Just yesterday, I stopped at a traffic light behind a Lexus SUV with three stickers on the painted portion of the rear hatch. One was an image of a US flag with the word pray in the blue field where the stars go. The second said something about prayer and the USA, but I forget exactly what it said. But the third pressed my ponder button.
The sticker said, “I am Christian, and I vote.” My first thought was I am not and so do I. I like stickers, but I seldom put them on my car. When I do, they get peeled off when the election or whatever reason for them has passed. But my laptop and iPad are covered with them (nonpolitical).
I cannot consider the …I Vote sticker as anything other than a political threat or intimidation intended to state the owner’s political and governmental priority. That would be the Christian religion. I could not determine if they were Evangelical Protestant, Mainline Protestant, or Catholic. But I suspect one of the first two since while papists consider themselves the original Christians, they usually use Catholic.
Another bumper sticker I saw about 10 years ago said, “You cannot be both Catholic and Pro-Choice.” It was about then that I took my money and left the Catholic Church (the religion). It had nothing to do with the bumper sticker. But how’d that work for them?
So, the person in the Lexus likely opposes any separation of church and state (as long the church side is Christian). They claim to be one of 215-million US citizens identifying as Christian (now 65%, down from 75% in 2015, according to PEW Research), and one of the 16-million Texans (53% says ASARB) who identify as such.
I must assume the Lexus Christian has no qualms forcing his or her religious beliefs onto non-Christians. What a strange way to wring out freedom of religion (so long as it’s Christian) from the US Constitution. And they are downright proud of it, in a much holier than thou sort of way.
Then I pondered on with ideas for I’m (something), and I vote stickers. My ideas:
I’m old and I vote. I’m (single, married, divorced) and I vote. I eat bacon and I vote (hello CA).
I’m bald and I vote. I’m non-denominational and I vote. I’m an Aggie and I vote.
I drink and I vote (but not at the same time). I’m (Irish, German, Mexican, Swedish, Mediterranean, Apache, or ???) and I vote.
I’m atheist and I vote. I worship Satan and I vote. I’m (rich, poor, middle income) and I vote (and hopefully pay taxes). I’m antigovernment and I vote anyway.
I read and I vote. I’m a writer, artist, creative person, and I vote. I’m a teacher and I vote. I’m a flat Earther and I vote. I’m an old yellow dog and I vote.
I’m a (vegetarian, vegan, meat eater, vampire) and I vote. I’m a nudist and I vote. I’m a pluviophile and I vote. I am apathetic and I vote (I just don’t care).
I’m snarkastic and I vote. I like rock and roll, and I vote. I (do or don’t) own a gun or play golf, and I vote. I drink coffee and I vote. I can dance and I vote.
How about you? Do you vote? Do you have any stickers on your car, bike, computer, or whatever?
Bill
I’m sticker-less. 🙂 But I liked some of the ones you suggested!
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I save quotes and I thought this was apropos to the future generations.
“If current trends are any indication, it’s doubtful that future generations will possess the skills required to engage in any kind of meaningful discussion, let alone those involving deep philosophical thought and introspection.”
Everything will be memes and maybe bumper stickers and avatars, and some nutcases will be ready to kill for it.
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I have my Burpleson AFB sticker, a Penzey’s Spice sticker that says something along the lines of “love people, cook them good food” on it, one with the Plato quote about about the price of apathy is being ruled by evil men, a science darwin fish rocket ship, a Persist one from the Elizabeth Warren campaign, one that says “I am disappointed in my species”
i had a couple of teachers in college, one taught speech and was a Vietnam vet who worked with the Hmong, short dark fellow. The other was tall, skinny, blond, and had a volvo that had so many stickers on its hatchback that I think that was the only thing keeping it together. They were great friends and I worked with them on the college writing magazine. that’s why I have so many stickers and need to get more.
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