I am a bit of an autograph hound myself so I can understand the MAGA crowd wanting 45's John Hancock. But on your Bible?? On your bosom? Hell, no. That is just wrong on so many counts.
So who was John Hancock and why is his name still American slang for a signature? We late Baby Boomers who grew up in the 1970s with the Bicentennial and Schoolhouse Rock can recite his story in our sleep. Hancock led the First Continental Congress. As such, he was first to sign America's Declaration of Independence. He and the other signatories pledged "their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor" to the cause of liberty from Britain and its tyrannical, mentally unstable ruler (sound like anybody we know?) King George. That signature was a solemn vow to high ideals and and marked the individual for instant death for treason should he be captured by the British.
I have gotten famous musicians to sign their albums and CD covers, and authors to sign their books. I once traded (nerd alert) prizes won at a charity Monopoly marathon with another player. All the various merch I'd won for being first to land on this or that property square for one prize that had evaded me and whose worth was beyond reckoning - an autographed copy of Nicholle Nichols' first autobiography. She played Lt. Uhura on Star Trek. I do not get to many Trekkie conventions so I figured this was as close as I would even get to meeting this incredible woman who has done so much to break down ethnic and gender barriers in TV and science fiction.
Whatever is being signed should have direct relevance or be neutral. An example of that latter: a friend once served coffee to Aerosmith's Steven Tyler. Knowing I am a big fan, she got him to sign what she had on hand for me, a paper napkin. I still have that memento. Would I have rather gotten the autograph by meeting Tyler myself? Sure. But having a friend who knows me that well and serving as a proxy is also great.
Speaking of "proxy 'graphs" I once got members of Pink Floyd to sign a blank sheet of paper for a co-worker who was a huge Floyd fan. I had an autographed picture of the band and was feeling a bit guilty for wanting to keep it rather than give it to my colleague. Anyhow, the drummer even drew big cartoony letters to spell out "Pink Floyd" for said co-worker on that sheet of paper. But that encounter is a long story. Involves a hot air balloon. And migas.
Autograph giving and receiving has an aesthetic, an ethic. For example, only the author or subject of a book should sign that book. I would not ask Nicholle Nichols to sign Star Wars memorabilia or Steven Tyler to sign a Boston album. That is just not cool. Use a neutral stand-in. One final autograph anecdote regarding preparedness and persistence. I once got Ronnie Wood (a Face and then a Stone) to sign a solo album. My thinking: an obscure solo album displays a higher level of fandom than just showing up with the latest Rolling Stones best-selling album. My strategy - waving it at him from the front row of a Dallas solo concert until he finally surrendered his John Hancock between songs.
Newsflash: Donald J. Trump did not write the Bible. Hell, he did not even write "The Art of the Deal." So I join those aghast that the Donald is signing Christianity's sacred foundational text. Get him to sign a MAGA hat for heaven's sake. His hateful policies and rhetoric go against everything the Bible stands for. You know, all that "justice for poor, mercy for the weak, kindness to the stranger" stuff. IMHO those autograph seekers should be opening their Bibles for contemplative reading and not for a maniacal megalomaniac to write on. That is sacrilege.
Writing one's name on something implies ownership, "property of ..." "product of ...." A human being is never the property or product of another human being. I have never understood the practice of women getting rock stars and Hollywood heartthrobs to autograph their breasts. Exchanging one's dignity and bodily autonomy for a moment of fake intimacy with fame? No thanks. A mega rock star might be able to get away with this. An "elected" official should know better than to submit to such optics and the autograph seeker should have more self-worth.
(Here's a piece of paper, Steven. Please sign this piece of paper.....)
The only place I want to see DJT's John Hancock is on a letter of resignation. I would trade a lot for such a document to exist.
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