A window into others' lives

Driving to the local co-op today (I needed fruit), I realized that my love of bumper stickers and other car adornments is likely because they provide a glimpse into the lives of the people driving those cars. Or not, I suppose, if someone bought the car and then didn't bother to remove the stickers, magnets, trailer hitch decorations, etc. I'm a naturally nosy person - just ask my husband! - so I love reading multiple bumper stickers on cars that are plastered with them. Sometimes? I just have to wonder.

Like the guy in front of me today, who had a lovely pair of fake testicles hanging from his trailer hitch. Really? You thought that was a good idea? Are you demonstrating where your brain resides? Or compensating, in some small way, for some of your shortcomings?

Or, my favorite sticker of the day: Eat Beef. The West wasn't won on salads. Hah. You'd never see this sticker back where I grew up - which I think makes me love it more. :)

I've seen several of the Republicans for Voldemort stickers, and I'm confused as to whether they are on cars driven by a) Republicans who have a keenly developed sense of irony, or b) Democrats who want to point out that Republicans haven't done much better than Voldemort in choosing their recent nominees (and, ahem, president/vice president).

And on that political note...because my husband doesn't really want to hear my diatribes against those who publish on the Opinion pages of our local paper...We had a column yesterday written by a self-described "Christian apologist", who proceeded to attempt to debunk the arguments for gay marriage using some...awkward and rather insulting metaphors. I know that these guest columns are open to those with different and opposing viewpoints, but I can't begin to tell you how sick it made me to read this drivel while drinking my smoothie.

I also find it rather...what's the word I'm looking for? Inconsistent? That people who want to be left alone to raise their families the way they see fit (with guns, spanking, and all sorts of things "those liberals" hate) don't want all families accorded this same courtesy. I may not like the way you parent, but I'm also not going to confront you about it unless my child is a guest in your home (see, guns) or you're injuring your child (see, spanking). So why do you care if a child has two moms or two dads?

And now my brief, inarticulate foray into political speak has ended. Back to work.