I Responded In-Kind To Attack On Bumper Stickers
I have two bumper stickers on my car. One says “Texas Democrat” and the other says “Vote Democratic.” (One need not believe fully in the cause to show the colors. I imagine I believe enough….Sometimes at least.)
Not long ago, while putting my groceries in the car in the supermarket parking lot, a man came up to me and said “Thanks for surrendering our country to the Muslims.”
(If Muslims can deliver universal health care they can have the country. Maybe Muslims would do a better job running the country.)
I reacted to this gentleman without thinking and replied by suggesting that he “Get the f*** away from me.”
While this was a sincere statement on my part and consistent enough with my vocabulary in the private company of friends, family and wife, I was sorry to have responded in this manner in a public place. The commons are polluted enough without me adding to the mess.
As an aging ex straight-edge punk rocker and a native New Englander with some blue blood on my non-Italian side, I’m a Puritan at heart.
However, while I may have opinions on what others do, I would not stop them if I could. People have minds of their own and they must proceed as they see fit. Only my actions are under my control.
So the next time a grumpy person disrupts my thoughts about Babe Ruth or Plymouth Rock or whatever I was thinking about when that guy spoke to me , I shall endeavor to react in a more reasoned fashion.
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Texas Liberal is a blog of politics and political history.
My name is Neil Aquino. Here is my profile.
I can be reached at naa618@att.net.
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Texas Liberal 
I think that was way much better than “Go *uck Yourself”. “Get the *uck away from me” is pretty good. It keeps them from thinking about attacking you!
I personally would have thrown a gallon of milk at him.
It amazes me the reactions that bumper stickers incite. I wonder if this gentleman knows who was behind the botched Dubai Ports deal?
Neil, you missed out on a wonderful opportunity for debate, but then again you don’ t know if he was packing heat…
John–Well, I had not thought about it in that way but you might be right.
Laz–He and I did have a bit of a debate but it was not very edifying on either of our parts.
John, you’re awfully prone to threats of violence, for an anti-war type.
Matt because John and I are a anti war type whatever the hell that means does not mean that we will lay down when harassed by some backward ass hillbilly in a parking lot. make no mistake about the anti war types the war has made us angry and we have a lot of energy to fire right back at all the
@holes that think they are safer with bush in office and yes we love and supprt out troops too.
So Bill you get mad at Matt for the “anti-war type” blast, then come back and slap a perhaps unwarranted label on Neil’s parking lot pal?
See Bill, turning the other cheek as Jesus teaches is pretty extreme… For us humans, it’s far easier to retaliate and bite back those who strike at us.
Oh, what a wasted opportunity. We should all prepare ourselves to ENGAGE these folks on the right in a civil manner. I’m not judging you, TL, because we’ve all been in your position and probably done the same thing.
In a society where it’s considered rude to even bring up politics, and most people vote with their asses by staying home and sitting in front ot the tube, any conversation that even remotely turns to politics should be quickly framed in a progressive manner.
What we ought to do – and I’m not sure where best to do this, but we ought to come up with some responses and proper frames for the various arguments that conservatives often trot out about liberals.
Maybe that can be a blog post for me at some point. What do you say, TL? Want to come up with some frames?
I’ll give it some thought. Please feel free to e-mail me and we can hash it out. This is the kind of work George Lakoff has talked about—How to phrase arguments in reply to the claims of the right.
Laz, First of all I think god and jesus are a cute story and if people want to believe that its fine by me. I see bumper stickers that say “abortion stops a beating heart” and i disagree that abortion should be illegal but i will not go and harass the person driving that car, I dont think that as a society we should scream and yell at a person for anything no less a bumber sticker on their car. As far as turning the other cheek I dont believe that is the way to deal with confrontation either. I think most addults can talk and work out differences without blood shed or violence. when i was younger i would kick you in the head without a second thought but I have grown to understand that it does no good to kick someone in the head. I think that people need to respect each others beliefs and not harass those that do not feel the same. if i did not feel that way the bumber stickers on my car would say.
abortion can save a poor 14yr olds life or god is dead or someother offensive slogans that are hateful instead of simply be kind.
[…] already written about how a “Texas Democrat” sticker led to an exchange in a supermarket parking lot. A man thanked me […]
Pingback by My New Bumper Sticker Says God Bless All Nations—We’ll See What Trouble It Brings « TexasLiberal | June 26, 2007
bill,
a cute story? we shall see…
so it’s not human nature to bite back and take revenge? it sure is but it does not make it right (assuming of course that there is something called “right”)
I can respect others’ beliefs without agreeing with said beliefs. In no way did I suggest that it is right to accost someone because of whatever slogan they choose to slap on their vehicles, sorry if you got that impression.
be kind? I agree that we ought to be kind, what is more I believe it has to go deeper than that. Jesus said to love your enemies, again something that runs counter to human nature.
but let me ask you a question: why be kind? f
[…] Dig deeper into the topic here […]
Pingback by Jokes by City » I Responded With Blunt McBlogger-Like Profanity To Attack On Bumper … | March 12, 2008
Its not be kind for jesus or allah or mohammed its be kind to people because its natural and right and pure and how people should be and feel. I think kevorkian is kinder for helping people out of their misery than most people are in general and he had the balls to help people die with trying to escape their fear of burning in hell because they were told over and over that they would and religion was shoveled down their throats and the laws are based of god fear and general fear, Laz i have no doubt that you are a true believer and i do not knock you for that, i think most people need faith to keep going and to keep them in line that is why religion was invented to make people behave and obey. I do not think that most people are compassionate or kind religious or not. we live in a selfish self rightous world and every one seems to want to kill and die for their gods.
I love how Hippies that so fervently express their feeble opinions on bumper stickers get so heated and flustered when someone voices and alternate view. Hypocrite is spelled “L I B E R A L”