Washington State Quarter
I love collecting the state quarters that have been coming out for the past few years now. Today, I took my first look at the choices for the Washington State quarter. I think they’re pretty good even though they fall on the side of being incomplete.
Design #1
This design I like the nature aspect, however we could have gotten more out of this by having the salmon be a native design as in design #2. |
Design #2
I really like this native design. So much of native culture and art is invisible in this state. It really could and should be celebrated more and made much more prominent than it currently is. I think this design could have been made better by having a mountain in it as well. |
Desian#3 I almost really really like this. It has pretty much everything, except like Design #1, it misses having the salmon be of a native design. |
I would like to see the people who were first here get some honor and respect for a change.
The state should be ashamed for this official web page: http://www.leg.wa.gov/legis/symbols/symbols.htm The page doesn’t need to be a history text book (see California’s Page) but it could include at least one proper name of an actual state resident living here prior to Eurpoean settlers, or a little bit more detail about the cultures that were here.
A good little read: Rejecting Racism: The Native Factor
A lot of us who identify as “Black” or “African-American” but in fact have Native American ancestry as well, are hurt by our own ignorance about our multi-heritage. We don’t “get-it” that the freedom train to our full knowledge and full access to our rich heritage is squashed every time out un-claimed Native American cultures are discounted or ignored. So what if the tribes I’m distantly connected too were from a different part of the continent? I’m still connected, because as one native saying goes, “All things are connected”.
I believe that we should recognize not just fish, vegetation and land but the people who lived here and named names such as Tahoma, Shuksan, Skykomish, Snoqualmie, Spokane, Walla Walla, Yakima…. So if I must choose, and the designs are not changed, then this AltBrother chooses Design #2.
Perhaps someone with influence who agrees with me is reading this. I can hope.
