DON'T TREAD ON ME - A Warning

The phrase "Don't tread on me" was coined during the American Revolutionary War, a variant perhaps of the snake severed in segments labelled with the names of the colonies and the legend "Join or Die" which had appeared first in Benjamin Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette in 1754.


The Rattlesnake Jack and the Modern Navy

As part of the commemoration of the bicentennial of the American Revolution, by an instruction dated 1 August 1975 (SECNAV Instruction 10520.3) the Secretary of the Navy directed the use of the rattlesnake jack in place of the union jack (blue field with white stars) during the period 13 October 1775 (the bicentennial of the legislation that created the Continental Navy, which the Navy recognizes as the Navy's birthday), and 31 December 1976.

By an instruction dated 18 August 1980 (SECNAV Instruction 10520.4), the Secretary of the Navy directed that the commissioned ship in active status having the longest total period in active status to display the rattlesnake jack in place of the union jack until decommissioned or transferred to inactive status.

By an instruction dated 31 May 2002 (SECNAV Instruction 10520.6), the Secretary of the Navy directed the use of the rattlesnake jack in place of the union jack for the duration of the Global War on Terrorism.

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER The U.S. Navy's First Jack



DON'T TREAD ON ME encapsulates the difference between Americans and the docile European and UK populations that are being crushed by Moslem incursions and their own complicit governments.

It is a warning and a promise. Moslems should not take this lightly. There is a spirit in a determined American population that will not be cowed neither by Islamic threats nor whining. CAIR should take this is as seriously as they do the koran and the Islamic terrorist groups that they support and front for.

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