Uhhh.. how do you tell if she's black or white on copper or silver? Are you going to put a bandana and an apron on her?
I have no problem with MLK on a commemorative, even a circulating commem. (In fact I think if you are going to issue a commem it should always be a circulating commem. What is the sense of "commemorating" someone or something on a coin that, relatively speaking, no one ever sees.) But the legislation that authorizes the commem should contain two things, a definite ending date, and a clause that immediately rescinds the authorization if any legislation is introduced to extend or remove the ending date. That is to prevent them from turning the coin into a permanant circulating coin. Any attempt would end the coin instead. (For this reason the commem should circulate along with the regular issue rather than replace it during the issue period.)
Larry, Moe, and Curly ? Hey ! How come they aren't on a commemorative ??!?!? Why, I'm outraged ! Outraged, I say !!!
I don't like the idea, but on the other side of the topic, why are so many people against past presidents and political figures on our money? I think it is senseless to put ficticious representations of a Roman goddess on our money as opposed to people who made significant contributions to this countries development throughout it's history. Lets slap Lady Liberty on every coin and bill because she drafted the Declaration of Independence, freed the slaves, brought this country through World War II, etc. It makes no sense to me why people feel that way.
Yep and without the the ideal of freedom and liberty, this country would have never been. I'm proud of my freedom and I'd die for this country, lady liberty means a lot to me. The ideal of freedom is a lot more important to me than some dead president.
Sounds fine to me.. Just remember, The people of which you speak are the people that run on this ideal, and live for it as well.
at MattJW "Why are so many people against past presidents and political figures on our money?" Boring subject matter for many despite those personages contributions to the nation and history. Once the dead (not just past) presidents are on coins and currency, they become irreplaceable national symbols and that's a rather rigid limitation to coin and currency design. Also the figure is not senseless nor ficticious, as LIBERTY is an allegorical symbol. It's not a Roman goddess that is used on US coinage, but if that's what you see it is due to past revivals of Greek and Roman symbols and culture once widely embraced in revivalist movements of art, architecture and design as well as a throwback to models used to style the US democracy and ideals upon. "Lets slap Lady Liberty on every coin and bill because she drafted the Declaration of Independence, freed the slaves, brought this country through World War II, etc." LIBERTY is a representation of all of the above without pointing to any one man, woman, race, movement, legislation, document or whatever. "It makes no sense to me why people feel that way." Because you haven't fully thought out how others understand and perceive it.
Putting real people on money elevates them to the level of Gods at worst and, at best, monarchs. Thats why Washington didn't want his face on coins. Now, as long as we ARE putting dead people on coins, I see no reason why they should all be white. But we shouldn't have put them on coins in the first place.
My original post was not meant to be politically correct at all. I really believe that an MLK cent is a fantastic idea. It was not meant to be a racial comment nor a political one. To me, MLK represents freedom and equality (not religion at all)....things that Lady Liberty herself would approve. I understand many didn't agree; that's cool......but please don't make this a racial thing. It is not. For the record, though, I would prefer a return to Liberty above everything else.
I can see why you didn't think it is a racial thing, but I think otherwise. Do I think you mean for this to be a racial thing, nope not at all, but do I think this is a racial thing, and can be interpreted this way, yep you bet I do.