The discovery of a few flecks of gold in the Sierra Nevada foothills in 1848 prompted one of the largest migrations in US history as citizens and immigrants moved for the promise of “striking gold” in California. For most, this promise did not materialize and today elementary students surmise as much when their textbooks show the grim faces of the Gold Rush framed in black and white, legs knee-deep in slimy, gray grit and hands holding dented pans and shovels. A Bugs Bunny cartoon from my own childhood displayed a failed prospector who finally wrestles Bugs Bunny only to yank out his own gold tooth and shout, “Euweka gold at wast!”
true
Want to keep reading?
Subscribe for free to access this article and all of our resources.
I’m very grateful for the work of MO and have really appreciated the things I’ve learned and the companion that it has been for me on my spiritual journey.
Mere Orthodoxy reader
Thank you for offering thoughtful, reasonable and decent commentary. It is a boon to my sanity at this stage of my life in this cultural moment.
Mere Orthodoxy reader
Mere Orthodoxy is (for me) a counterpoint to social media, a place of depth and critical thought.
Mere Orthodoxy reader
You're in. Check your inbox.
Something went wrong. Try again.
Erik Coonce
Erik Coonce is an assistant pastor at Ascension Church of Phoenix.
.png?width=5000&height=2188&name=Mere%20Orthodoxy%20-%20Banner.png%20(1).png)
