Weird. I just don't get it.

[Herbwoman39]

This afternoon I noticed something odd and I just wanted to post about it.

On the back of my car I have two stickers. The one on the left is my Human Rights Campaign equality sticker. The one on the right is my Rainbow Flamingos sticker from my first ever Pride event.

I noticed this afternoon that my HRC sticker has been scratched up as though someone had keyed it. Also, one of the edges of my flamingo sticker was peeled up as though someone was trying to take it off.

I posted elsewhere that I genuinely believe in the goodness of people. I'm getting tired of being disappointed IN the aforementioned people, however. I just don't understand WHY someone would DO something like that. I really don't.

I mean sure, I get that people are afraid of what they don't understand. But why do damage to STICKERS?? It just doesn't make sense in my mind.

Just wanted to share. Has this happened to anyone else?

[angel_ash22]

I haven't heard of people doing that to stickers. It doesn't make any sense at all. I have heard of people getting beat up because of their sexuality, which is so hard to hear about, especially when it happens to a friend because hes gay and was left for dead. I mean yes, people have a right to their own opinions but have no right to take it to the extremes, like destroying peoples property or beating someone up over it.

[glantern954]

I had an equality sticker on the back of my truck for about 2 months. One day durng that time period the tailgate of my truck was keyed from one end to the other while I was at work. The place I worked at the time shared a parking lot with a hotel, I think it was a tourist with a problem with equality.

[Nara_lovely]

I guess some people just don't want to be reminded of things they cannot or will not face.

A sticker is a sticker to some.
A sticker is a display of what you think.
A sticker is a blantant slap in the face to someone else.
A sticker is a target for a bird to poop on...

Each to their own.
And I agree...tollerance of each others opinions does get tested at times. I don't get it either.

[smokey]

I have a war is not the answer poster in my kitchen window for all the world to see as they drive by...more than once I have gone out and found a fundamentalist Christian pamphlet taped to the window...as if somehow being opposed to war (and specifically THIS war) makes me in need of saving. Go figure.

Jesus and God ARE not right-wing Republicans and funnymentalist Christians no matter how many times they try and convince us it is so.

[gh05t]

Sad, but this attitude is all pervasive.
It's the reason why the closet was invented in the first place, not so much to keep society safe from us, the threateningly perverted.... but to keep us safe from society.
Remember that "unnatural" desires still attract the death penalty in some corners of this planet & be thankful that they only came for your stickers.

I think I need some prozac.

:banghead:

[Mrs.F]

Everytime I see people doing things like this or trying to hurt others because they just don't understand (and don't want to) and fear anything different then what they consider normal I think of Matthew Shephard from Wyoming and what they did to that boy only because he was gay and they were scared. But they took that fear WAY TOO far and killed someone over it. To hear about that still breaks my heart. :(

I have looked at bumper stickers and had my say about how much I didn't agree with them but I would never walk up to the vehicle and destroy someone else's property.

[Reprob8]

I have an AM1090 sticker on the back of my car, that is the local Air America station and it has garnered a few lloks, but so far no comments but I would not be surprised if someone did something like you describe. Around here many still proudly display their W 04 stickers, I want the W sticker that shows the W behind bars.

I personaly don't have an equality sticker or pride sticker on my car, I work on a Navy base and don't need the problems that would bring but I think I saw a car on base driven by a sailor taht had the man/man stick figure sticker on it, he is either brave, stupid or just looking for attention to do that on a military base.

I hope one day it sin't a problem and we can do, wear or say any damn thing we want in public.

[Tynary]

I think what they did to your stickers is terrible. I hate homophobic and biphobic people with a powerful vengence. I'm really hot tempered. If I saw someone tearing up a rainbow sticker or human rights sticker on someones car I think I might tackle them in rage. Totally on your side. What they did was stupid and it makes me burn with rage. You should display your sexuality to the extent you want.

[happyjoe68]

Its not just a question of homophobia, etc., as such, it is a question of psychology. As Nietzsche said, men believe in the truth of all that is seen to be strongly believed in

The problem with these people is that they feel threatened by anyone or anything that contradicts their own view of themselves or the world as they see it.

They are so full of self-hatred and self-loathing that they build up an image of themselves and the world, through the identification and fixation on one particular topic (think Hitler and his radical anti-semitism), which will tolerate no opposition or contradiction. They will not allow light to shine on the darkness, and because of their hysterical self-identification with their chosen topic (eg, religion, abortion, equal rights, you name it), they take anything which represents a contrary view as a personal attack upon themselves because deep down they know that it contradicts who they are. Often these people are not threatened in reality, but feel so powerless about their lack control over their own lives, that this aggressive representation of a particular viewpoint is the only way they feel that they can master their own lives, and, of course, ram their opinions down your throat. You only have to look at some of the violent, even terrorist, campaigns against pro-choice clinics (to cite an example) to understand how much these people hate others because they hate themselves.

The problem with these people is that they often have easy access to the media and the ears of the powerful. These are the sort of people who would drag us all into the nuclear abyss to maintain their own deep-rooted psychiatric inadequacies.

[deletetacount123]

I think stickers are neat to look at... it saddness me that people wiill ruin these stickers just cause they don't like it.
Whatever happened to "if you don't like it then IGNORE it..... " afterall, no ones asking you to like it... I know I see some stickers I didn't like but I just ignored them.

I love looking at pretty stickers on other peoples cars tho....

There are so many and lots youve never seen before and wonder where it came from :-)

Tasha

[jedinudist]

This afternoon I noticed something odd and I just wanted to post about it.

On the back of my car I have two stickers. The one on the left is my Human Rights Campaign equality sticker. The one on the right is my Rainbow Flamingos sticker from my first ever Pride event.

I noticed this afternoon that my HRC sticker has been scratched up as though someone had keyed it. Also, one of the edges of my flamingo sticker was peeled up as though someone was trying to take it off.

I posted elsewhere that I genuinely believe in the goodness of people. I'm getting tired of being disappointed IN the aforementioned people, however. I just don't understand WHY someone would DO something like that. I really don't.

I mean sure, I get that people are afraid of what they don't understand. But why do damage to STICKERS?? It just doesn't make sense in my mind.

Just wanted to share. Has this happened to anyone else?

Our Jeep was vandalized by someone dragging a shopping cart up and down the side of it repeatedly while we we in the store. I always park waaaaay out away from the store to avoid cart damage and door dings, and someone literally had to drag the cart over to the Jeep to do this.

the only reason we can come up with is the nocirc.org information posted on the back window. They really seemed to not like that.

[Reprob8]

Stickers are great, they are a great way of intorducing yourself and your beliefes and they allow us to recognise people we would probably like to talk to, drink a cup of coffee with or even better let us know who to avoid. If I see a person with Republican stickers and Bush stickers in a parking lot the conversation is pretty much over but I would never key their car or verbaly assault them. I equate Bush/Cheney stickers with Bill engvall's stupid sign, it is better to be forwarned.

[deletetacount123]

Some people have no respect for other people's things.

Why can't we all just get along and leave other peoples things alone??!?!

Tasha

[Flounder1967]

If you replace your stickers good for you. Next time try placing them inside you car pointing outward. Using tape or something. Also try palcing a rugby sticker also on the car. less people will mess with your car.

[deletetacount123]

If you replace your stickers good for you. Next time try placing them inside you car pointing outward. Using tape or something. Also try palcing a rugby sticker also on the car. less people will mess with your car.

Ya thats what a friend of mine did... Shes obessed with Unicorns.... I found some pretty Unicorn/rainbow (rainbow being behind the unicorn) stickers and got them for her for her birthday.
She wanted to put them on her car lol I said no (she knew why). :) Finally she decided to put them inside her car on the front corners of the windows, taping them so they faced outward..... looked pretty nice :) We saw a lot of people looking at it making nasty looks but they couldn't do anything about it.

Just make sure you lock the doors and keep the windows rolled up when you leave the car in the parking lot :)

Tasha

[Herbwoman39]

If you replace your stickers good for you. Next time try placing them inside you car pointing outward. Using tape or something. Also try palcing a rugby sticker also on the car. less people will mess with your car.


LOL (about the rugby sticker)! I wish I *could* put stickers on the inside facing out but the problem is that I live in Florida. It gets SO hot during the summer tha it melts glue off tape.

The stickers aren't so badly damaged that they have to be replaced. It's just the thought that someone would do something like that in the first place.

I shouldn't be surprised though. My friend in Atlanta had her car keyed because she has pagan bumper stickers.

To quote another bumper sticker, "Mean People Suck" :(

[deletetacount123]

I don't think it always has to be a sticker issue.... some poeples cars get keyed (someone walking by, dragging a key or something across the car) for no reason at all. Just kids being stupid and damaging property.
Sometimes stickers just makes them more attempted I guess :(

Tasha

[Herbwoman39]

I don't think it always has to be a sticker issue.... some poeples cars get keyed (someone walking by, dragging a key or something across the car) for no reason at all. Just kids being stupid and damaging property.
Sometimes stickers just makes them more attempted I guess :(

Tasha


That could be. Her neighborhood isn't exactly the best. She once had her car stolen right out of her driveway. Georgia is, sadly, such a Funamentalist Christian state, it could go either way though.

[shavnyak]

It's a car, not a billboard.

I am of the opinion that views are best expressed in person rather than publicised. And it doesn't matter the view (str8/gay, liberal/conservative, pro-war/anti-war, etc, etc, etc).

And yes, I am aware to the fact that I am opening myself up by the statements written here.

Is the defacement justified, then? No.

However my first thought upon reading the originating message is (I must be nothing if not honest): "You asked for it".

If one is willing to place one's views/beliefs out in the open for all to see, then one must then be prepared for an enevitable action of another with an opposing view.

I am not talking of a str8/Christian/homophobe/etc attacking gay/bi/les/etc, alone. I have witnessesed ill-will towards str8s from within the gay/bi/les/etc community, as well. Bigotry is, indeed, a two-way street. Some of the comments in this thread are (albiet soft) evidence to this.

No one simply cannot expect everyone to either accept or tolerate thier way of seeing things. It is arrogant to think otherwise.

We are a violent and self-centered race, we homo sapiens; regardless of so-called sexual-orientation. Despite the intelligence and heightened awareness that precious few of the some six billion humans on this planet posses, the lowest common denominator still rules the day.

I am truly sorry for what happened to the stickers on your car Herbwoman39 (as well as those of you that have told of similar events). I do not mean to belittle your feelings or situation in the least. I am simply passing along my thoughts.


shavnyak

[anne27]

Freedom of choice, shavnyak! :2cents:

We live in a country where people are allowed to express themselves via bumper stickers, protest marches, or simply by voting. No one 'asks for' vandalism and intolerance.

It's all about respect. People should respect themselves and others.

That's the way it's supposed to be. It's called basic decency.

[shavnyak]

You are most correct, anne27.

Yet the paradox is that, because of the freedoms that we enjoy (and, sometimes, take for granted) we ask for the vandalism and intollerance that opposes our views.

Everyone is allowed and encouraged to express themselves in our great republic, no?

No.

Not everyone.

Only those who are considered to be a minority of some sort are given the right of free expression without reprocussion.

If I were a str8 man and I stood on a street corner and expressed my heart-felt belief that all gay persons were going to burn in Hell, do you know what could happen?

In 32 of our 50 states I could be charged with a hate-crime.

Do you know what would happen if, as a non-str8 man, I stood on a street corner and expressed my heart-felt belief that all str8s are evil by design and should be killed without mercy?

Nothing.

Freedom promises a fairness for all, not laws that are designed to raise one group above another.

Freedom does not come without a price. That includes freedom of choice.
And freedom of expression.

And yet. I give up here.

This is not worth it. I've been in this discussion too many times before.

Anne27, I do not presume to think that you intelligence is below par. Nor do I intend to discount your viewpoint nor even assume that, because of your words, your political leanings are one way or another.

However, I must express what is on my mind.

It is the likes of you that give our party a bad name. Deaf ears fail to hear the nonsense that the working mouth speaks.

No apologies,
shavnyak

[Avocado]

I would never put anything on my car on the grounds that if someone wants to have a go they've gotta get past me 1st. When I look at smashed in bus shelters and phone boxes my immediate reaction is "oh you're dead 'ard you are, you can claim a right result after that". These people are scum who aint got the bottle for a 1 on 1 without weapons. I hope some driver doesn't see them.

[warm heart]

That could be. Her neighborhood isn't exactly the best. She once had her car stolen right out of her driveway. Georgia is, sadly, such a Funamentalist Christian state, it could go either way though.

You poor woman.....at least i live in a country thats is taught to celebrate diversity........it is heartbreaking to realise that others do not live by the same rules of acceptance of difference as we do.........stick with it babe.....over here car stickers are often sold so they can go on the inside of windows....and the humidity means that thats ok......i have two....one that says goddess in training......lol always in training...and one that says hate is not a family value........which was in direct response to the christian party politics.......i guess cause they are on the inside of my car they have never been damaged.....

love and light
Warm.........xoxoxoxoxox

[titeabs]

I say its a good idea to keep anything expressive towards sexual orientation to a minimum. With family values at the forefront , at least in my neighborhood, any displays will get some scrutiny. There is a gay couple on my block that hang an american flag that is in the gay colors , and it sickens people, myself included. Then they wonder why no one interacts with them. :cutelaugh

I don't think this dilemma is weird. I think its reality. The majority of people don't want to know your business when it comes to orientation. Whether you are proud to be gay, or bi,or whatever........keep it inhouse.

Sincerely,
The Midwest