The picture of Donald Trump’s fist in the air and the blood on his face moments after the assassination attempt on him has already become an iconic symbol that will be seen for generations to come. Some have even gone so far as to believe that it may go down in history, like the raising of the American flag on Iwo Jima.
I sincerely doubt that; however, it is true that symbols are extremely important. The American flag is just a piece of cloth, but it is also a representation of centuries of freedom for our nation. Our early Founding Fathers recognized the need to choose symbols carefully for veneration, which resulted in some controversy over the national bird.
Shortly after the Declaration of Independence was passed, the Continental Congress charged Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams with the job of designing an official seal for the new nation. They did not come up with one that won Congress’ approval, nor did two later committees that were also given the same task.
In June 1782, it finally fell on Charles Thomson, the secretary of Congress, to take the best elements from the three committees for a national design. He chose the eagle as the new country’s symbol, given that it had been considered a sign of strength since the Roman Empire. He also chose the bald eagle rather than the white eagle that was first proposed, which Congress adopted on June 20, 1782.
It is a myth that Benjamin Franklin suggested the turkey rather than the eagle as the symbol of the new country. He thought that the original eagle design for the Great Seal looked more like a turkey. He did not approve of the eagle, and in a letter to his daughter, he remarked, “The bald eagle is a bird of bad moral character. He does not get his living, honestly. He is too lazy to fish for himself.”
Eagles and turkeys are native to America and not just in nature. Consider turkeys, for example, known for Thanksgiving dinners, of course, but as animals, turkeys are social, playful birds, and they enjoy the company of others, even humans. They relish having their feathers stroked, and their gobble is the most well-known, but they also like to cluck, yelp, and purr, depending on who’s around.
In light of the recent assassination attempt of Donald Trump, I wondered if these birds are a better representation of our political candidates than the donkey and elephant. It would seem there are turkeys and eagles in both parties.
The “turkey politicians” are those who are super friendly, tell everyone exactly what they want to hear, and bask in the limelight. They get elected and reelected because they strut around nicely and make everyone feel good.
The “eagle politicians,” however, are different. Unlike what Big Ben told his daughter, they are not lazy but different from other birds. This is especially seen when a storm is approaching. Animals sense a storm before it comes and instinctively head in the opposite direction. The eagle is the only bird that flies directly toward the incoming storm instead of seeking shelter. The eagle will fly against the wind and the rain to the point where it cannot fight it anymore and then lock its wings, and the turbulence pushes the eagle higher and higher, eventually getting above the storm.
I sincerely doubt anyone would put President Joe Biden in the ‘eagle’ category. He fits the ‘turkey’ type, given that he has mastered the art of getting elected by giving his constituents what they want. He is obviously good at it, as he has been in national office almost continually since 1972.
Donald Trump, on the other hand, is a unique politician. Up until 2016, he has always been in business. Since 1982, he has been recognized as one of the richest men in America. He was always known as self-branding in ways such as naming buildings after himself, e.g., Trump Tower, Trump Plaza, etc.
When he entered politics, he pulled no punches. He was his own man. This alienated him from the career party folks (turkeys) and put him in the unique category of eagles, those willing to fly into the storm. His fist in the air moments after almost being killed is a classic example and speaks more than a thousand words of his character and fortitude.
Eagles are those who are willing to take risks if it is the right thing to do. And they are not just in politics, but these leaders are found in education, business, science, etc. These are the people that truly make a difference. It goes all the way to parents who endeavor to raise their children to recognize right from wrong and to be ready to stand on their own two feet in this chaotic world.
In Isaiah 40:30-31, the prophet Isaiah states, “Youths may become faint and weary, and young men stumble and fall, those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint.”
