Finding ways to celebrate a loved one’s memory becomes vital for many after they pass away, as losing a loved one is always a tough event. While flower arrangements and other tributes are typical, there is a specific meaning associated with laying pennies on gravestones, especially for veterans and service members and their families.
A Tradition Worth Keeping
Though its exact roots are unknown, some have speculated that the custom of laying coins on gravestones originated during the Roman Empire. However, according to Snopes, there is insufficient evidence to back up this assertion. However, one thing is certain: people who have a strong bond with military people are aware of the sacrifices they make and are looking for a significant way to remember their lost colleagues.
It became increasingly difficult for people to express their emotions honestly during the Vietnam War. It became customary to place a coin on a soldier’s tomb to signify that someone had paid them a visit without running the danger of awkward talks regarding the political sides of the conflict. The gesture was a straightforward but effective way for people to express respect and unity.
Symbolic Honor Representations
Every penny placed on a gravestone has a special meaning associated with it. Here are few instances:
A penny is a sign that someone has paid their respects and visited the tomb.
Deeper emotional significance can be derived from a nickel, which represents a bond between the individual who left it and the dead soldier from boot camp.
A dime signifies cooperation, even if it was just briefly before splitting up.
The most important coin, the quarter, acts as a monument by informing the bereaved family that the person who left the coin was there during their time of grief.
These coins remind us of the sacrifices made by those who serve in the military and act as tangible representations of respect and tribute, bridging the gap between the past and present.
Past Gravestones
Not all military traditions involve coins, such as placing money on gravestones. Military troops are big fans of challenge coins, which have no monetary worth but are extremely significant. These coins, which stand for oneness, are frequently traded as trophies of friendship and honor.
Throughout history, coins have also had a variety of roles in cultural practices. They have been regarded as representations of good fortune, giving, and even riches. While this isn’t always the case, some people in the past were buried with their riches. For instance, it’s been reported that two dollars and fifty cents were buried with Abraham Lincoln’s eyes covered.
The deeper significance of laying pennies on gravestones is to commemorate and recognize the extraordinary efforts made by those who are serving in the military and their families, even though there may not be a clear relationship between money and this practice. It serves as a reminder to ourselves that their sacrifices are priceless.
“Go F–k Yourself” Elon Musk Is Never One To Pull Punches, Absolutely Unloads On Ad Boycott, Calls Out Disney CEO
Elon Musk is never one to pull punches, even when he’s in a good mood, and now that advertisers are boycotting X, he’s not in a good mood and is certainIy not pulling punches.
Such was obvious when, on Wednesday, Elon appeared at The New York Times’ DealBook/Summit with CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin.
There, Elon directly confronted the group of companies engaging in the ad boycott of X, Go f -k yourself. That came when Elon was discussing the nature of the economic attack on X and argued, quite persuasiveIy, that it is coming to be difficult for them to threaten him, one of the wealthiest men on Earth, with money.
Speaking to Sorkin about the issue, Musk said, “I hope they stop. Don’t advertise. If somebody is going to try to blackmail me with advertising, blackmail me with money, go fuck yourself. Go f -k yourself. Is that clear? I hope it is.”
Elon then went on to single out Disney CEO Bob Iger, who said that he does not want Disney to be affiIiated with Musk and his comments and whose company stopped advertising on X. Directing his comment toward Iger, Musk said, Hey Bob, if you’re in the audience.
Musk also commented, during the event, on a tweet he made that some called anti-Semitic, saying, I shouId in retrospect should not have replied to that one person.
He added, Essentially I handed a loaded gun to those who hate me, and arguably to those are antisemitic, and for that I’m quite sorry. That was not my intention.
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