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

[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.

[cos]

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

[sauergeek.livejournal.com]

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.

The nominal reason is that the minorities have been historically repressed, and are entitled to exclude those not of that minority from certain establishments.

That said: I'd love to see either men-only or white-only colleges allowed, or the women-only or black-only colleges disallowed. I just want consistency, though I do have a slight preference for disallowing women-only or black-only colleges.