Brian writes, “Been a big early American history buff and have had a renewed interest in the Gadsden snake due to the current political climate.”

The helmet design, he explains, is a “bit of a different take. Wanted to retain the yellow from the flag but give the snake a more modern and menacing look.”

He explains it on his own blog here, NEW 3/4 HELMET.

The following bad-ass tat belongs to “Rock ‘n’ Roll Junky,” a police officer in New Jersey. He writes, “I am a devout patriot who holds traditional views of our country and what it stands for. The tattoo is a representation of all the dedication put forth by fellow patriots in fighting against tyranny and oppression. It is also a symbol of my oath to carry on the legacy of justice for the American people in preserving its liberties from enemies both foreign and domestic.” The ink was done by “Tattoo Tommy” of Jersey Tattoo.

This one belongs to Rogers1270. “I was in search of the perfect tattoo and was inspired by one on your site. … This is my small thanks to my nephew who is currently kicking ass and taking names for our freedom in Afghanistan.” A rattlesnake wasn’t fierce enough for him, apparently, so with the help of Steve at The Quillian in Allentown, PA, it became a cobra.

Rick Beedle from Tucson, Arizona — one of my favorite cities — “got the tattoo because I thought it fit the mood we are all in regarding the so called ‘leaders’. About time we all woke up and be heard. Will be attending our Tea Party meeting in Tucson in April. Think that says it all. Term limits should be our theme.”

They just get better and better. I love this one. Craig P. has “been a Second Amendment rights supporter for years and had been thinking about getting a tattoo for that purpose. But with the current government situation we have it now has a lot more meaning then originaly anticipated.”

Mike Young and his friend Jeff are in a California motorcycle riding group (not club) called the Gadsden Riders.

In April they were at the annual Yuma Prison Run, Mike writes, “when Jeff and I finally dicided that this was the perfect time to get our Gadsden tattoos. The guys from Electric Budda Tattoo from Yuma, AZ had a vendor spot again this year and did a good job on my last tatt, so we hit them up again. I think he did a pretty good job considering he was working out in the heat with the dust blowing around.”

Austin H. is an Air Force Major with “a deep love for liberty, freedom, and my country.” The creative variations on the Gadsden art people send continues to impress me. I love the use of the red-white-and-blue on Austin’s. In case it’s not clear from the photo: the rattlesnake is wrapped around a cannon firing a cannonball. He says he’s planning to have DTOM or “Liberty or Death” added below the snake soon.

Here’s a unique Gadsden tattoo. Kevin from Dallas writes, “I am a Texan through and through, it will always be a part of me, so I chose to have the Gadsden snake over the Texas flag. The Gadsden snake reminds me to not compromise my values for anyone, or let anyone influence me in a negative way.” His ink was done at Trilogy Tattoo, in Memphis, TN, last Saturday.

Anthony Welton and his buddy Travis DeMoss from Ada, OK got the following tattoos a couple months ago. Anthony writes, “Mine [on the left] was done at Jombus Ink and his [on the right] was done at Poison Apple, both in Ada. We were actually both going to get Gadsden tattoos until my fiancée found the Georgia $20 and I fell in love with it.”

Donald Weeks got this beauty at Tattoo Lou’s of Selden, New York. “I began flying this flag the day after election day 2008. I believe it represents the Freedom and Liberty that many brave men and women gave up their lives so we could live in the greatest nation in the world.”

You’ll notice that Donald and Anthony, as well as some others I’ve featured here in the past, have included the motto “nemo me impune lacessit” on their tattoo. This is Latin for, approximately, “no one wounds me with impunity.” It’s been used in Scotland as early as 1707 and as Anthony mentioned it was used in America in various ways including on the Georgia $20 bill.

Jared S. got this tattoo when “when I came home from college this year. It took 3 1/2 hours. I’m not in any military or political group. I just love my country and that’s why I got this tattoo.” The Latin motto here is Veritas (truth), Aesquitas (justice), Libertas (freedom).

Adam from Pennsylvania got the following hardcore combination of tattoos after attending a Tea Party protest. “I am 39 and I have been following politics for most of my life. When the Department of Homeland Security came out with a report saying that returning military memebers, NRA members, and people with ‘Dont Tread On Me’ bumper stickers and flags were more of a threat to our Country than the terrorists I thought to myself, ‘What would they think of a man with ‘Dont Tread On Me’ tattooed on his body? … This was the day before the tea parties, so I went to our local tea party. It was freezing cold and raining, about 600 people showed up. I feel that it was one of the most important things I’ve ever done. That day I knew I had to get my tattoo.”

Ryan from West Virginia sent these photos of his custom-painted 2006 Yamaha Warrior.

The license plate has special meaning. Ryan explains, “MLN LBE is short for ‘Molon Labe’, the response given by King Leonidas of the Spartans to the Persian king, Xerxes’, emissary at the Battle of Thermopylae (circa 480 B.C.) when the Spartans were told they could go free if they just laid down their arms. Leonidas’s response, ‘Molon labe!’, means, ‘Come and take them!’”

Ryan’s a disabled US Army veteran. He considers himself “a very patriotic person and STRONG believer in individual liberties.”

“While I’m no ‘1%er’ biker or anything like that, I do believe the independent spirit of bikers can be adequately portrayed by the Gadsden Flag and the history behind it. I have no problem letting the government know just where I stand and that if they want anything from me (particularly my guns), they’ll have to ‘come and take them’.”

Joe Belsha of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade e-mailed me this picture. He writes, “This flag generally hangs over my bed in my room here in Iraq, but I have taken it out on missions with me a couple times to get some ‘Combat flight time.’ Here’s a photo op over a rural area near Baghdad. I’m in the backseat, and had a willing copilot hold the flag up front for me.”

Is that the coolest thing, or what? Joe added, “Sorry I couldn’t get a better quality shot!” Hah. This is fantastic! Thanks for sending it, Joe!

They had this history professor talking about why the Gadsden isn’t an appropriate symbol for the Tea Party movement. You see, in 1775 the American Revolutionaries had a legitimate grievance: they had no representation in Parliament. But today the right-wing nuts in the Tea Party movement just disagree with the representatives they elected.

If the ring-wingers want an historical precedent, this professor explained, they should look to Shays’ Rebellion.

Don’t get me wrong, Shays’ Rebellion was a libertarian uprising. What was terribly annoying is that the NPR reporter and editor decided to devote about 1/3 of this segment on the Gadsden Flag to this professor talking about Timothy McVeigh’s second-hand reference to Shays’ Rebellion via the t-shirt he was wearing at the time he was arrested.

That’s right. Timothy McVeigh.

McVeigh was wearing a t-shirt quoting Thomas Jefferson, “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” Jefferson wrote that while commenting on Shays’ Rebellion.

This professor explained to the NPR audience that the Tea Party nuts should be referencing Shays’ Rebellion, not the Boston Tea Party or the Gadsden Flag (remember, this was supposed to be a piece about the Gadsden Flag) … just like their forebear Timothy McVeigh.

Although I don’t read Russian, their agenda seems solidly libertarian in the American sense. They’re protesting against big government, taxes, and spending.

Superfan GSR has had his own custom-made copy of the flag made up. Here it is in action:

GSR's Gadsden guidon

We’re still not sure if the flag was really flown by cavalry units, but now it’s really being flown by GSR.

Stephen

Stephen says he got this incredible tattoo on his honeymoon. Seriously. And it’s first tattoo.

That’s a hardcore liberty-lover.

He writes, “I’ve never had a tattoo, but I knew that I wanted one, and I didn’t want one that everyone else had … so, with the Gadsden imagery, I had an artist draw up a rattler with an M4, and since I’m a first generation American of Greek ancestry, decided to go with the Greek lettering above. The Molon Lave means ‘come and take it.’”

Mitchell

Mitchell, now serving in the US Army, got this colorful cobra after seeing this website.

“I think ‘Dont Tread on Me’ represents what this country was founded on and how all countries should be: if you respect us we will respect you, but if you don’t, it is cause for action.”

Here’s a new one! Check out the foot of Alexandra O. from Baton Rouge …

The foot of Alexandra.

Alexandra writes, “My sister-in-law is a tattoo artist and has been begging to do some ink on me. I’ve always turned her down because I couldn’t think of anything I would want on me for life. I am a staunch libertarian and a firm believer in everyone’s right to freedom and the pursuit of happiness. I saw a ‘don’t tread on me’ t-shirt and it just hit me. Don’t Tread on Me is something that will always have serious importance in my life, whether it applies to my individual life or my political belief system.”

That rocks.

Rich B. from North Jersey just had this incredible beauty, his first tattoo, done at Immortal Ink by Chris A.

“I am a passionate libertarian who believes in a limited and restrained government. Obviously it’s been a very long time since we have had a government like that.”

“I believe this government is at the size where many of our liberties now lay at risk, and I’ll be dammed if the gov thinks liberty loving people like myself are just going to roll over.”

Rich

Isn’t that snake intense?

Richard

Richard Garon is the state coordinator for the “Sons of Liberty” in New Hampshire.

“I can think of no greater symbol to show my open disdain for the direction these tyrants in Washington DC are taking us.”

“This beauty was done by Rocking Rick at his we’ll known ‘Tattoo Shack’ in Hooksett, NH. A great friend of liberty’s who encourages others in our ‘Live Free or Die’ state to show their support for the renewed symbol of the Resistance and to forever to show where their allegiance lies as I did.”

Andy from Florida is the proud owner of an interesting variation of a DTOM tattoo.

Andy

“You can say I am a patriot and feel that this image helps remind other Americans about the founding fathers’ intentions.”

Andy likes that people ask about it, and that gives him “a chance to tell the gadsden flag history to them.”

Scott, a special education teacher in Oklahoma City, has been wanting his “Don’t Tread on Me” tattoo for a while but was waiting for his favorite tattoo artist (Josh Reynolds) to become available. Scott says he put it on his calf “where I wear it proudly so everyone knows where I stand.”

“I believe the founding fathers had the right idea and gave us a plan on how to live free with liberty in this great nation. God bless the constitution and the United States of America.”

Brandon from La Vergne, Tennessee, had his tattoo done by a friend, Josh at Absolute Ink in Murfreesboro (who promises to add color sometime soon). To Brandon, “it stands for my willingness to fight for my freedom should the need so arise.”

Scott's calf on the left. Brandon's arm on the right.

Jason from Ohio is “super stoked” with his new tattoo. “I think it’s important for people to speak up, especially now with our current government spending away our future on handouts and bailouts and entitlements. I believe our country was built on the backs of people who worked hard for what they had and if they didn’t have something they didn’t place blame on our government and expect them to provide it. It seems Obama does not realize the simple fact that without failures, success is meaningless.”

Jason

John DeCillo got his tattoo from Bob Gray at Body by Design in Crestwood, Illinois. John is a Vietnam vet who wanted to, “physically show my support for the patriots banding together to stop this runaway train heading for total socialism.”

John

Daniel from Galesburg, Illinois, is a musician who is “anxious to wear my politics on my sleeve.” (I love that.) He says, “This is my tribute to the Founders, whose work I will study till my last breath, and to all the brave men and women who served, and died, to make this country great.” The tattoo was done by Hawk’s Tattoo in Galesburg.

Daniel

Thomas Reid from Sanford, Florida, and his wife “were inspired by recent events to get matching ‘Gadsden Tats’.”

Thomas's wife

Nikki from Michigan writes, “I took some inspiration from your site and from current and past events; to remember the fabric of liberty upon which we are woven. This tattoo represents my dedication to the principles of freedom and liberty that our country was founded upon. I wear it proudly to signify those principles under which I will live as long as I breathe.”

Nikki

Nikki says she loves this website. And we love Nikki.

Harrison's sticker. Short. Bold. To the point.

I asked Harrison if I could include his full name and location in this post, but he replied that doing so would be a security risk. He’s currently serving in Iraq with a Special Forces unit.

I also asked him what the symbol means to him. He says, “It’s a reminder to me. The way the United States was in the beginning. They way they HAD to be, and the way that we should be again …

“When I see it, I read ‘Don’t mess with me’ or ‘Don’t tread on me, mother f*cker.’

“Short. Bold. To the point. It summed up the United States in four words.”

Gadsden flag in Sanborn Coffee booklet

I’m always curious to see how the Gadsden flag is represented in vintage documents like this. Since there are no surviving examples of Gadsden flags from the Revolutionary era, only descriptions of them, illustrations from the 19th century and early 20th century may be closer to the original 18th century versions than what we use today. At the very least, these vintage representations give us insight into how “Don’t Tread on Me” symbolism was treated in different periods of American history.

Other flags in coffee booklet

In addition to the Gadsden flag page, the booklet also has this page that includes a very uncommon flag: the “Liberty or Death” standard of the White Plains cavalry. This flag features a blue liberty cap crossed with a sword. Beyond that, I know nothing about it. Does anyone out there know more?