In college I had a hooded sweatshirt which said in big colorful text, "Free Tibet!*"
The fine print, for those of you haven't seen this joke, was "*With the purchase of a Tibet of equal or greater value." Then I lost the sweatshirt. It's too bad, I liked it.
Virginia is notorious for being a bit crazy with the "message" license plates; I'm pretty sure they have by far the most types of any state. I always found it weird that you can get plates identifying yourself as an alum of an out-of-state university--UVA, sure, but Penn State?
I'll probably get NJ's animal friendly plates when I need to get new plates soon. Proceeds go to the state's animal population control program. I do wonder if it's more effective to just donate the money to such an organization, but maybe there's some value in the advertising. Then again, not many people will be convinced of a cause's worthiness just bco a license plate.
How can you forget the Sons of Confederate Veterans and their Constitutionally protected right to creep people out by displaying the Stars und Bars on their automobiles?
The meaning of the phrase is probably changing, but this is the Stars and Bars. The one people use to send the message "I'm a racist asshole" is the Confederate Battle Flag.
(I post this sort of thing because: a. I'm a ridiculous nitpicker and b. it may be worth pointing out that, for people who have a sincere misguided affection for the Confederacy, there are flags you can fly that weren't used in the anti-civil rights backlash. And c. I'm a ridiculous nitpicker.)
Even Virginia's current standard-issue plates annoyingly laud the upcoming 400-year Jamestown anniversary. I was unaware of these plates when I got my new car. Now I'm always red-in-the-face when we take the Hummer on the weekend Indian casino extravaganza trips...
Oh, and the site I linked is utterly full of shit, it was just the first illustration of the "Stars and Bars" I could find. The Battle Flag certainly is associated with hate; for instance, Georgia only put itin the state flag in 1955, after Brown v. Board of Education.
14: Yeah, that slipped my memory until after I posted. I was hoping no one would notice. Should know better . . ..
As for "the meaning of the phrase is probably changing", 'Stars and Bars' has been used in the loose manner evidenced in my post for as long as I can remember. For the first 25-years of my life (in Southeastern Virginia) I only ever heard it used incorrectly.
Ah, OK. Then I probably don't have to worry about us showing our unfamiliarity with Southern culture by using it wrong. In fact I'm showing my unfamiliarity by using it right! Curses. (And the search for "stars and bars" backs this up -- creepy.)
21: Jamestown (and nearby Williamsburg) annoy me, to the extent that they offer a heroic-colonial narrrative at the expense of the less-reputable aspects of colonization. (N.B., it's been a few years; they may do a better job at this point.)
The way I remember Jamestown is that it's more or less totally undeveloped; just an archaeological site with a museum attached. Williamsburg, of course, is the ultimate in heroic-colonial schlock. But I don't see why they would be more objectionable than any other celebration of American history.
The islamofascists have a much firmer grip on South Carolina. Driving through Columbia recently, I saw what I took to be one of the innumerable representations of the state's palm-and-crescent-moon symbol on the side of a building, and did a double-take when I realized it was actually a mosque!
I don't see why they would be more objectionable than any other celebration of American history
I think I'm just extra-touchy on these sorts of questions. Cf. this organization, whose logo is a stupid statue featuring strong Lewis and strong Clark and subservient Sacagawea. Better photo here. For some reason, this sort of history really gets my goat, and I lump in Jamestown and Williamsburg (perhaps unfairly, especially in the case of the, yes, largely archaeological site that is Jamestown). I see them as related examples of the Shining-City-On-A-Hill-style history of the US.
No, I understand your attitude completely. These issues are huge in New Mexico, and they came out in spades when we had our big 400 celebration back in 1998. I just didn't expect them to have the same sort of resonance in Virginia.
In college I had a hooded sweatshirt which said in big colorful text, "Free Tibet!*"
The fine print, for those of you haven't seen this joke, was "*With the purchase of a Tibet of equal or greater value." Then I lost the sweatshirt. It's too bad, I liked it.
Posted by washerdreyer | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 12:42 AM
I want a license plate that declares I'm "hooter friendly".
Posted by gswift | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 12:48 AM
How bad is it that just as I was about to drift off to sleep, I was jolted awake with the thought "I misspelled my masturbation pun!"?
Corrected.
Back to sleep.
Posted by Becks | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 12:54 AM
I find the purported chain of associations incredible.
Posted by washerdreyer | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 12:58 AM
Virginia is notorious for being a bit crazy with the "message" license plates; I'm pretty sure they have by far the most types of any state. I always found it weird that you can get plates identifying yourself as an alum of an out-of-state university--UVA, sure, but Penn State?
Posted by Matt F | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 12:59 AM
Those are supposed to be tobacco leaves?
Posted by Jackmormon | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 12:59 AM
I find the purported chain of associations incredible.
Posted by washerdreyer | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 3:05 AM
I have a vanity lisence plate that reads, "Terrorism: Sit Back and Take It."
Posted by Adam Kotsko | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 7:00 AM
I'll probably get NJ's animal friendly plates when I need to get new plates soon. Proceeds go to the state's animal population control program. I do wonder if it's more effective to just donate the money to such an organization, but maybe there's some value in the advertising. Then again, not many people will be convinced of a cause's worthiness just bco a license plate.
Posted by annie | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 9:28 AM
How can you forget the Sons of Confederate Veterans and their Constitutionally protected right to creep people out by displaying the Stars und Bars on their automobiles?
Posted by Alfi G | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 9:40 AM
I find the purported chain of associations incredible.
Posted by washerdreyer | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 10:26 AM
Crap, I should probably have looked what window I'd gone back to before hitting refresh. Twice.
Posted by washerdreyer | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 10:27 AM
I find the purported chain of associations incredible.
Posted by teofilo | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 11:04 AM
The meaning of the phrase is probably changing, but this is the Stars and Bars. The one people use to send the message "I'm a racist asshole" is the Confederate Battle Flag.
(I post this sort of thing because: a. I'm a ridiculous nitpicker and b. it may be worth pointing out that, for people who have a sincere misguided affection for the Confederacy, there are flags you can fly that weren't used in the anti-civil rights backlash. And c. I'm a ridiculous nitpicker.)
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 11:18 AM
Even Virginia's current standard-issue plates annoyingly laud the upcoming 400-year Jamestown anniversary. I was unaware of these plates when I got my new car. Now I'm always red-in-the-face when we take the Hummer on the weekend Indian casino extravaganza trips...
Posted by Stanley | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 11:25 AM
Oh, and the site I linked is utterly full of shit, it was just the first illustration of the "Stars and Bars" I could find. The Battle Flag certainly is associated with hate; for instance, Georgia only put itin the state flag in 1955, after Brown v. Board of Education.
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 11:26 AM
Is Jamestown really that controversial?
Posted by teofilo | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 11:26 AM
14: Yeah, that slipped my memory until after I posted. I was hoping no one would notice. Should know better . . ..
As for "the meaning of the phrase is probably changing", 'Stars and Bars' has been used in the loose manner evidenced in my post for as long as I can remember. For the first 25-years of my life (in Southeastern Virginia) I only ever heard it used incorrectly.
Posted by Alfi G | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 11:47 AM
Is Jamestown really that controversial?
Yes. Haven't you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon?
Posted by Stanley | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 11:50 AM
Ah, OK. Then I probably don't have to worry about us showing our unfamiliarity with Southern culture by using it wrong. In fact I'm showing my unfamiliarity by using it right! Curses. (And the search for "stars and bars" backs this up -- creepy.)
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 11:51 AM
Yes, but I still don't see your point.
Posted by teofilo | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 11:52 AM
Monaco?
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 11:52 AM
21 to 19
Posted by teofilo | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 11:53 AM
Hey, the Islamofascists got Mississippi.
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 11:54 AM
They can have it.
Posted by teofilo | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 11:56 AM
21: Jamestown (and nearby Williamsburg) annoy me, to the extent that they offer a heroic-colonial narrrative at the expense of the less-reputable aspects of colonization. (N.B., it's been a few years; they may do a better job at this point.)
Posted by Stanley | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 11:58 AM
The way I remember Jamestown is that it's more or less totally undeveloped; just an archaeological site with a museum attached. Williamsburg, of course, is the ultimate in heroic-colonial schlock. But I don't see why they would be more objectionable than any other celebration of American history.
Posted by teofilo | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 12:01 PM
The islamofascists have a much firmer grip on South Carolina. Driving through Columbia recently, I saw what I took to be one of the innumerable representations of the state's palm-and-crescent-moon symbol on the side of a building, and did a double-take when I realized it was actually a mosque!
Posted by JWP | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 12:08 PM
I don't see why they would be more objectionable than any other celebration of American history
I think I'm just extra-touchy on these sorts of questions. Cf. this organization, whose logo is a stupid statue featuring strong Lewis and strong Clark and subservient Sacagawea. Better photo here. For some reason, this sort of history really gets my goat, and I lump in Jamestown and Williamsburg (perhaps unfairly, especially in the case of the, yes, largely archaeological site that is Jamestown). I see them as related examples of the Shining-City-On-A-Hill-style history of the US.
Also, I'm a commie pinko.
Posted by Stanley | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 12:17 PM
To clarify: I'm extra-touchy because of overexposure. I ride past that damn statue nearly everyday.
Posted by Stanley | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 12:20 PM
No, I understand your attitude completely. These issues are huge in New Mexico, and they came out in spades when we had our big 400 celebration back in 1998. I just didn't expect them to have the same sort of resonance in Virginia.
Posted by teofilo | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 12:21 PM
But we could all get this!
Posted by DominEditrix | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 7:06 PM
We actually could, if there were 350 people on Unfogged who lived in Virginia. Rules here (PDF).
Posted by Becks | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 9:07 PM
Let's see... Becks, Stanley, any others?
Posted by teofilo | Link to this comment | 09- 4-06 9:11 PM