Money Talks

Folklore in the Public Sphere

Bibliographic Data

ID8932255
AuthorsStephen Gencarella Olbrys (corresponding author)
Year2005
Volume116
Issue3
Pages292-310
Publication date2005-11-17
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueFolklore (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0015-587X • E-ISSN: 1469-8315
PublisherRoutledge (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00155870500282735
OpenAlexW1854487978
LanguageEN
References cited20

This article examines “currency chains”—messages and petitions written on paper money—as folkloric expressions and rhetorical acts that critique or commend dominant American public discourse. After a general description of currency chains, it considers two categories in detail. First is the “St. Lazarus” variety that flourished in the United States in the late 1990s, having migrated from Europe. Second are political money chains that engage with a social or political order, often in protest. This article observes the condemnation of currency chains as an irrational phenomenon, and regards them as viable means for often marginalised groups to foster participation in a public sphere. Acknowledgements Thanks to Bill Ellis, Hasan El-Shamy, David Gay, John Johnson, Alan Mays, Mike Preston, and Dan VanArsdale, the two anonymous referees, and all who donated bills to the collection. Notes [1] As of this writing (June 2005), my collection includes one hundred and fifty-six versions of the Lazarus chain and sixty-one other marked bills. The numbers in parentheses in this paper refer to this collection. The most extensive online collection is found at a website for the Johnny Burrito restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina, where the owner posts over two hundred and fifty marked bills collected there since 1998 (http://www.johnnyburrito.com/uglymoney.htm). In the future I will post the bills at my website (http://www.umass.edu/communication/faculty_and_staff/faculty/stephen_olbrys.shtml) [2] I borrow “currency chain” from Ellis (Citation1998); see Clark (Citation1999), Harris (Citation2001), and VanArsdale (Citation1998) for alternatives. Coins are used infrequently. My collection has a single example: a penny hollowed through with a cross. The Johnny Burrito website has thirteen examples. [3] See Alan “Greenpants” (http://www.curleywolfe.net/cw/F_LibertyBucks.shtml). [4] See for example Where's George (http://www.wheresgeorge.com). [5] Ellis (Citation2003, 78–80) offers a recent discussion of the history of folkloric studies of chain letters, replete with citations. VanArnsdale (Citation1998) offers the most complete historical record of the phenomenon. [6] See Seery (http://www.webcom.com/mseery/money/). [7] Margaret D'Angelis (http://www.silkentent.com/Letters/L000603.html) comments: “So I try to picture people sitting at their tables, earnestly inscribing legal tender with special words, and then waiting for the benefits promised.” [8] Some bills, such as “short snorters,” collect lists of names, telephone numbers, or towns (http://www.af.mil/news/Jul1997/n19970711_970836.html). [9] I adapt the term “heuretic” from Ulmer (Citation1994). [10] See “The Material History of Religion Project” (http://www.materialreligion.org/objects/nov98obj.html). [11] See “Blunted Bucks” (http://calyxa.best.vwh.net/blunt.html). [12] I borrow the terminology “a chain letter you won't throw away,” from VanArsdale (pers. corresp.). [13] For example, seventy three per cent of the bills employ “Anyone” instead of “whoever,” eighty per cent employ “who,” eighty-five per cent employ some version of “receives” instead of “gets,” and so on. [14] “Lazareth” is a popular alternative, found on eight versions. Others include “Lazereth” (three versions), “Lazarett” (two versions), and one each of “Lasarus,” “Lavreth,” “Lazaro,” “Lezeth”, “Laryareth,” “Lazasus,” “Lazeroth,” “Lzcerth,” “Lazerath,” “Lazarith,” “LsRus,” “Lazurus,” and “Lazazeth.” Ellis (Citation1998) reports “Lazarim”; D'Angelis reports “Lanana”; Mays reports “Lozarath”; and VanArsdale reports “Lazerth.” [15] http://homepages.together.net/∼ plomp/tamara; INTERNET. [16] http://www.saint-mike.org/apologetics/QA/Answers/Faith_Spirituality/f000327Neywick.h; INTERNET. [17] http://www.cacina.org/SanLas; INTERNET. [18] http://festivals.projects.eun.org/Italy/Italy1/Saint%20Antonio.htm shows one such conflation; INTERNET. [19] The seven American families of CACINA include a parish dedicated to Lazarus, St Anthony of Padua, and St Francis of Assisi. A fourth parish, dedicated to St Damian, is in York, Pennsylvania, and a fifth is in Reston, Virginia, two centres for Lazarus chains. CACINA originated in Brazil. [20] The bill reads: “ESTE ViLLETE ES MiO ME pERTENECE FiRMA SATANAS y AL QUE LO TENGA LE VA Air MAL FiRMA LA iGUE PUTA EdiGnO.” Most of the letters run together. My appreciation to Silvina Berti and Michael Morgan for the translation. [21] http://www.buchanan.org/db00-0419-a.html; INTERNET. [22] According to Title 18, Sections 333 and 475 of the United States Code, the official crime is to deface bills in order to render them unusable or to change the denomination. [23] http://adbusters.org/campaigns/foolsfest/accounts.html; INTERNET. [24] http://www.raisethefist.com/news.cgi?artical = anticap; INTERNET. [25] Seery's website includes protests against President Bush, the WTO, Starbucks, anti-abortion groups, France, and a rubberstamped “Jews for Clinton—Zion Power Rules” hundred-dollar bill. See also the Rubber Stamp Rebellion (http://www.wetworx.com/rubber.shtml) and GUN OWNER$ money (http://www.concealcarry.org/rubberstamp.htm), which overtly model their campaigns on gay money. [26] See Honest George (http://www.ilovebacon.com/noway/102000c.shtml). [27] http:www.positiveatheism.org/mail/em19613.htm; INTERNET. [28] http://www.positiveatheism.org/mail/eml9990.htm; INTERNET. [29] Brodie's (Citation1996) work is based on Dawkins (Citation1976); Pimple (Citation1996) draws a correlation between folklore and memes, but Ellis (Citation2003) offers a detailed critique. Many supporters of memetics condemn most folkloric expression, but rumour is regarded for its promotion and marketing purposes. See Gladwell (Citation2002) and Godin (Citation2001) for examples. [30] http://www.memecentral.com/mu/mu0033.htm; INTERNET. [31] See especially Habermas (Citation1989). Graham (Citation1993) and Hauser (Citation1999) offer relevant criticism. [32] While Lazarus chains' appeal for money coincides with a desire for profit, they do not support a corporate work ethic

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