A
Note From Rebecca:
June 1843
Reverend Sir,
I, with one of my
daughters, have recently been on a journey to Aberayron, and amongst other
things have heard many things respecting you, namely, that you have built a
schoolroom in the upper part of the parish, and that you have been very
dishonest in the erection of it, and that you promised a free school for the
people, but that you have converted it into a church, and that you get £80
by the year for serving it. Now, if this is true, you may give the money
back, every halfpenny of it, otherwise if you do not, I with 500 or 600 of
my daughters will come and visit you, and destroy your property five times
to the value of it, and make you a subject of scorn and reproach through-out
the whole neighborhood. You know that I care nothing about the gates, and
you shall be like them exactly, because I am averse to every tyranny
and oppression.
Rebecca
Rebecca's Army:
The Army's motto, "Possess the gate of
those which hate them" was the motto used by those involved in the 19th
century Rebeccan Riots and represents the philosophy of their movement. The motto is
taken from an obscure Bible passage (Genesis 24:60) and refers to the gates of a
city. It literally means to take the power from those who hate you.
Depiction of the
Rebecca Riots, Illustrated London News 1843
Rebecca was a small army of individuals who
used subversive expression as a means of targeting oppression. In time, they
became an army of folk heroes that numbered in the thousands. Rebecca fought for
justice against an oppressive legal system that crippled the ability of common
people to live fruitful lives. For a more detailed historical account of the Rebeccan movement, click here.
Members of the Rebecca's Army Moto Club (RAMC)
embodies the spirit of the Rebeccan movement. RAMC members are invested in
improving the quality of life traditionally oppressed communities (Queer, Women, Black, Trans, etc). For more
information about what it means to be a full patch RAMC member,
click here.
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