| Saturday, January 19, 2002 |
21:46 - "Down With Terrorism!" "I Like Chocolate!"
|
(top)  |
I still haven't decided yet what to think about all the people who have customized their cars with bumper stickers of American flags and related paraphernalia. One the one hand, sure-- you gotta feel like you're doing something. And yet... some of them just feel awfully silly.
I was at Fry's today, picking up a FireWire cable for the camera, when in the parking lot I walked past a truck that had, in a row, three different kinds of American flags, a "9/11: Never Again" sticker, and-- best of all-- a red circle-and-slash "NO" symbol. In the center? The word "TERRORISM".
Gee, I sure am glad to see that Fred Johnson with 2.4 kids has registered his disapproval of the events of September 11th. If he hadn't done that, I wouldn't have known what side of the issue he might support, and I'd have to watch my language and opinions lest I inadvertently offend him or rub him the wrong way. In fact, if he hadn't put that sticker on his truck, I may as well just go right ahead and assume it's loaded up with explosives and he's on his way down the 880 to blow up the Best Buy shouting "Allah akbar!"
Does there come a point where you should have to say "Yes, it's pretty bloody obvious that terrorism is not something we want to have happen"? Solidarity is one thing, but what is this-- one-upmanship? Is there community pressure to make sure you have the most stars and stripes on your car of all your neighbors-- a macabre sort of Christmas-lights contest? A race to see who in your parking lot at work hates Osama bin Laden the most?
Okay, okay-- if it helps you deal with your grief and your anger, that's fine. But I'd just like you to step back for a moment and ponder whether your car's bumper sticker display says anything useful, or whether it's just the post-9/11 equivalent of "NAPSTER BAD!"
|
|
