Bumper stickers

[mqbush]

The car in front of me had bumper stickers all over it, saying “Proud of my cub scout,” “Proud parent of an honor student,” “Proud to drive an SUV,” (OK, I made that one up), “Proud to be an American.” I’m glad the kids are healthy and not on drugs, but I had to wonder if the parents’ choice of bumper stickers maybe indicated pride IN BEING PROUD. There definitely is a glorification, a virtuification, if you will, of pride these days, contagious as all heck. A while ago everyone was competing frantically to show how patriotic they were. Now are we in for a war of pride? “I’m prouder than you are, so I’m a better person! And I’m proud that I’m proud, that I’m better than you!” Same song as before, different verse. Substitute faith for patriotism or pride, and you have the chorus; rather than trying to rationalize religions that make the tooth fairy sensible and consistent in comparison, many people simply embrace and exalt faith in faith itself, a perfectly circular logic that defies reason.

Whether it’s a swelled-chest feeling when you think of how patriotic you are, or how proud you are to be proud of the price of onions and the color of rutabagas, or how strong your faith in faith is, it’s all the same thing: the turning away from analysis, empiricism, reason and proof, and the turning toward, the wallowing in, pure emotion, self-sufficient, escapist emotionality. Things can’t be all that hunky-dory around here these days if we have to escape to these safe places from the responsibilities of citizenship and civilization and being good neighbors.

[LeftinOH]

1. I saw a "Proud to be Italian" bumper sticker once.....

...it was on the back of a Rolls-Royce (yes, really). I wish I'd taken a picture.

[Stuckinthebush]

2. I'm proud

I want one that says:

"Proud to be a Liberal!"

or

"Proud to NOT have voted for Bush!"

:D

[jojo54]

3. My idea for a great bumper sticker:

"I'm proud to be an American.
But, where'd America go?"

[trof]

4. Faded yellow magnetic 'ribbons'. "Proud to be an American".

[Buzz Clik]

5. I love the weathered "Support the Troops" magnets.

The lettering is nearly gone, the paper on the magnet is rotting off. I set it as a metaphor for the war in Iraq.

[Beausoleil]

6. Funny, I thought that "pride" was one of the seven

Deadly Sins! That of "Superbia".

Also funny how close that word is to "suburbia".

[Echo In Light]

7. lol ...iti's a wonderful world of colonized minds.. and "pod people"

[CRK7376]

8. We have

I'm proud of my Eagle Scout stickers on our cars and truck. One son has earned his Eagle Scout and our other son is 3 merit badges and one Eagle Project away from his Eagle.....vanity and pride mixed together....