DeWitt Colonists reinforced by volunteers from the other settlements at the confrontation with the Mexican army in October 1835 over the Gonzales cannon (Battle of Gonzales). Other reports suggest it was made after the confrontation during the muster at Gonzales for defense of Texas and the assault on Bexar.
I like it, gotta get me one!!
Interesting!
I knew about Thermopylae, but not the rebellion of the Texans.
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