Allen West tells the story behind a one of a kind piece of art that was presented to him at the 6th Annual Danny Dietz Memorial Team Roping (DDMTR) event.
I was also honored to bid on and take home a very special one-of-a-kind piece of art symbolizing the Gadsden Flag motto of “Don’t Tread on Me.” It is now proudly displayed in the den of our home here in Dallas and it is amazing.
Even more special is that three .50 cal sniper rifle and .45 cal shell casings used in the artwork are from rounds fired by Danny Dietz. And on the back are messages to me from each of the Spartan women who lost their warrior in service to our nation — they gave the “last full measure of devotion.” The Navy SEAL Foundation coin is affixed and there is the summary of this full quote from Benjamin Franklin, December 1775, which explains why the symbol of the rattlesnake so perfectly explains the spirit of our nation, and honors all the fallen:
“…it occurred to me that the Rattle-Snake is found in no other quarter of the world besides America, and may therefore have been chosen, on that account, to represent her.
But then “the worldly properties” of a Snake I judged would be hard to point out. This rather raised than suppressed my curiosity, and having frequently seen the Rattle-Snake, I ran over in my mind every property by which she was distinguished, not only from other animals, but from those of the same genus or class of animals, endeavoring to fix some meaning to each, not wholly inconsistent with common sense.
I recollected that her eye excelled in brightness, that of any other animal, and that she has no eye-lids. She may therefore be esteemed an emblem of vigilance. She never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders: She is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage. As if anxious to prevent all pretensions of quarreling with her, the weapons with which nature has furnished her, she conceals in the roof of her mouth, so that, to those who are unacquainted with her, she appears to be a most defenseless animal; and even when those weapons are shown and extended for her defense, they appear weak and contemptible; but their wounds however small, are decisive and fatal. Conscious of this, she never wounds ’till she has generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her.
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