Political Cartoon: America’s Notorious Gang

Don Dela Cruz

    I chose this particular cartoon because its significance is the deeper meaning to the picture, which is also very obvious by the visual imagery. The cartoon entitles “Join, or DIE”, a phrase specifically placed to be alerting and outlining throughout the picture. Aside from the bold words written across the picture, we have behind it a snake which is divided into different pieces containing acronyms which seem to be different states. What exactly did this picture have in mind to send as a message to its viewers? This is why and what we are here to find out.

    This cartoon stands out through all the humorous, visually-strong cartoons that I can find due to its significance in time era and rarity through originality. What I mean is that this image is an early political poster created by Benjamin Franklin. Why must one of our most highly viewed men in our culture use such vulgarity and precise deaconess to possibly persuade an audience to “join” some sort of organization that had planned? At first, it didn't make sense to me; why would such a lawful and righteous time such as then use such a dark, malevolent message behind? It all made sense: this picture dignifies the darkness and the illicit behavior we have always influenced onto our society. All these wrongful and ridiculous warfares and bloodshed seemed to never make sense until now. Benjamin Franklin, one of our founding fathers, is simply stating that the political union is not of truth, honor, or nobility, but of power, strength, and loyalty. It shows the true American idealism---the truth America in the flesh. The snake is also a symbolic way of representing our country and its intentions; as the country slithers through the high, green weeds and grasses throughout the Western plains. The snake, as mentioned, is divided into particular states which indicate the power that many of the founded colonies/town had begun to acquire through unity and political power. The fact that symbolism and historical importance comes together to one into a large picture shows how relatively easy it is for a community and country to be conveyed by such a simple picture such as this one. The phrase “Join, or DIE” is a message that is presumably what it means; join the government’s side or you will be attacked, desecrated, banished, and anything other word to suffice to your abolishment on this country or life.

    It is truly horrific to see our society direct into its own being, becoming a dark entity enthrilled by the acts of violence, corruption, and the need to oppress the weak, but what makes it even more sick is how we had been so blinded for so long and we had not seen the birth of darkness hatch right before our eyes----before our historians, our politicians, and oblivious, possible heroes. This picture is like digging up a time capsule that presents a prompt to protect society by fighting future issues. By finding this picture, I realize how easily manipulated we have been to miss such a large, iconic picture such as this to alert our society that it is a message: evil does exist and it runs our government. Evil not in the mythological, fictional sequence of large wings, sharp fangs, and horrendously blade-like claws, but of men, viewed as heroic and influential, to be the same men we fear today: terrorists, burglars, murderers, etc. “Join, or DIE” is a quote that would mean so much more than Benjamin Franklin had ever portrayed it to be: it would be the epitome of violence and demeanor towards an innocent society that only followed its leaders due to believing they were, too, longing for righteousness and improvement. We have seen this in the news before or our history books; whether you are a black man or a white man, if you do not abide by the gang of suited men, then you shall feel the wrath of power that cannot be justified nor can it be made right---and that’s how we must live---for the power is in the hands of the criminal as we are sought to follow his orders.