Car Sticker Question

[NonLemming]

There is no "correct" answer to this question. I have been curious about it and want to get some other opinions.

We see cars all the time that have school stickers, religious stickers, political stickers, rainbow flags, rebel flags, American flags, symbols for other countries, etc. What is it in humans that makes us do this?

[keltic63]

I think it's practical and psychological. From the psychological standpoint, it identifies us in some way either individually, or as part of some group. it may even help you find more people like yourself. For instance, by bf has an oval Provincetown sticker on the back of his car, just a rainbow "PT" in the oval. Saturday we were driving along and a jeep with 2 guys inside passes us and gives us the nod. We were id'd as being part of their group.

On the practical side, my red neon looks just like my friend, Marlena's red neon, who lives about a block from me. Needless to say, there are quite a few red neons around, so putting a sticker on mine helps me find my car in the parking lot at Wal-Mart!

[Daniel]

Agree with Keltic here: labels are a means to deal with information, be part of the group, and as such, are an extension of the great American invention: advertising! Living in NYC, I haven't had a car in a while (I miss driving!), but don an old tee shirt to go to the gym that has "Gay Games 1994" on it (I was dating a volleyball player that year). The gym being the old West Side Y, I've become friends with a fair number of guys there- gay and straight. Simply put, the shirt makes me feel like I have nothing to apologize for. I'm really gay in it, And so what?

[NonLemming]

Good responses, guys. Anyone else?

[Zerbie]

I never put a sticker on a car til last summer.

Figgered, I don't want my opinions predeceding me. But I always had a flash of hope and encouragement when seeing other cars drive by with Amnesty International, or a rainbow flag, or that HRC sticker, or similar, positive, upbeat thing.

Now that I live in a conservative part of a red state, AND there is one of those marriage amendments coming up on the ballot, when the HRC sticker arrived with membership last summer, I wanted to stick it on there so that other gay and allied people can see it and possibly feel that same flash of hope and encouragement. It's easy to feel outnumbered around here. I've had people beep and wave at me, stuff like that. Last week I parked on a city street and some young guy I'd never seen before parked behind my car, then smiled and waved at me. I was like, Uh, okay, and sorta smiled and nodded, wondering why a stranger was being THAT friendly. When I came back his car was still there, and I saw that he had a sticker on his car, too. So, "Ohhhh, that's why he was waving!"

T shirts, otoh, I never refuse a free T shirt. I have a collection of "community minded" T shirts that have been offered or thrown at me over the years of community activism. Not being much of a T shirt wearer, most of them wind up in my gym locker, like Daniel. :D

There's a black tee with a thin rainbow across the top that says "Gay Pride Houston: 1998", given to me by a drag queen at the Houston parade in 1999 - (she must have known I would look AWFUL in white, which was the color of the '99 tees, and I was praying someone would throw me a black one!). A red one with Hate Free Zone across the front and a boring paragraph of text on back describing Act-Out, of which I'm a member. A black one with a Day of Silence logo on the front and "What are you doing to end the silence?" on the back, and finally, the only one I went out of my way and actually PAID FOR - Nathan's creation, the pink one that says "I love my LGBT Christian friends, please don't let their church abandon them." But mostly, I'm all about the freebies. ;)

[NathanATX]

There's a black tee with a thin rainbow across the top that says "Gay Pride Houston: 1998", given to me by a drag queen at the Houston parade in 1999 - (she must have known I would look AWFUL in white, which was the color of the '99 tees, and I was praying someone would throw me a black one!). A red one with Hate Free Zone across the front and a boring paragraph of text on back describing Act-Out, of which I'm a member. A black one with a Day of Silence logo on the front and "What are you doing to end the silence?" on the back, and finally, the only one I went out of my way and actually PAID FOR - Nathan's creation, the pink one that says "I love my LGBT Christian friends, please don't let their church abandon them." But mostly, I'm all about the freebies. ;)

Hey girl,
How did that shirt turn out? Have you worn it yet? Have you had any responses? :)

For those who are curious about zerbie's new t-shirt, go to www.cafepress.com/nonviolencegear and look for the pink shirt. All prices have a $1.00 mark-up that is sent to Soulforce automatically.

[Zerbie]

Hey Nate, the shirt is fine. Soft loose and comfy, as it turns out.

I actually did wear it the other day, all day, but no one made any comments. I'm sure someone will at some point. . . .

[suzer1013]

I think if I'm completely honest, I put my bumper sticker on my car partly in response to the overwhelming amount of fish symbols (some say "Jesus" inside), "Marriage = one man, one woman", "Jesus is the only way" stickers I see here in Georgia. I also partly put it on there to piss of the fundies, which I occasionally accomplish.

My bumper sticker says "God is too big to fit into one religion."

I've gotten a couple of tracts left on my windshield telling me I'm going to hell if I don't accept Christ (as if I couldn't possibly have done that and have such a bumper sticker on my car!), complete with pictures of bloody Jesus, etc. One tract told me I was basically as good as the 9/11 hijackers, and if only they had accepted Christ into their hearts just before they slammed the planes into those buildings, then they too could have been "saved." It had a picture of the smoking World Trade Center on it, and I think the bloody Jesus was relegated to the back of the tract. I couldn't believe the first time a tract was put on my car, but now I think it's funny. (BTW, my car is always the only one in the lot to have a tract put on it -- it is plainly in response to my bumper sticker.)

So, I'll keep my bumper sticker. It's part personal profession, part reaction to other stickers, part "in your face" -- and it also makes my car easier to find. :)

Susan

[polo120]

Got a silly question on the sticker subject. Can people who are active duty military put HRC stickers on their vehicle?

[Zerbie]

OMG Susan!! What stories!!!

I'd be afraid of having the tires slashed!

But yeah, we get tracts on our cars too, even hubby's without any stickers. . . One of 'em was 5 laminated pages complete with round the world testimonials and photos. It was so over-the-top vicious towards EVERYbody, and was so specific about the 100 pound hailstones that are going to smite us, that we laughed and laughed! :lol:

[keltic63]

where do you people live that you have religious tracts randomly placed on your cars? I know that this area isn't exactly progressive, but it's not so homogeneously fundagelical that people go 'round plastering cars with tracts. I've never had one on my car, never had one stuck in my door, haven't even gotten one in the mail.

[NathanATX]

where do you people live that you have religious tracts randomly placed on your cars? I know that this area isn't exactly progressive, but it's not so homogeneously fundagelical that people go 'round plastering cars with tracts. I've never had one on my car, never had one stuck in my door, haven't even gotten one in the mail.

What's your address? :weee: :disagree:

[suzer1013]

where do you people live that you have religious tracts randomly placed on your cars? I know that this area isn't exactly progressive, but it's not so homogeneously fundagelical that people go 'round plastering cars with tracts. I've never had one on my car, never had one stuck in my door, haven't even gotten one in the mail.

Right down here in good ol' Cobb County, Georgia! Welcome to the South, home of the most fundie fundagelicals around, home of Newt Gingrich, et al. (If it helps explain, the Olympic torch purposely bypassed Cobb County in 1996 because of Cobb's anti-gay policies.) There's a church on every corner around here, the great majority of which include "Baptist" in the title, a significant amount of conservative (quasi-baptist) "Methodist" churches, and quite a few "Church of God" and "Assemblies of God."

The tracts on my car were all placed in Cobb County.

Susan

[Vanessa White]

I admit, I like stickers, window clings, and magnets, if they speak to something that I want to make a statement about, or am proud of. Right now, I have a rainbow peace sign cling in my window, found it in Rehoboth Beach, DE last summer, I have a pink ribbon magnet for breast cancer, I have a magnet NP which stands for my daughter's school district, and a couple for my University. I have also had pride stickers on my cars in the past, stickers about mental health issues, tolerance, HRC- I have never knowingly been harassed for anything on my car or in my windows. As a matter of fact, I had one on my car about mental health once, and a man approached me and said how mental health services basically saved his wife's life, and expressed his gratitude. It was really cool. And, I love it when I see another pride sticker/cling on a car- I feel connected. I love being in my car, so I like for it to be a reflection of sorts of what I am about....

[Zerbie]

Got a silly question on the sticker subject. Can people who are active duty military put HRC stickers on their vehicle?

D*mn good question! It would be a problem in actuality, I'm sure, but technically - ?

Technically, could they, because all the sticker leads to is that you SUPPORT LGBT causes? Or is the "support" enough to violate policy?

I'm sure, even if technically, "supporting" gay causes isn't enough to cause a problem it could easily be construed as violating policy by "telling" people something. . .and that you "support" the causes because you ARE gay, and in that way you've "told." So, I'm sure in all actuality it would be huge problem.

Now Keltic, with regard to your question: we live in the Phoenix area. While we don't receive religious tracts on our cars often, it does happen. Struck us funny that someone plastered every car in the parking lot with that 5 page "Come To Jesus-y, The Pope Is Satan, and 100 pound hailstones will drop on your head next week" tract on every vehicle parked outside the theater during a performance of a Broadway musical. I'm sure B'way musicals are also the work of Satan in this "pastor's" eyes - he basically said as much, said that university students are all wasting their time learning skills and trades they will never use because they will all be burning in Hell so soon, it's irrelevant, so here, recite this prayer, and come to my church on Bla Bla Street.

[Dash]

This made me think of the old Desmond Morris book The Naked Ape (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385334303/104-4848192-6407154?v=glance&n=283155). If any of you have read that book, he has an interesting perspective that compares our behavior to that of other primates. One of the things that I seem to remember (it's been awhile) is that we are still essentially tribal in nature, but have been removed from our tribes by urbanization. Whereas once, a person might well know everyone in his or her community, we now pass by hundreds or even thousands of complete strangers every day. To Morris, it was source of numerous neurotic behaviors common to primates in captivity.

Perhaps bumper stickers are another one of our many ways of recreating a tribal system...a healing, or coping behavior, if you will. That person with a rainbow stripe that you just passed on the freeway becomes a tribe member...at least in some sense...even though you will very likely never see them again.:inspector:

(what's that inspector smoking?)

[Zerbie]

Well, er, yes, Dash, there certainly is an element of that in doing so! To recognize another group member, or to identify oneself as such. I don't think it's "incorrect" at all. It feeds a sense of connection with one or two outta those several hundred strangers you pass on the freeway, or wherever. Group identities.

[Jennifer5]

I love bumper stickers... (oh course don't have any yet because I don't have a car yet)... I love how much a bumper sticker can say about a person, when you drive by a person and read what their bumper stickers say many find themselves either cringing, smiling, or laughing...

In the case of my mom and our family we don't have bumper stickers because we don't want our car to stand out.. for many reasons.... although it used to be because we used to all be afraid in our community because of the public things my dad would say.... now I think it just her personal reasons.

I just love the connection that you can feel by just reading a bumper sticker you agree with...



my most resent favorite was........
An eye for and eye
Leaves the whole world blind

[NonLemming]

This made me think of the old Desmond Morris book The Naked Ape (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385334303/104-4848192-6407154?v=glance&n=283155). If any of you have read that book, he has an interesting perspective that compares our behavior to that of other primates. One of the things that I seem to remember (it's been awhile) is that we are still essentially tribal in nature, but have been removed from our tribes by urbanization. Whereas once, a person might well know everyone in his or her community, we now pass by hundreds or even thousands of complete strangers every day. To Morris, it was source of numerous neurotic behaviors common to primates in captivity.

Perhaps bumper stickers are another one of our many ways of recreating a tribal system...a healing, or coping behavior, if you will. That person with a rainbow stripe that you just passed on the freeway becomes a tribe member...at least in some sense...even though you will very likely never see them again.:inspector:

(what's that inspector smoking?)

Excellent thoughtful response. That's the best one I've heard yet. thanks!

[Mia14]

One of my aunts prints out sayings she likes off the computer and tapes em in the back window of her minivan. That allows her to change them as often as she pleases (although it's not as pretty as some of the bumper stickers). Her latest ones are mostly anti-Bush and pro-peace, but she changes them frequently.

I don't yet have any bumper stickers on my car for home reasons, but I'm sure in the future it will. Bumper stickers are like tattoos, but for cars. I think both bumper stickers and tattoos are ways to find like-minded people and to express something you feel or memorialize a special time in your lfie.

[Vanessa White]

Okay all: I was in Rehoboth Beach, DE this weekend. I got one of those white, oval stickers for my car that says "RB Delaware" on it and put it on right away. I can't wait to go back!!!

[tdogg]

Great analogy Dash! I agree with the Tribal thing. It's similar to showing horses, riding in the ring everyone starts off with adequate spacing in between competitors, but as the class goes on, the horses naturally congregate together with an exception here and there (the independent ones). People are the same way. Go to the movies - it's interesting how you can find a seat anywhere as one of the first to arrive, as more people arrive they start sitting amazingly close to the seat you chose, with an exception here or there. Tribal, herd instinct, flocking. Safety in numbers?

Sounds like fun Vanessa!