Bumper Stickers

Every once in a while, I take a detour from looking at life through a humorousl lens. This is one of those rare weeks. And, yes, there's a bumper sticker going on my car the minute the relentless rain, courtesy of Hurricane Alex, stops.

I was stuck in Houston recently in rush-hour traffic. Looking around, I noticed a beat-up truck in the lane next to me. The back of the F-150 was covered with bumper stickers, and it wasn't hard to figure out where this person stood on the issues.

A member of the National Rifle Association, this person also was a staunch Republican, disliked the Obma administration and said the only way someone was going to get their gun was to pry their cold, dead finger off the trigger.

I realized, as I read all the signs on the back of that truck, that I seldom see political bumper stickers any more.

Back in the Volkswagen bus days, it seemed everyone proclaimed their political beliefs on their bumper from conservative Richard Nixon supporters to anti-establishment stickers calling for society to "Make Love, Not War."

The young team of Bill Clinton and Al Gore generated their own red, white and blue presidential hopeful stickers, and a new generation was introduced to political bumper stickers when Barack Obama began his run for the presidency.

However, we often hesitate to publicize our political preferences for fear of being labeled a right-wing nut case or a spend-thrift liberal.

But the real reason is worse than being afraid to offend. People today are less concerned with the environment, politics or civil rights because we're an "all about me" generation.

Forget saving the planet, being involved in politics or promoting a social cause. If we do have a bumper sticker, it's usually about our own business or that our child made the honor roll.

Most min-vans and SUV's have some type of child bumper sticker on the back, and we all know said child is a member of a ballet troupe or an athletic organization. There's nothing wrong with congratulating one's child, but we no longer take a stance about anything that doesn't personally involve us.

I found myself thinking back to the last time I had a bumper sticker on my vehicle, and I realized it was almost 30 years ago.

When I was in my 20's, I was affiliated with an active church on the Louisiana State University campus. The priests at this parish were Claretians, an order primarily involved in churches on college campuses.

In talks with Father Chris, I discovered the Claretians took vows of poverty, and they were committed to social concerns and issues of peace and justice.

When the diocese decided to abruptly terminate that order's service on the campus, a major uproar broke out in the city. I proudly affixed a "Keep the Claretians" bumper sticker on my car.

The next Sunday, my parish priest pulled me aside and said he'd noticed the sticker. I asked if it was a problem, and he said it might be better if I removed it.

I politely refused and, just for principle, kept that sticker on the back of my vehicle until it literally fell off.

Sitting in traffic, looking at all those bumper stickers on the back of that truck, I found myself wondering if I still have the courage to put a controversial bumper sticker on my vehicle.

The voices in my head said I might not for a variety of reasons -- I don't want to offend and I want to keep my personal religious and political beliefs private.

But those days of fighting the establishment made me feel alive, willing to stand up for what I believed. And, yes, proud that I took a stand.

My back bumper is quite plain these days. I think it's about time to spruce it up.

This column originally appeared in The Fort Bend Herald.