Civility in the Suburbs (Boston, Geneva: insurance, home, neighborhood)

[neil0311]

Let's not make this political or left vs right. There is plenty of rabid partisan nonesense on the left as well. I lived in Massachusetts which is the political mirror of Georgia. There was plenty of intolerance for my "W" sticker in 2004 and many college kids who couldn't tell you a single plank in either party platform, but just knew that Republicans were evil and let me know by telling me so.

Freedom of speech is a right we all share and need to protect. That doesn't mean we can't disagree on substance and issues, but we have to be civil and treat each other with respect as we disagree and discuss. That's what's wrong with Washington, DC today. Partisans in both parties would drive the country into the ditch rather than give the other party any credit for a good idea that helps the country, just as neither will take on any blame for actions that've hurt.

[NEastBound]

Off the political subject - I had a college team, of which I will not name, that was NOT UGA tag in the front of my car. During the time that I had the tag on the car, I was flicked off, yelled at, you name it...needless to say - that has been replaced with a beautiful BoSox tag and now I just get glared at by the NY fans...

better that getting run off the road by an irate UGA fan! That happened on 92 in Woodstock thanks jerk*** in the "UGA" red corvette...I had my son in the car.

[mmenomen]

I don't put political stickers on my car, but for people to harass anyone else for expressing their political views is extremely lame and uncalled for.

[Zel Ya]

Originally Posted by NEastBound

Off the political subject - I had a college team, of which I will not name, that was NOT UGA tag in the front of my car. During the time that I had the tag on the car, I was flicked off, yelled at, you name it...needless to say - that has been replaced with a beautiful BoSox tag and now I just get glared at by the NY fans...

better that getting run off the road by an irate UGA fan! That happened on 92 in Woodstock thanks jerk*** in the "UGA" red corvette...I had my son in the car.

Wow! That's unreal.

I bet that guy was at the big UGA game, in Athens, during the Atlanta gas crisis.

[RainyRainyDay]

Originally Posted by Zel Ya

I've lived in the metro Atlanta area for a long time and I've learned a few things. Sadly, I would advise metro Atlanta Democrats to not display a Democratic bumper sticker on your car.

Originally Posted by neil0311

Let's not make this political or left vs right. There is plenty of rabid partisan nonesense on the left as well. I lived in Massachusetts which is the political mirror of Georgia. There was plenty of intolerance for my "W" sticker in 2004 and many college kids who couldn't tell you a single plank in either party platform, but just knew that Republicans were evil and let me know by telling me so.

Sadly, these two quotes, juxtaposed, suggest to me it's mob rule here in the land of the err, free. With the best will in the world, Zel suggests it's not actually safe to advertise Democratic sympathies here in Georgia.

Originally Posted by neil0311

Freedom of speech is a right we all share and need to protect. That doesn't mean we can't disagree on substance and issues, but we have to be civil and treat each other with respect as we disagree and discuss.

That's how I'd like it to be.

[Mattie]

I don't understand the need to put a bumper sticker on your car (or front lawn) in the first place. Nobody was ever swayed to vote for a candidate by reading a bumper sticker. Why deface your car?

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by Mattie

I don't understand the need to put a bumper sticker on your car (or front lawn) in the first place. Nobody was ever swayed to vote for a candidate by reading a bumper sticker. Why deface your car?

I agree with you, and personally don't do it. For me in 2004, it was a matter of responding to the smug Kerry supporters in Mass who just knew that he was going to win, and that no intelligent being could possibly vote Republican. I taped the sticker to the inside of my window and removed it after the election. Strangely there are still "Kerry '04" stickers on cars in Boston.

[RainyRainyDay]

Originally Posted by Mattie

I don't understand the need to put a bumper sticker on your car (or front lawn) in the first place. Nobody was ever swayed to vote for a candidate by reading a bumper sticker. Why deface your car?

Three things about this:

First, just because you think these forms of self-expression are silly or pointless, doesn't make it acceptable for them to be vandalized. I know you didn't write any such thing, Mattie. I just want to be clear on this, in case anyone is thinking along those lines.

Second, most of the time I too am not a fan of bumper stickers and their ilk. We didn't even put one of those "my kid is an honor student" stickers on a car until the kid had been bringing them home for over three years, and we belatedly realized she felt a bit hurt that we didn't display a sticker. I am sometimes amused when I pull up at a stop light behind one of those cars with slogans of various kinds all over the back. I would never do that, myself - but I support the right of anyone else to express themselves in that way.

Finally, about election lawn signs and stickers and why I have both right now. It's not because I think anyone is going to choose a candidate by seeing a sign. Obviously, that's ridiculous. So why do people display these signs, then? I think it's to declare one's position, hearten the like-minded and, I suppose, dishearten the opponents. Neil described being so exasperated by the smug assumption of his fellow MA residents that EVERYONE favored Kerry, that he got a W sticker in the 2004 election. My Obama sign and sticker in East Cobb have pretty much the same motivation as that - to show that even here, not EVERYONE is a Republican supporter.

In my overwhelming white, lower middle-class, Republican leaning neighborhood there are plenty of McCain-Palin lawn signs, and ours is the only Obama sign. I have a suspicion that we might not be the only Obama supporters - just the only ones with the nerve to put out a sign. So I think of our sign as saying "you're not alone" to any Democrats who drive by. By the way, our sign has been out there for a week or so now, and it hasn't been molested, so far.

[rswlguy]

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

The current election contest seems to be getting heated and nasty. We have an Obama '08 sticker on the rear window of one of our cars. This morning I discovered that somebody had added to it a couple of large computer-printed stickers saying (sorry about this) "**** For Brains" and "Douche Bag".
I suspect this occurred when we were at a movie last night, at the GTC Park 12 in East Cobb. Apparently at least one Republican sympathizer in East Cobb has no respect for others' freedom of expression and no compunction about vandalizing my personal property. It's disturbing.

RRD: I'm truly very sorry for what happened to you in OUR neighborhood. I'm shocked, however not surprised ... and extremely disappointed. I've got my pocket video camera in the car, ready to film & record any infractions of civil rights, freedom of speech. If I'm NOT correct, I believe that lot is under video-surveillance ... did you report it to the Cobb Police? I certainly hope so. BTW, I just remember that the Home Depot lot and surrounding area is under 24/7 video survellance.

I'm in EU right now (Amsterdam) and will be returning to Georgia tomorrow evening. I allowed some rather gifted, intelligent and kind residents of Holland read what happened to you in "Cobb County, Georgia".

I cannot print what these find people had to say about the Republican party in America, but rest assured and I solidified in their minds that the American people are good people, have made some horrendous mistakes in the past & there is no reason to think [we] as Americans can correct what we have done wrong...in our own country and to others'.

Rainy I hope that you reported this ... when I return to Georgia, I'd be willing to contact a Cobb County Superior Court judge I know and I'm willing to bet that she'll push to have the violator(s) apprehended and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

After 17 years living in Georgia, 16 in NE Cobb County ... I so embarassed in front of our European friends. Embarassed. yes that's the right word. No, you're not alone. Perhaps a little 'afraid' ... but you're not alone.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by rswlguy

I cannot print what these find people had to say about the Republican party in America, but rest assured and solidified in their mind that the American people are good people and have made some horrendous mistakes in the past and there is no reason to think [we] as Americans can correct what we have done wrong...in our own country and to others'.

I wasn't going to get political....

First, who cares what Europeans in the Netherlands think about "the Republican party in America". I have been to Holland and the Dutch are very nice people (some of the nicest in Europe), but like most Europeans, what they think about America is unimportant, unless and until they take more responsibility for matters in the world. Talk is cheap. Embarrassed....puhleeze.

What we have done wrong "to others"? Huh? Give me a break...you need a history lesson and some coffee.

Second, the incident that happened to RRD is unfortunate but has absolutely nothing to do with "the Republican Party in America". One or more rude and classless individuals acted in an inappropriate way. If you want to make some generalizations, think about the fact that many of the protests led by far left liberals are the ones that end up violent and with windows being busted and property damaged. How many Republicans have you seen protesting at the Dem convention or G8 summit, throwing bricks through store windows?

As to horrendous mistakes, there are plenty to go around for both political parties here. I found it most ironic that Jimmy Carter was on foreign soil making nasty comments about the Bush administration's handling of the economy. Talk about the wrong guy talking.