The Washington Times

Historic town’s clash leaves ‘Tread’ marks

Officials in Culpeper, Va., decided to create a new public relations branding campaign, and tourism officials suggested they go with a new, less "political" emblem. The problem: The town's existing logo — the famous Revolutionary War-era rattlesnake and "Don't Tread On Me" combination — had been "hijacked" by the conservative tea party movement, staffers said.

Jim Coyle of Hagerstown, Md., gets out an American flag and two Don't Tread on Me flags as he joins dozens of other Marylanders for a tea party rally in front of the Maryland Statehouse in Annapolis on Tuesday, Oct. 18,  2011. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

Jim Coyle of Hagerstown, Md., gets out an American flag and two Don't Tread on Me flags as he joins dozens of other Marylanders for a tea party rally in front of the Maryland Statehouse in Annapolis on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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