# "Truth, Justice And The American Way"- No more \[Superman New Motto\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 16, 2021, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-justice-and-the-american-way-no-more-superman-new-motto/952617 "2021-10-16T23:39:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2021, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-justice-and-the-american-way-no-more-superman-new-motto/952617/41 "2021-10-17T18:04:55Z")
It already has been revealed to the world, as of a couple years ago. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2021, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-justice-and-the-american-way-no-more-superman-new-motto/952617/42 "2021-10-17T18:09:23Z")
Ah. I guess I haven’t kept up. I guess the whole Sekrit Identity thing is passe. **Lucius Fox:** Now, let me get this straight. You think that your client, one of the wealthiest, most powerful men in the world is secretly a vigilante who spends his nights beating criminals to a pulp… and your plan is to _blackmail_ this person? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2021, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-justice-and-the-american-way-no-more-superman-new-motto/952617/43 "2021-10-17T18:17:57Z")
Let’s just say that ol’ Lexie didn’t take the reveal very well. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2021, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-justice-and-the-american-way-no-more-superman-new-motto/952617/44 "2021-10-17T18:27:06Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > It doesn’t matter where he was born, or what legal steps were taken, because he isn’t a human being. **[Could a member of an extraterrestrial species be U.S. president?](https://www.straightdope.com/21343484/could-a-member-of-an-extraterrestrial-species-be-u-s-president)** ---
**Author:** ![Bonum\_Legatum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bonum_legatum/32/6183_2.png) [@Bonum\_Legatum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonum_Legatum)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2021, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-justice-and-the-american-way-no-more-superman-new-motto/952617/45 "2021-10-17T18:56:27Z")
Remember this 2006 tempest in a teapot? > **[Truth, justice and ‘stuff’ but not ‘American way’](https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2006/jul/3/20060703-102605-3636r/)** > > After nearly 20 years, America’s strongest, most iconic hero has returned to the big screen in director Bryan Singer’s latest comic-book-inspired blockbuster, “Superman Returns.” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2021, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-justice-and-the-american-way-no-more-superman-new-motto/952617/46 "2021-10-18T03:43:03Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > To me, a liberal Wisconsin progressive of the 70s, “The American Way” meant the freedom to pursue whatever path you wanted without the government interfering, unlike those godless commies. Whatever path you wanted - unless you wanted to be godless or a commie. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2021, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-justice-and-the-american-way-no-more-superman-new-motto/952617/47 "2021-10-18T04:23:15Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Not “Truth, Justice, and the Spanish way”? At that time, wouldn’t “the Spanish way” have been Francoism? ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2021, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-justice-and-the-american-way-no-more-superman-new-motto/952617/48 "2021-10-18T05:30:18Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > The right will have field day with this. They are indeed! > **['It's scary!' Fox News hosts react in terror after 'American way' is removed...](https://www.rawstory.com/fox-news-superman-motto/)** > > The hosts of Fox & Friends melted down on Sunday after DC Comics removed "the American way" from Superman's motto. > > During a segment on the Fox News morning show, host Peter Hegseth reported that the motto has been changed from "truth, justice,... ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2021, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-justice-and-the-american-way-no-more-superman-new-motto/952617/49 "2021-10-18T05:43:17Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > It already has been revealed to the world, as of a couple years ago. His secret identity has been revealed a couple times in the last 5 or 6 years. I hope this one sticks a little longer than the last one - or at least is undone in a way that destroys less of the interesting stuff that’s been done with the Super-family since… ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2021, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-justice-and-the-american-way-no-more-superman-new-motto/952617/50 "2021-10-18T06:05:11Z")
I don’t read the comic books, but I thought Bisexual Supe (Next Generation) was now the current hero. So shouldn’t the new motto be **Truth, Justice and the LGBTQ+ way**? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2021, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-justice-and-the-american-way-no-more-superman-new-motto/952617/51 "2021-10-18T08:10:48Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > I don’t read the comic books, but I thought Bisexual Supe (Next Generation) was now the current hero. Looking it up, you are correct. This is Jon Kent, not Clark. The latter is currently dealing with issues offworld in the series in question (_Superman: Son of Kal-El_). He’s just come back from the 31st Century, where he was helping the _Legion of Super-Heroes_ for a while. > **[It's a bird, it's a plane - it's a new Man of Steel! Tom Taylor on Jon Kent...](https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/tom-taylor-superman-son-of-kal-el-dc-comics)** > > Earth's getting a new Superman, and writer Tom Taylor is ready to introduce us to him. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2021, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-justice-and-the-american-way-no-more-superman-new-motto/952617/52 "2021-10-18T13:06:44Z")
I’m quite sure the Traditionalists will be up in arms. LOL ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2021, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-justice-and-the-american-way-no-more-superman-new-motto/952617/53 "2021-10-18T13:23:01Z")
As I remarked in another thread, I was startled when I first saw the opening to the first Fleischer Superman cartoon, in which Superman is said to stand for “Truth, Justice”, but doesn’t go on to say “…and the American Way”. (In fact, it doesn’t even say “Truth AND Justice”, as if it’s getting ready for a third entry.). I grew up on the 1950s TV series, which had the Trinity of “Truth, Justice, and the American Way”. Evidently “The American Way” was added to broadcasts of the radio show during WWII, which is understandable, considering that we were fighting nationalities with some abhorrent views. But it wasn’t the way it went originally. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2021, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-justice-and-the-american-way-no-more-superman-new-motto/952617/54 "2021-10-18T13:49:58Z")
You’re assuming they ever put them down. Those pearls are clutched in a death-grip. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2021, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-justice-and-the-american-way-no-more-superman-new-motto/952617/55 "2021-10-18T14:48:27Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > As an aside, legally speaking, this makes Superman a natural-born citizen. A foundling is legally treated as if they were born in the place where they were found, unless that status is challenged, and it can only be challenged before the child turns 18. So Superman could run for President if he wanted (without any of the convoluted sci-fi rationalizations the comics have invented for that). Giving rise to the new saying “Useless as a Secret Service agent to the President.” ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2021, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-justice-and-the-american-way-no-more-superman-new-motto/952617/56 "2021-10-18T14:53:54Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > As I remarked in another thread, I was startled when I first saw the opening to the first Fleischer Superman cartoon, in which Superman is said to stand for “Truth, Justice”, but doesn’t go on to say “…and the American Way”. (In fact, it doesn’t even say “Truth AND Justice”, as if it’s getting ready for a third entry.). I grew up on the 1950s TV series, which had the Trinity of “Truth, Justice, and the American Way”. Evidently “The American Way” was added to broadcasts of the radio show during WWII, which is understandable, considering that we were fighting nationalities with some abhorrent views. But it wasn’t the way it went originally. The news radio station here in Chicago, WBBM, runs a syndicated program at midnight on weeknights, which is an hour of old-time radio shows; one of the shows which is regularly run (probably once a week) is “The Adventures of Superman.” I have noted that, in those shows, the line in the opening is just “Truth and Justice,” with no mention of “the American Way,” and I think that most of the ones I’ve heard recently have been from the late '40s or very early '50s. If that’s the case, I might hypothesize that “the American Way” was a Cold War addition, in the same way that “under God” was added to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2021, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-justice-and-the-american-way-no-more-superman-new-motto/952617/57 "2021-10-18T15:08:04Z")
The link I quoted from in post #26 makes it clear that it was added during WWII, dropped when the U.S. was sure to win, and brought back for the tv show. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2021, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-justice-and-the-american-way-no-more-superman-new-motto/952617/58 "2021-10-18T15:09:19Z")
Oops, sorry, @Exapno_Mapcase , I missed that. That’d explain why it’s not there in the radio episodes I’ve been listening to. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2021, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-justice-and-the-american-way-no-more-superman-new-motto/952617/59 "2021-10-18T18:19:31Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > I don’t read the comic books, but I thought Bisexual Supe (Next Generation) was now the current hero So shouldn’t the new motto be **Truth, Justice and the LGBTQ+ way**? “Truth, Justice, and Going Both Ways”? ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2021, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-justice-and-the-american-way-no-more-superman-new-motto/952617/60 "2021-10-18T18:48:25Z")
Who is going to fight for Truth, Justice and [A Better Tomorrow II](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094357/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_2)? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-justice-and-the-american-way-no-more-superman-new-motto/952617.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/truth-justice-and-the-american-way-no-more-superman-new-motto/952617.md?page=4)