As the French, after their revolution, called themselves "Citizen", the people of the new American union called themselves, "Brother Jon", "Brother Jonathan," or simply "Brother." The symbol of Brother Jonathan implied a citizen of the various states without regard for which state. This practice based on the concept of the new egalitarian republic continued until the mid 19th century and abruptly ended with the US Civil War.

Underlying the events of the Civil War, was the planned destruction of the concept of a union of independent states and the amalgamation of the states into a single country. For the powerful new businesses brought about by the rise of new technologies of the mid 19th century it was easier, more profitable and more manipulative to deal with only one federal government rather than the 30 or so independent states. In our history books, the catch-phrases "Preserving the Union," and "States Rights" have lost their original meaning as used by the citizens of the various states at that time.

The revolutionary new concept of a union of individual states which allows the citizens of each state to choose their own legal and cultural environment was about to be lost. This is most exemplified by the complete loss of the symbol of the original union, Brother Jonathan. As with a Stalinist-style Soviet purge, all references to Brother Jonathan have been excised or erased from our history and textbooks.

Only a few references remain of that exciting new symbol, which inflamed movements in many countries around the world in the early 19th century to revolt from monarchies and turn to democratically elected republics. Each allowing for diversity within each nation. A concept which was and still is, widely accepted, but now only mouthed in public with no understanding of its original meaning.

It was during the Civil War when the symbol of Brother Jonathan was completely replaced by the symbol of a single central paternal US Federal government, "Uncle Sam." Then the many new corporations which wished to sell weapons, munitions or uniforms only had to deal with one federal Uncle Sam, rather than the many egalitarian Brother Jon's. It was also during the Civil War when all references to the United States changed from plural to singular. Old news reports might state, "The United States ARE entering a pact with France." But after the Civil War, all references would say "The United States IS entering a pact with France." Every school child knows the word "states" is plural. Somehow the original cojoining of the American states has been changed to something else.

One vestige of the concept of a collective of individual states is the Electoral College, which allows each of the various states or Brother Jons to have equal political power in the actions of the union. Without the Electoral College, the larger states would simply annex the smaller states or simply vote out of existence the various life-styles enjoyed by the Brother Jonathans in the states with smaller populations. And thus end the concept of a diversity of beliefs, lifestyles, and individual choice.

And even worse, without the Electoral College, a single populist individual could manipulate the politics of the union, at its central federal point, without regard to the wishes of large groups of people who have minority views or opinions.

The November 2000 activity in Florida and the calling for the ending of the Electoral College is meant to finalize the removal and destruction of the concept of the "United States" and to blend it into a fuzzy concept and uniform country called the "Unitedstatesofamerica." In the "Unitedstatesofamerica" there is no room for individual opinions, diversity of lifestyles, or differences of laws.

Instead the laws of the various states have swiftly become transferred into uniform federal codes, applicable to all. The politically-correct thought-police are everywhere. The removal of the Electoral College is to remove that which made the "United States" a great new concept for governmental systems: an economic and mutually-defensive collective with mutually accepted diversity of religious and social beliefs within the individual states. And so now we must say, "Goodbye Brother Jonathan."

Since about 15 years ago, when I first discovered the old symbol of Brother Jonathan, I have wondered at how it was so popular and widely accepted and honored around the world in the 19th century, but somehow has completely disappeared in the 20th century. It was for the conception of Brother Jonathan which the French acknowledged with their gift of Lady Liberty. But now the mystery is solved.

I did a number of radio interviews on KKUP discussing the concept of Brother Jonathan. My notes and research have long been collected into a file in preparation for a book appropriately entitled "Goodbye Brother Jonathan." In 1989 during call-in interviews, I suggested the "United States" would disappear by the year 2000. Most callers to the radio program scoffed at the idea. But it is clear, this has already occurred. The "United States of America" has now become "Unitedstatesofamerica." They look and sound the same. Most people don't notice the difference. The difference is the final demise of Brother Jon.

People will only notice the arrival of tyranny when the "Unitedstatesofamerica" anoints its new populist leader, Queen Hillary of Rodham, as its savior of the new realm. Even this event has already occurred. Most people have not noticed. It has not yet been announced on the evening TV news. And when it is, again, most people will simply not notice. I wish this were a joke. But I have watched my prediction from 10 years ago turn inexorably into reality.

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ADDENDUM:

From a letter received 02/19/01
........ Anyway, what is the symbol of the Brother Jonathan that you allude to?

Reply:

Thank you for your note. As far as my research can determine the Brother Jonathan symbol was never made a visual symbol. The term refers to a statement made by Gen. George Washington at Valley Forge in 1776 during the revolutionary war when supplies and ammunition were extremely low and his officers asked where they would get more. He replied, "We'll just have to rely on Brother Jonathan."

He was referring to Jonathan Trumbell who was the leader of the Continental Congress which was supplying the colonial army with the funds and materials to fight the revolutionary war. The catch phrase quickly caught on as "Brother Jonathan" referring to the "source" of the energy, pride and fighting spirit which produced the new union of the American states.

Thus for almost 100 years Brother Jonathan was the symbol of the United States, which stood firmly against tyranny and monarchy anywhere in the world, though it was only a verbal reference and not a drawing or visual symbol.

-------------------- M

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If you want to say something nice, I might read it. If you only want to bitch then I will toss it without reading it. Besides, I didn't vote for Clinton or Gore. I must have been one of those who paused and pondered long enough to have unintentionally produced a pregnant chad by thought osmosis.