What Does California's State Highway Shield Symbolize?

KCET Channel 28 Los Angeles ^ | October 27, 2015 | Nathan Masters

[EveningStar]

California's state highway markers -- those green, numbered signs placed along local freeways and rural routes across the Golden State -- are so familiar a feature of the automotive landscape that it's easy to overlook their symbolism. But the shield accomplishes a neat trick. At once it points ahead and back -- forward toward some spatial destination, but also back toward a temporal point of origin.

Its shape mimics the spade carried by Forty-Niners into the foothills and sold by the opportunistic merchants who made the real fortunes of the California Gold Rush.

[mkjessup]

Why, it symbolizes Jon & his partner ‘Ponch’, right? ;)

[mkjessup]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5t-AKbX4Ks

[Stormdog]

“What Does California’s State Highway Shield Symbolize?”

Racism and oppression of course. Doesn’t everything?

[kaehurowing]

White privilege.

[EveningStar]

Wow! I remember that! Thanks for finding that clip! I’m pretty sure that I saw that episode in first run! :)

[mkjessup]

Me too old FRiend, you do remember me don’t you? ;)

Hope all is good with you and yours!

[PAR35]

Its shape mimics the spade

So they admit is is intended as a racist slur?

[EveningStar]

Yes. Of course I remember you. :)

[EveningStar]

LOL. Naughty, naughty. :)

[SkyDancer]

C’mon in! Everything’s free.

[dragnet2]

[PAR35]

I would say I was trying to be politically correct, but now it is considered a microagression to use the term ‘politically correct’.

[ExGeeEye]

mmmm....Mexican for lunch....

[Jane Long]

I see a couple of hard workers installing that road sign. That’s racist, nowadays, isn’t it? (At least according to MSNBC looney hosts :)

[trebb]

Looks like an upside down acorn that lost its hat...

[Daffynition]

Micro aggression

[JRios1968]