ext_25081 ([identity profile] quicknow.livejournal.com) wrote in [personal profile] liz_marcs 2007-03-04 12:36 am (UTC)

Oh, an occasion to quote Ferlinghetti, those don't happen often enough.
"I have read Reader's Digest
from cover to cover
and noted the close identification
of the United States and the Promised Land
where every coin is marked
In God We Trust
but the dollar bills do not have it
being gods unto themselves"
-Lawrence Ferlinghetti, "Autobiography" (1957)
The quote is no longer accurate because they started putting "In God We Trust" on all paper money in 1957 as well. But it is still the first thing I think of when I get in discussion s about it (more often than you'd think). It started during the Civil War with coins. But was not always followed. 1908 (I think) was when it was mandated (again) that it appear on coins. The law requiring it on paper money passed in 1956 and in 1957 it began to appear and was phased into use on all paper bills.

Post a comment in response:

(will be screened)
(will be screened if not validated)
If you don't have an account you can create one now.
HTML doesn't work in the subject.
More info about formatting

If you are unable to use this captcha for any reason, please contact us by email at support@dreamwidth.org