"No kings," ok, sure, but wtf?
March 26, 2009 1:15 PM Subscribe
what does the sign off "no kings," mean?
I've seen on a couple of letters the sign off
No kings,
Name
And couldn't figure out the meaning/origin. Any ideas?
I've seen on a couple of letters the sign off
No kings,
Name
And couldn't figure out the meaning/origin. Any ideas?
"No kings" sometimes used as shorthand for the American opposition to rule by a monarch, as here. If the letter writers are politically active or the subject matter of the letter was political that might have something to do with it.
posted by TedW at 1:25 PM on March 26, 2009
posted by TedW at 1:25 PM on March 26, 2009
I believe Bioshock has a quote similar to this when you enter Rapture (note: I have not played the game, but a friend remarked on it and upon searching the Internet, it seems to have been along the lines of "no gods, no kings, only men". Something like that, anyway).
posted by aramaic at 2:26 PM on March 26, 2009
posted by aramaic at 2:26 PM on March 26, 2009
It seems to have particular origin in a quote from one John Frost, a London lawyer who was charged with sedition against the crown in 1792, for remarking in a coffee-house "I am for equality…Why, no kings!"
Contemporary Thomas Paine also wrote in Common Sense^, "In the early ages of the world, according to the scripture chronology there were no kings; the consequence of which was, there were no wars; it is the pride of kings which throws mankind into confusion."
It also appears in the Book of Mormon as a prophecy of the United States: "And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles."
posted by dhartung at 12:07 AM on March 27, 2009
Contemporary Thomas Paine also wrote in Common Sense^, "In the early ages of the world, according to the scripture chronology there were no kings; the consequence of which was, there were no wars; it is the pride of kings which throws mankind into confusion."
It also appears in the Book of Mormon as a prophecy of the United States: "And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles."
posted by dhartung at 12:07 AM on March 27, 2009
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"No kings" is just my personal stance on the rule of law (which I tend to support) over the rule of monarchs (which I don't). Not that rule of law doesn't have its problems, but it seems to me to be better than the rule of kings (or pick a ruler: popes, emperors, etc.). It's idealistic to an extent, since no rule of law is perfect, obviously, but I hope it's at least idealistic in the right direction.
So . . . no kings,
Robert
posted by iconomy at 1:24 PM on March 26, 2009