In the Land of E Pluribus Unum, In God We Trust

Recently, the Pierce County Commissioners voted to prominently display the phrase "In God We Trust" in their meeting room.  Had I been a commissioner, I would have voted to approve it's display. Why not?  After all, it is the official motto of the United States of America, and has been since Congress adopted it way back in 1956.  This was at the height of the Red Scare, and we wanted to send a message to the great atheistic monoliths that surrounded us, including the Soviet Union and communist China, that we stood for something different.

What was our motto before 1956?  Well, we didn't have an "official motto", but the unofficial de facto  motto used most frequently was "E Pluribus Unum".  It is on the Great Seal of the United States, first used in 1782.  It was used even during the Revolutionary War as a motto and rallying cry.  It has appeared on various coins dating back to 1786.

What does it mean?  Ah, I know this one from my grand days playing the Wizard in The Wizard of Oz!  I tell Dorothy that we are returning to "the land of E Pluribus Unum."  It means "Out of many, one."  One meaning revolves around the colonies combining and acting as one nation.  But it also has come to mean the great dynamic of this country, of how we are formed by many groups and peoples, immigrating from all over the globe, to form one great nation, to form the most democratic and freest nation on Earth.  It is a testament to how our strength in unity emerges from the richness of our diversity, how our talents as individuals weave together to become a greater whole.

E Pluribus Unum, although never officially the motto of the Untied States, is one I hold close and dear, and is representative of the best hopes and dreams of this country.  It shows us what we have emerged from and have  formed into, it leads us together in present times, and it gives shape for our hopes and reams for the future.

Out of many, one.  A celebration of individuality and community, the promise of diversity leading to unity, the hope of moving together towards a brighter tomorrow - all in one simple phrase.

So, yeah,  Official or not, I would have voted for this as well.  In God we trust, and that trust leads me to love my neighbor and fellow man, to respect and cherish mankind's diversity, and to cherish the idea that our diversity, our combined strengths and the best parts of our nature, will lead us together to a land that holds true to God's promise.

In God, we trust in this great land of E Pluribus Unum.