Bush Bumper Sticker Evokes Road Rage

Hillsborough: Bumper sticker evokes road rage (St. Petersburg Times)

Politics has always been divisive, splitting families and turning friend against friend. This week, though, a Tampa woman learned that simple Bush-Cheney bumper sticker can bring trouble, if not danger, from a total stranger.

Police say Michelle Fernandez, 35, was chased for miles Tuesday by an irate 31-year-old Tampa man who cursed at her as he held up an anti-Bush sign and tried to run her off the road. His sign, about the size of a business letter, read: Never Forget Bush’s Illegal Oil War Murdered Thousands in Iraq.

“I guess this was a disgruntled Democrat,” Tampa Police spokesman Joe Durkin said. “Maybe he has that sign with him so he’s prepared any time he comes up against a Republican.”

Quite likely. Clearly, some people are unhinged.

A simple campaign sticker shouldn’t be enough to incite rage, although one wonders why anyone still has decals from past elections on their vehicles. And, certainly, I’ve seen stickers outrageous enough that I wouldn’t have been surprised if they incited violence. I especially love vulgar signs that have been lovingly scrawled on carboard and taped to the back windshields of vehicles. The mentality of such people is beyond my comprehension.

via Dodd Harris

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James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. BigFire says:

    In my very blue neck of the wood (Los Angeles), Kerry/Edwards bumper sticker outnumbers Bush/Chaney stickers by an unscientific ratio of about 8/1 (just by my reckoning). That guy is probably swimming in a sea of Bush/Chaney sticker.

  2. Jack Tanner says:

    My kids go to a super crunch school in the Jamaica Plain section of Boston. I see all the Redefeat, Defend America, defeat Bush, Village in Texas. In my sons class the election was 21-2 for Kerry. These people will never take off their stickers because they need it to define their pathetic lives.

  3. Sgt Fluffy says:

    We need more of these people to identify themselves in this way, then they can be targeted for re education at one of the numerous camps set up by Bush all across the Country.

  4. Jufray says:

    “W” still the president, will remain on my bumper until I meet an intelligent liberal.

  5. Later news accounts reveal that this Left Wing domestic terrorist was arrested and charged with stalking amongst other crimes.

    I’ll bet he’s got a “Mean People Suck” sticker next to his “Dead Head” sticker.

    “There’s no shortage of morons on the streets”

  6. larry gunn says:

    Interesting thing is……this is not an isolated incident.

    What is wrong with this country?
    A loaded question, I know, lol
    People like that guy!!!

    I agree with the re-education, however it shouldnt be political re-education,they should be re-educated on social morals, which I think a lot of the population needs….I truly believe in freedom of speech, I am ex-military,
    However,
    I also believe that we have the freedom to know when to shut the hell up.

    These are my opinions, not yours!!
    Thank You and good night