# What should a new U.S. motto be? (instead of "In God We Trust") **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 4, 2023, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-new-u-s-motto-be-instead-of-in-god-we-trust/988080 "2023-08-04T21:53:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-new-u-s-motto-be-instead-of-in-god-we-trust/988080/81 "2023-08-10T01:45:38Z")
Lots of posts upthread are in favor of the old motto _e pluribus unum_. But that motto doesn’t reflect the current tribalist state of the US. Instead let’s go with **e pluribus duum** ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-new-u-s-motto-be-instead-of-in-god-we-trust/988080/82 "2023-08-10T01:51:03Z")
or maybe **e pluribus dumb.** ---
**Author:** ![rippingtons\_fan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rippingtons_fan/32/11767_2.png) [@rippingtons\_fan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rippingtons_fan)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-new-u-s-motto-be-instead-of-in-god-we-trust/988080/83 "2023-08-10T02:08:38Z")
On Trump We Tread ---
**Author:** ![superwombat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superwombat/32/16616_2.png) [@superwombat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/superwombat)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-new-u-s-motto-be-instead-of-in-god-we-trust/988080/84 "2023-08-10T02:32:59Z")
This Too Shall Pass ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-new-u-s-motto-be-instead-of-in-god-we-trust/988080/85 "2023-08-10T02:33:00Z")
E pluribus duo, unless you’re deliberately going for incorrect Latin. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-new-u-s-motto-be-instead-of-in-god-we-trust/988080/86 "2023-08-10T03:02:24Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > E pluribus duo, unless you’re deliberately going for incorrect Latin I had one year of Latin many years ago, so while I know the basics, there’s a lot of details I’m unfamiliar with. Anyway, in the original motto, the _unum_ is in the neuter rather than the masculine _unus_, so I assumed there was a reason and put the modified version in the same. On further thinking, it’s possible that there’s a noun elided that _unum_ is modifying. In which case, perhaps it should be _dua_, that being the plural neuter. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-new-u-s-motto-be-instead-of-in-god-we-trust/988080/87 "2023-08-10T03:24:55Z")
“I got your motto right here, pal.” ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-new-u-s-motto-be-instead-of-in-god-we-trust/988080/88 "2023-08-10T04:49:58Z")
_Duo_ is the plural neuter—it’s a different declension from _unus_. I thought you might have been punning via Dog Latin with _duum_ / “dumb.” ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-new-u-s-motto-be-instead-of-in-god-we-trust/988080/89 "2023-08-10T05:04:13Z")
Nihil conati sumus, nec cogitationes amplius habemus. = [![](https://i.pinimg.com/474x/40/bf/b6/40bfb6a76627032773450ddee967be36.jpg) ](https://i.pinimg.com/474x/40/bf/b6/40bfb6a76627032773450ddee967be36.jpg) ---
**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:** [August 10, 2023, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-new-u-s-motto-be-instead-of-in-god-we-trust/988080/90 "2023-08-10T05:33:38Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > I’ll say it one last time. This wasn’t intended to be a joke thread, nor a “more cynical than thou” thread, when I started it. I was hoping for some inspiration for myself, if nothing else. Oh well, one can’t control where one’s thread goes once you release it into the wild. These are what appear to be the serious suggestions: E Pluribus Unum Equality for all Equality Under Law Equality, Liberty, Humanity Liberty Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness Meliorantes Of the People, By the People, For the People Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain People shouldn’t be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people. Virtus per diversitas We the People ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-new-u-s-motto-be-instead-of-in-god-we-trust/988080/91 "2023-08-10T05:37:32Z")
The Cure for the Common Country ---
**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:** [August 10, 2023, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-new-u-s-motto-be-instead-of-in-god-we-trust/988080/92 "2023-08-10T06:06:04Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > These are what appear to be the serious suggestions: When the country is a laughingstock at best, and a sick joke at worst, your so-called “serious suggestions” seem rather hypocritical. A motto at this time in history is akin to putting a Barbie Band Aid on an amputated leg. ---
**Author:** ![Guapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@Guapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guapo)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-new-u-s-motto-be-instead-of-in-god-we-trust/988080/93 "2023-08-10T07:30:08Z")
Hold My Beer ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-new-u-s-motto-be-instead-of-in-god-we-trust/988080/94 "2023-08-10T07:46:38Z")
Ahem…see post 37. But that’s two votes! That significantly boosts us in the polls. Most others are just one-offs! ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-new-u-s-motto-be-instead-of-in-god-we-trust/988080/95 "2023-08-10T08:18:28Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > _Duo_ is the plural neuter—it’s a different declension from _unus_. Oh. We definitely didn’t get to that in freshman Latin class. I don’t think we even got to the 3rd declension of nouns. > [@](#): > > I thought you might have been punning via Dog Latin with _duum_ / “dumb.” Someone else did that, not me. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-new-u-s-motto-be-instead-of-in-god-we-trust/988080/96 "2023-08-10T08:20:01Z")
No message. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-new-u-s-motto-be-instead-of-in-god-we-trust/988080/97 "2023-08-10T08:47:43Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > These are what appear to be the serious suggestions: > … > People shouldn’t be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people. I don’t think that’s a serious suggestion. It’s a line from V for Vendetta. ---
**Author:** ![WhyKickAMooCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc29f/32.png) [@WhyKickAMooCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyKickAMooCow)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-new-u-s-motto-be-instead-of-in-god-we-trust/988080/98 "2023-08-10T09:32:58Z")
“In Dog We Thrust” ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-new-u-s-motto-be-instead-of-in-god-we-trust/988080/99 "2023-08-10T15:20:08Z")
Thank you for the summary. > [@Czarcasm](#): > > When the country is a laughingstock at best, and a sick joke at worst, your so-called “serious suggestions” seem rather hypocritical. A motto at this time in history is akin to putting a Barbie Band Aid on an amputated leg. I’m sorry you feel that way. I guess you think aspirations are silly. That’s a shame. > [@snfaulkner](#): > > But that’s two votes! That significantly boosts us in the polls. Most others are just one-offs! I’m still considering a poll thread, based on the serious suggestions. Or anyone could post a poll thread, for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-new-u-s-motto-be-instead-of-in-god-we-trust/988080/100 "2023-08-10T15:25:43Z")
I second this. E Pluribus Unum was a perfectly fine motto, they should have left it alone. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-new-u-s-motto-be-instead-of-in-god-we-trust/988080.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-a-new-u-s-motto-be-instead-of-in-god-we-trust/988080.md?page=6)