The Susan B. Anthony dollar, an Oxford comma, coquilles St. Jacques and Brexit

In 1980 I heard a commotion on 14^th Street below my office window in the National Press Building in Washington, D.C. I looked out and saw a woman standing on the roof of a parked car throwing coins from a large bag on to the sidewalk. Passers-by were competing to catch a coin or two. The coin in question was the Susan B. Anthony dollar, intended to replace the not very durable Eisenhower dollar bill. Susan was a 19^th-century Quaker advocate against slavery and in favour of women’s suffrage. Her likeness was chosen after a powerful lobbying campaign by a number of women’s rights groups. The public (and perhaps more significantly the vending machine industry) proved reluctant to accept the coin and it was withdrawn from circulation in 1981. The lone feminist atop her car on 14^th street was unable to sway public opinion.

 

The Susan B. Anthony dollar

Jan and I have discussed what we will do if we are presented with a commemorative Brexit 50p coin. She intends to state that she accepts it only to donate it to charity. My plan is politely to refuse it. The previous celebratory coin was dated 31 October 2019 and a large quantity of them had to be melted down when Brexit was delayed. A huge amount of public money has been wasted on failed preparations for Brexit over the last few years. The reverse of the coin reads: “Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations 31 January 2020”. The author Phillip Pullman has drawn attention to a missing “Oxford comma” after the word “prosperity”. One assumes that the statement wishes that all nations should enjoy with the newly “liberated” UK the three benefits listed on the coin. However, the punctuation muddies the waters. The sentiment would seem to be “prosperity with all nations”, a clumsy and not terribly grammatical, if worthy, sentiment.

 

The Brexit 50p coin

Commas can matter. I was told that Bill Clinton once read a speech, handed to him without notice by a speechwriter, which read something like: “The United States has a common interest with Jamaica in fighting, crime and drugs”. The misplaced comma changed the meaning. Bill, ever the professional speaker, read exactly the text he was given.

I will not dwell at length on the many things that we collectively lose as a consequence of Brexit. One example will do. Since our son John lives in Germany I have tried to be informed of the complicated consequences for UK citizens living in the EU. For example, suppose that John were married to a German citizen whose parents were also German citizens and that the couple had children. While the UK was a member of the EU the entire family and the mother’s parents could have moved to the UK without any restrictions or immigration requirements. After 11pm today, the German family members can move to the UK without a visa until 29 March 2022. Should circumstances require the move to happen after that date visas will be required. You should note that our Home Office has made applications for immigration documents costly, and subject to rules which the Home Office frequently misinterprets. This is a small example of a change to rules that removes rights from one of our own citizens and her/his family. The negative tentacles of these kinds of changes to citizens’ rights extend to all areas of family life: work, the ability to function in one’s own profession, study at university, health insurance, pensions and other rights.

As to Brexit, there will be no celebration at 15 Upper Village Road. Jan has decided on a culinary statement (cooked by yours truly) of coquilles St. Jacques and Italian white wine. Jan will probably rage and may shed a tear or two. I will be saddened but probably more phlegmatic. A good American martini will ease the regrets for the evening.