Centerfield

Here's my personal link to this story:

I went to an arts high school in Minnesota-- FULL of the most text book-stereotype dirty (litterally filthy) uberliberals. I consider myself well aquainted with their kind. Needless to say I was a total heathen Republican tool because I dared to vote for a single Republican, even though I voted for a progressive Independance party candidate (Tim Penny) and Democtratic candidate (for mayor. But still).

Anyway, the point is I've been laughing about this sort of thing for four years now. I call them "militant pacifists."

In the words of Tom Lehrer: "I know there are people in this world who do not love their fellow human being and I hate people like that!"

I notice that Todd has this story too

http://toddpearson.blogspot.com/2005/03/road-rage.html

I was sent the link by an emailer, who asked to remain anonymous.

It's a two way street, actually.

I've had pro Democrat or proliberal things on my car..and been cut off and flipped off by people with Bush stickers on their car.

Yup it is Carla, there are jerks on both sides of the spectrum. Although it does seem a little more ironic that some-one who is supposed to be "anti-war" is willing, himself, to go out and threaten the life of a surburban house-wife and her children over a bumper sticker.

Maybe us conservatives really missed a beat in drumming up support for OIF among the radical Left. We should have just snuck out and stuck a Bush/Chenney '04 bumper sticker on Saddams limo ;)

I always love getting flicked off by those cars with the little fish symbols on the back. I just have to chuckle.

There are certainly fanatics and jerks on both sides; we had Kerry signs taken from our yard. IMO, it's a lot deeper than politics and whether conservatives/liberals don't believe in free speech. I suspect incidents like this are similar to road rage; it's fueled by a more generalized frustration. People consider their cars to be almost an extension of themselves and, as a corollary, bumper sticker philosophy often becomes an extension of their personalities.

I think things like this show how atomized the society has become; that we take people's opinions as personal attacks in the same way that we consider bad driving to be personal attacks. Politics, like everything else, has become personalized so that it's not just a difference of opinion but a judgment on someone's worth as a human being.