Bumper Stickers & Cultural Wars

[scooterbug44]

I think bumper stickers have always pushed the limit of taste/kindness.

The lack of respect they show for the President and the level of nastiness is unfortunately just a representation of what is going on and fueled by the media.

Sadly, these reactions against anyone they perceive as "different" are textbook examples of political manipulation and economic fears.

 

[GoodWitch58]

Actually it isn't the same thing. Obama is a Christian, he has stated this on numerous occasions. Are we to the point of intolerance in this country that someone can declare their religion and still have people state they are not?

As to the Bush comparison, he did lie so he could send troops into another country under false pretenses and some of those troops have died. I don't see the correlation between the two, but I understand the point you are trying to make.

I did not like the personal attacks against Pres Bush any more than I like them against Pres Obama...having said that, I agree that this is not the same thing: what right does anyone have to question a person's faith? any person? but for others who claim Christiany to question another's Christian belief...a belief that is extremely personal and often not as evident as some other faiths?
This to me, is the height of hyprocisty and intolerance and certainly has nothing to do with the Golden Rule, which exists in varying forms in all faiths.
We need some adults in the Congress...in the ones running for elected office; and in the media. The personal attacks have gotten completely out of hand and there can be no good end to all this negative behavior IMO. Some of my students are just appalled at the behavior of people who are presently running for office--one of the questions they ask most often:
why are these people willing to spend so much money to be elected? What's in it for them?
and why are so many unwilling to put aside party politics and work together for the good of the country?
and why do people hate President Obama so?

these are questions that I believe deserve more of an answer than they get from most elected officials, wannabe elected officials, or the news media. Although Meghan McCain did a pretty good job of addressing some of them on the Rachel Maddow show the other day.

I can't help but believe that many adults who get caught up in the hysteria of hate and fear, do not stop to think what they are really doing--or about the the negative influence they are having on the younger set who tend to be much more tolerant of differences.

 

[TNJed]

Mr. Smith Goes To Washington.

I firmly believe many politicians have their agendas torn apart once they reach office and are confronted with the realities of multi-generational policies. There is so little room to "do the right thing" because there are "jokers to the left, clowns to the right and I'm stuck in the middle with you." Or something like that.

 

[GoodWitch58]

Mr. Smith Goes To Washington.

I firmly believe many politicians have their agendas torn apart once they reach office and are confronted with the realities of multi-generational policies. There is so little room to "do the right thing" because there are "jokers to the left, clowns to the right and I'm stuck in the middle with you." Or something like that.

Good point. I am sure every president has experienced this....every elected person really. Takes a real strong personality to stick up for what he/she believes in the face of all "the jokers and clowns".

I've often wondered why anyone wants to run for office...any office.

 

[30ashopper]

I did not like the personal attacks against Pres Bush any more than I like them against Pres Obama...having said that, I agree that this is not the same thing: what right does anyone have to question a person's faith? any person? but for others who claim Christiany to question another's Christian belief...a belief that is extremely personal and often not as evident as some other faiths?

If it's a politician you're voting for there's certainly nothing wrong with questioning faith. It is, after all, a valuable insight into the character of the candidate. Honestly I don't think Obama is that religious, although he would probably never admit that. He rarely goes to church, and when he does, attends mass where the message is more political / cultural.

This to me, is the height of hyprocisty and intolerance and certainly has nothing to do with the Golden Rule, which exists in varying forms in all faiths.

Intolerance of different groups is pretty common in this country, it's unfortunate but that's the way things are.

We need some adults in the Congress...in the ones running for elected office; and in the media. The personal attacks have gotten completely out of hand and there can be no good end to all this negative behavior IMO. Some of my students are just appalled at the behavior of people who are presently running for office--one of the questions they ask most often:
why are these people willing to spend so much money to be elected? What's in it for them?

I would tell them that the reason is likely that they feel very strongly about how the country / state should be run so they are willing to invest their own resources to try and change things. That's something worth admiring in my opinion.

and why are so many unwilling to put aside party politics and work together for the good of the country?

Because we don't agree on what's good for the country? I mean really, this is what politics is all about.

and why do people hate President Obama so?

That's the core question. Again I think it comes down people letting their emotions get the best of them during stressful times. I wouldn't consider the level of hate directed at Obama any less or more than that directed at Reagan, Bush Jr. or even maybe Clinton. These people are all polarizing figures because they attempted sweeping change vs. incremental change once elected. (Clinton I think is the perfect example of a president who overcame this in his second term.)

 

[LuciferSam]

If it's a politician you're voting for there's certainly nothing wrong with questioning faith. It is, after all, a valuable insight into the character of the candidate. Honestly I don't think Obama is that religious, although he would probably never admit that. He rarely goes to church, and when he does, attends mass where the message is more political / cultural.



Intolerance of different groups is pretty common in this country, it's unfortunate but that's the way things are.


I would tell them that the reason is likely that they feel very strongly about how the country / state should be run so they are willing to invest their own resources to try and change things. That's something worth admiring in my opinion.


Because we don't agree on what's good for the country? I mean really, this is what politics is all about.


That's the core question. Again I think it comes down people letting their emotions get the best of them during stressful times. I wouldn't consider the level of hate directed at Obama any less or more than that directed at Reagan, Bush Jr. or even maybe Clinton. These people are all polarizing figures because they attempted sweeping change vs. incremental change once elected. (Clinton I think is the perfect example of a president who overcame this in his second term.)

I don't think faith is such an accurate insight into a person's character, unless that person is some sort of fundamentalist, since we all know that most people pick and choose tenets of religion to abide by. If a person is non-religious, then that says virtually nothing about his moral character, putting him on the same level of most people who claim to be of faith. The only way to get a good idea of a person's moral character is to listen to him address various issues. I think Obama has done that more lucidly than most presidents, and certainly more so than our previous one.

 

[TNJed]

I don't think faith is such an accurate insight into a person's character, unless that person is some sort of fundamentalist, since we all know that most people pick and choose tenets of religion to abide by. If a person is non-religious, then that says virtually nothing about his moral character, putting him on the same level of most people who claim to be of faith. The only way to get a good idea of a person's moral characte is to listen to him address various issues. I think Obama has done that more lucidly than most presidents, and certainly more so than our previous one.

I think it says much more about a person's strength of character if one is willing to forgo cultural pressures and make decisions logically instead of just kowtowing to the least common denominator. This is why I vote instead of pray at the ballot box.

 

[GoodWitch58]

I think it says much more about a person's strength of character if one is willing to forgo cultural pressures and make decisions logically instead of just kowtowing to the least common denominator. This is why I vote instead of pray at the ballot box.

I think this says it all.

 

[Andy A]

I don't put bumper stickers on my car. They ruin the paint job. That is why my "SoWal" sticker is attached to a refrigerator magnet. Oh, and besides all that, I think they are for the unthinking, uninformed, stupid and any other derogatory phrase or word you can think of and they sometimes make my mind go where it shouldn't at that point in time.

 

[scooterbug44]

I don't care what someone's religion is, I care that people falsely misrepresent someone's religion for political and "ism" reasons.