what does it mean?

[cos]

Please comment on this post before you read anyone else's comments.

This weekend, I saw a bumper sticker that said,
Straight, White, English-Speaking
Proud American
For a moment, I was offended ... then I started thinking of several different possible intentions, meanings, and contexts for this slogan. After a bit of confusion, I settled on curiosity. What does it mean? What did the people who sold it intend for it to convey, and what did the person who put it on their car intend to say by it? I can think of several different possibilities or nuances, and maybe there are more.

So tell me, what do you read in this bumper sticker slogan? And if, like me, you see several possibilities, which one came first, before you thought about it?

Comments

[sunspiral.livejournal.com]

I vote for the narrow-minded bigot interpretation.

[ayalanya.livejournal.com]

(i responded to another comment with this)

hmm...i thought the sticker was amusing, once my initial reaction of "huh?" was over. reason being, my mom has this button that says "i'm straight but not narrow". i have issues with things like that, because it sounds like those people who feel the need to point out their straightness while adamantly pointing out their ability to "tolerate" or "accept" those of us who aren't. in a perfect world, i would imagine that differences would be celebrated as variety but completely ignored as things that stick out and need to be "tolerated"

this sticker, to me, is thumbing its nose at that, saying "i am this, and i don't really feel the need to envelope you all in my tolerant arms by saying that i am this but i don't mind if you're not".

(i don't think i have much of a problem with what the sticker says, since i do believe that it was written in satire (maybe bigoted, but maybe not, it's the kind of phrase i would use with other words if i got sick enough of all these "proud to be X" things), but i *would* be somewhat wary around a person sporting it.)

[happyelfling.livejournal.com]

hm. am I the only one who didn't think "generic narrow minded bigot" and went straight to "white supremacy group member"?

that's what I think. those people are creepy. they are all about showing their "white pride". if it's not a supremacist gruop member, it's a really bad joke...

[justinjs.livejournal.com]

Honestly, the first thing entering my head before I really thought about it was "well, I am basically all of those things."

As a simple descriptive, it basically fits me. However, I can't imagine putting that (or plenty of other true statements about myself that I am not ashamed of) on a bumper sticker on my car.

I could believe that someone might make or display that bumper sticker in an ironic fashion... but I sadly doubt that this was the case.

[tylik.livejournal.com]

Okay, I thought about my own reaction a bit before I read other people's but I did read them before I wrote this.

The words by themself just make me go "huh?" While the anti-diversity interpretation certainly occurred to me, I'm not at all certain of it. (Certainly as an individual statement. Think of who might have printed a large number of such bumper stickers for sale, it somehow becomes more likely.) I don't see anything wrong with a majority group being proud... until it veers over into exclusion, which this, by itself, does not.

If I saw it, I have to admit I'd look for context. Other bumper stickers? (For instance, were it near "Marriage = 1 Man + 1 Woman" that would definately shade my reading.) Other decorations? Typeface? Colors? What kind of car? While these things might make one interpretation more likely than another, I guess I don't tend to assume I know what people mean by such statements.

[leora.livejournal.com]

My first thought was - who the fuck cares?

Then came the dual showing that it's okay to be part of the more normal group and saying that people ought to speak English in the US. But I wouldn't assume it's bigoted. It could be trying to reverse the trend on picking on non-trendy groups.

I still stand by the - who the fuck cares what this random person is?

[scromp.livejournal.com]

It is primarily an anti-PC statement, stemming from the somewhat widespread feeling among conservatives that the government, at the behest of godless America-hating libruls, is bending over backwards to accomodate people who do not fit into those categories to the detriment of those who do (via "reverse discrimination.") "English speaking" in particular is aimed at latinos who are "too lazy to bother learning English."

[estheruth.livejournal.com]

First thought: I think that this person has a burning neeeed to have a bumper sticker, and is thus inherently flawed. see, I hate bumper stickers. I think any person who can sum up what they think in a few pithy slogans is going to piss me off.
Second thought: this person is probably straight, white, speaks (only?) english, and is proud to be an american in a way that may or may not make me uncomfortable, depending. Thats, like, everybody I grew up with. they may or may not be an asshole. the part where they're hastening to state the S,W,S(o?)E, P.A. bit makes me lean towards asshole.
Third thought: pride is, like, my worst flaw. so it's one of the things that pisses me off most in other people.

[plymouth.livejournal.com]

I think any person who can sum up what they think in a few pithy slogans is going to piss me off.

I hope that is tongue-in-cheek. My small number of silly and nonpolitical bumperstickers are curling up in indignation!

[mycroft.livejournal.com]

So, I used to have a .signature that said: "White Heterosexual Atheist Male Pride!" The reason I did this was not that I thought black, homosexual, Christian females were dirt. It was because, with the increasing number of "foo pride" marches and whatnot, I felt that I was consistently not represented. The role of the so-called "majority" is frequently insulted and/or marginalized.

Of course, now I have one those "minority" badges myself, so I guess it's all better. *rolls eyes*

[(Anonymous)]

"The role of the so-called "majority" is frequently insulted and/or marginalized."

Excellent.

[killersmart1.livejournal.com]

It could be someone intending a satirical meaning along the lines of "Straight but not Narrow".

However, I think that, as a person who basically fits those characteristics (straight-ish, white-depending on which generation you ask, English-Speaking, proud of some things and American), a person who would might use a statement like that in satire would realize its other implications and have experience with "Proud American" meaning "Blindly Patriotic and Probably a Bigot" and not want to risk advertising themselves that way.

What was the coloration of the sticker?

[cos]

White lettering on a clear background, which meant the color of the car's bumper was the background - dark green I think, but I don't remember for sure.

[benndragon.livejournal.com]

My first reaction? "Holy shit, there are some left!" Amongst my group of friends that particular combination covers a rather small minority. I also had an initial twinge of "kill it before it breeds", which only goes to show that I suffer from prejudice too (even if it's not the same set as my folks). Oh, I'm also wondering why it doesn't end with "and I vote" ;P.

[danaeris.livejournal.com]

Quite frankly, my initial reaction IS confusion. If I work at it, I can come up with both offensive and agreeable meanings, but my first reaction is, "OK, what's your point?"

[ladyotterfae.livejournal.com]

either I'm not quite as cynical as most of y'all, or I'm really bloody naive, but my immediate reaction was just "oh look..poorly designed irony"

Granted, if I'd seen it on a car where other stickers were obnoxious, or the driver was being a jackass, that opinion would rapidly change.

[pisicutsa.livejournal.com]

It amuses me, and strikes me as the work of someone who basically has a sense of humor. I mean, why not? Every other group gets to have bumper stickers. (It's sort of a "rich, white males unite" kind of thing - it isn't intended to alienate, but let's face it, some people simply are part of that group). :)

[syzygy2.livejournal.com]

I reallyreally doubt that any of you, when they see a bumper sticker that says "gay pride" or "biamerica" or "se habla espanol" or any foreign flag assumes that the driver of the car is a bigot who can't handle straight/english speaking/american people. of course, there isn't anywhere near the persecution problem going the other way, but i think it is time to start making a distinction between being something and hating everyone who isn't that something.

i also wonder about the fact that we have historically black universities, all women's colleges, and other such organizations but that we stomp immediately on any majority (or, in the case of sex, males) who try to muster up some cohesion and pride.

anyway, i also am confused by the bumper sticker, as i don't see its purpose, but i don't think it is at all fair to judge it without any further context.

i am also straight, white, english-speaking and american. but i have absolutely no problem with other people being other things.

[(Anonymous)]

Thank you for a voice of reason.

[ksatyr.livejournal.com]

My first thought was:

This person is looking for a date or is renting out the car to people who are seeking new partners. As the person drives around (male or female) interested parties will pull over and make suggestive gestures at them indicating their interest.

I've leave it up to the student to work out which suggestive gestures they'll get most frequently.

[ksatyr.livejournal.com]

Um, that's "I'll" not "I've".

I intend (when I get a car) to put at least one gay pride sticker on it (though I count myself as mostly straight) and a friend has promised me some mental illness related stickers, such as the wonderful "I have multiple personalities, does that mean I can use the HOV lane?" one. I personally hate religious or race/nationality based stickers, as someone else said "who cares?"

[soulchanger.livejournal.com]

It appears to me to be an equivalent sticker to the multitudes of other stickers proclaiming the racial, sexual, or linguistic identities of the car's driver. I would assume, upon seeing it, that the owner of the sticker sees ample reason to be proud of who and what he is despite the fact that he or she is of the "oppressing" class of people in our country. To be offended by such a sticker is equivalent to a gay pride sticker - it suggests that one does not believe that straight white male English speakers should advertise their identity.

I personally do not find any of these things things to be proud of. I am proud of my accomplisments and my choices. Being white is not something you can choose or accomplish. Being straight might be, depending on who you ask, and speaking English is something you can choose or accomplish but it is likely for the sticker bearer that English was not a choice but a default. I am proud to speak English as well as I do, but not that I can speak it at all.

Of course, it is possible that the sticker is simply satirizing the other stickers, or satirizing the fact that straight white English-speakers act like they are fast becoming the minority, or satirizing almost anything. And it is also possible that the sticker represents a distaste for people who are not members of these groups, although, I would not assume so.

Upon a third reading it occurs to me that "Proud American" might refer to the fact that many people in our nation don't like America or are not proud to be Americans.

[sauergeek.livejournal.com]

I'll second this notion. See my post deep down. I note you identify as conservative -- I identify as liberal.

[bouncingleaf.livejournal.com]

I've always had mixed feelings about "straight pride marches" and the like. On one hand, I understand why oppressed groups gather, do visibility activities like marches, etc. On the other hand, being ashamed of self for being a member of a privileged group isn't especially useful either (not that this knowledge has prevented me from feeling shame).

I'd like to see more people asking themselves "what does it mean to me to be who I am?" and finding ways to be proud of it that don't involve putting down other people. Because I've thought about this in the past, it was my first reaction to the sticker.

But quickly my more pessimistic side says nah, the sticker belongs to someone who thinks that anything else is Wrong, or who at least doesn't understand why anyone who deviates from that formula might want to speak up about it. And I find that sad.

Would I put the corresponding sticker on my car ("Bisexual, White, English-Speaking, Somewhat Ashamed American")? Uh... probably not in those words, but I note that two of the bumper stickers on my car deal with my two deviations from the original slogan, and none of the other bumper stickers deal with any of the other words.

Hmm.

[smallbug.livejournal.com]

so, to keep this simple. i saw two different meanings.
one, to be an asshole, to show that this is what America IS.
the other, to be ironic, that this is how we act that America is. oh, and i guess one more. to just be proud of who you....having it be seen as "hip" to be anything else than what the sticker states. and to laugh at popculture and say, it is okay to be white, straight, english speaking american. and to be proud of whoever you may be. and to state the pride.
now justso you all know this is coming from someone who is NOT white, wasn't english speaking to begin with, nor neccesarily straight (yet straight identifying). okay, now off to read two pages of comments!

[chaiya.livejournal.com]

This is clearly an equation in which someone forgot to put the math symbols. Straight+White+English-Speaking = Proud American. The people selling it are those who think that their belonging to the first three categories automatically results in their belonging to the last, and they think that if you're not a Proud American, it's because you're too dumb to belong to that same ruling minority.

*cough*

[miss-chance.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid I'm of weak mind. My first response was "Fuck you." On further reflection I feel as though the posted may have felt threatened or confused by all the different people who live in this country. It seems as though by adding all the adjectives, there's an element of defensiveness going on. Which, then makes me modify my initial response. I think now I feel more: "yeah, well, sorry, buddy, but Fuck Off."

Like I said, I can be of small mind sometimes.

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

i think that:

o i'm finding myself utterly fascinated by the responses to this...

o that i'm horrified by some of the responses to this...

o thinking "right on" to a few of them...

o that my initial response was "hmm, probably attempt at humor", then "whatever". i think if i saw that while driving, i doubt i'd give it more than a second thought than i would to one of those "my other car is a broom" or such stickers.

#

I am posting this

[(Anonymous)]

...before reading people's comments.

I would say that the owner of the sticker is probably a jerk. He put it on his truck or car because he feels like there is too much whining about the underprivileged. He has never really been a minority or seen the subtle struggles that those who are different go through. He was not born into a world where the odds are against him.
He thinks people in this country should learn English, but probably doesn't speak the language of any other country. He would not leave America to live in another country because he already lives in the greatest country in the world, but he would deny that chance or opportunity to anyone from another country who would come here and have trouble learning to speak the language. It is hard to learn a new language. People who try and still speak with an accent are made fun of. They should NOT be made fun of for trying, and I'll bet this guy does it, which is hypocrtical because hew wants people to learn the language.

If this guy is proud to be an American, that's fine. The other stuff is offensive because it's DEfensive - it is meant to provoke and anger, and it's ignorant and separatist.

He should get a bumper sticker that says, "I will HELP you learn to speak English by being polite to you, because I am a lucky American who was lucky enough to be born here to parents who spoke good English in the greatest country in the world."

[ommango.livejournal.com]

Seems it needs an asterisk that says
*and therefore I think I should rule the world

at the bottom.

[cos]

Hi, and thanks for commenting. Since I don't (think I) know you, I'm curious - how did you come across this post?

[yix.livejournal.com]

huh...it is confusing. I think if I had to guess, I would think that it's a response against the concept of being overly PC. It's like the phrase, "I've got nothing, I'm just a straight white guy."

Just a guess, I do wonder what it means....now I can go ahead and look at the 100 plus other responses to this post.

[sauergeek.livejournal.com]

I take this as a snarky toward other groups -- black, gay, Spanish-speaking, Vietnamese, whatever. It's rare that a straight, white, English-speaking American makes the news for merely being straight, white, or English-speaking -- whereas you're much more likely to make the news for being something other than any of those three. It also points out the defaults for the US. When the news says "community leaders", the default is white. If they're talking about reaction to a shooting in, say, Mattapan, it would become "black community leaders".