The Advertisement – Annotated

The advertisement ran on page 6 of the Wednesday, March 26, 1975, edition of the Richmond Mercury. It cost $153.60 — in 2024 that would be $895, so a not inexpensive joke.

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ANNOTATIONS

“Bicentennial Propaganda”: A reference to media, such as the Bicentennial Minutes on CBS, which gave a slanted view of the American Revolution. For example, in one such Minute, comedian Jonathan Winters laughingly recounted the incident where Rebels threw three Tories into the James River near Norfolk, VA. He omitted the fact that two of the three men drowned.

“The Many Problems Facing Our Country”: In 1975, the long list of problems included Watergate (Richard Nixon had resigned in disgrace just seven months earlier on August 9, 1974), the Vietnam War (which had been raging since 1963 and would soon end on April 30, 1975, with the fall of Saigon), the continuing Cold War, and inflation (spurred by the dramatic spike in oil prices after the 1973 OPEC embargo). The hapless President Gerald Ford seemed unable to cope with any of the issues, perhaps best epitomized by his Whip Inflation Now campaign and the ridiculous WIN buttons.

“Corruption in high places”: The Watergate Scandal and more.

“55 mph speed limit”: In 1974, the United States imposed a national speed limit of 55 miles per hour in an attempt to conserve gasoline in response to the 1973 OPEC oil embargo.

“The sins of the founding fathers are being visited upon the children”: A slanting reference to Deuteromony 5:9.

“Tarred and Feathered”: Tarring and feathering was a particularly heinous form of public humiliation and revenge against Loyalists during the American Revolution was the mob’s coating Tories with hot tar and then covering them with feathers.

“Bicentennial Commissions”: In 1973, the U.S. Congress created the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration to develop celebrations for the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and subsequent events during the Revolutionary War. Various state and local commissions planned events across the United States.

“Bicentennial Cover-Up”: A slanted reference to the Watergate Scandal known for the two-year cover-up of the initial Watergate break-in, leading to the phrase “the cover-up is worse than the crime.”

“Prodigal Son”: A reference to the parable in Luke 15:11-32.

“Amnesty”: In 1974, President Gerald Ford began a program of conditional amnesty for draft dodgers during the Vietnam War.

“Bengal Lancers”: Regiments of the British Indian Army.

“The Tory Torch”: The Committee for Reunion with England would begin publishing this newsletter in July 1975.

The Committee for Reunion with England invited people to send letters and contributions to a mailbox at the Richmond Mercury‘s offices at 16 E. Main St.

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