I pealed my Romney sticker off the back of my car yesterday. Whether he won or lost, I'd been looking forward to doing this as soon as the election was over. As strong as my political beliefs are, I'm not comfortable wearing them on my sleeve (or, well, on my car, I guess). I worry that my car will get keyed for these beliefs. Or that people will drive more aggressively around me. I also worry that if I make a mistake-- cut someone off or just do something stupid-- that people will judge me and/or my political party for that. (Four years ago, it seemed that every slow car I ever got stuck behind was sporting an Obama sticker. And it drove me nuts. And yes, I was probably overly judgmental of these slow-driving liberals blocking my way!)
So I'm glad my mini-van will be a little more anonymous again. I still have a couple stickers on it-- one that says "NAM" from when I was in Namibia. I'm guessing that most people who read it will think it refers to Vietnam, but I can't help it if no one has heard of Namibia. And my magnet from Japan that signifies that I am a new driver, and should therefore be treated nicely. No one understands that one, either, but it still makes me smile whenever I notice it.
I was also relieved to take down the Romney sign in our front yard. When we first put it up, I worried that someone would throw a rock through our window or something. Nothing of the sort EVER happened. But I worried. And having it there in plain sight was probably the only reason on Halloween that I gave candy to teenagers who weren't wearing costumes. (Geeeez, they annoy me. I mean-- if you're willing to put on a costume, I'm happy to give you some candy, but if you're too lazy to even bother with a costume, I don't think you deserve any candy.)
It's sad to me to think that I worried so much about it all. Is our country so divided that I had good reason to worry?
And yes, I'll admit, I have been very sad that Romney lost. Partly because I think his business savvy would have been really good for our country and all its debt problems. But perhaps even more so just because I think he is a genuinely good person. I'm sad that so many of our citizens apparently couldn't see that. And why 13 million less people voted than four years ago is a complete and utter mystery to me. (A sad mystery.)
But at least I can go back to not advertising my political beliefs on my car. It doesn't make up for things, but it is a relief.
1 comment:
I am completely opposed to bumper stickers because I don't want anything to remind people of my car in any situation. Especially political bumper stickers. I worry for all the same reasons you do. And I hate all those Obama drivers I see out there. Then Brandon went and put a Romney sticker on our BRAND NEW car. I sort of don't want to take it off though. The country is going to pot and I don't want anyone thinking I'm responsible for it in any way. I did notice the other day that Brandon took the sign out of our yard. I think part of me is also in denial that it's over and he lost. And I wasn't even as big a Romney supporter as you. I just really really really REALLY dislike Obama. Like my normal formalities are out the window dislike. Like I'm calling him Obama not President Obama. And I no longer make my kids talk nicely about the president.
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