Just drove a large hand-made sign into the heartland

[DemocracyMouse]

Last edited Fri May 4, 2018, 01:40 PM - Edit history (1)

(And I came out alive).

I taped four manila folders together and wrote a big bold sign that stretched all the way across the bumper of my 2012 Honda Civic. Then I drove from NJ to Illinois and back to visit my son. This is what I wrote in all caps:

WHILE CITIZENS CLASH
THE 1% TAKES THE CASH
VOTE DEMS NOV. 6

And then for good measure, to really confuse the occasional evangelical, I squeezed into the corner:

"Love thy neighbor." – Jesus

As I drove for two days west and two days east, I entertained myself by passing cars and trucks with a slowdown just as my sign became visible. I calculated that if 2-3 people per minute saw that sign, I reached 3–4,000 folks over the entire journey. Multiply that by the conversations I started and the cell phone pix uploaded on Instagram and Facebook. (I slowed down especially to aid the meme-making process).

There were no threatening gestures. My car was totally unscathed.

We're gonna win.

[cpamomfromtexas]

1. Love it!

[oasis]

2. Good going!

[barbtries]

3. any thumbs up?

on the way to DC for the Women's March we put my granddaughter's sign up in the back window of my car and people were thumbs upping us, honking, showing us their signs. the drive was alive with march goers. this also happened on the way to the Rally for Sanity back in the day: one car put a sign in their back window that said, "Sanity or bust"

thank you for your service.

[DemocracyMouse]

23. Oh, yes! Got thumbs up, but only on the East Coast.

The culture is less effusive in western PA, Ohio and Indiana. But NOT having my tires deflated or a key across my paint job was welcome!

[dameatball]

4. I imagine there is a good chance you affected someone's opinion or at least made them think.

[lunasun]

5. Excellent ! If I had seen you in Illinois I would have waved or thumbs up

[Hortensis]

6. Wonderful! Thank you.

[raven mad]

7. How WOW is this?!!

Terrific idea.

[arthritisR_US]

8. What a brilliant move!👍🏼👏🏼

[PaulX2]

9. My Nice Homemade Sign Says "Eternity - How Long Republicans Will Burn"

I get some good looks, and an occasional thumbs down or middle finger.

At least they know their future.

[cyclonefence]

10. Genius

especially "Love thy neighbor"--Jesus. If we're smart, we'll quote Jesus on all our signs.

[Mopar151]

19. Jesus was a troublemaker!

"Love thy neighbor!" is a damm hard road for some folks. And they need to be told why and how that makes it all the more important that they truly follow His word, instead of the word of "moneychangers" on TeeVee.

[lastlib]

46. yeah, that damned rabble-rouser.....!

Goin' around sayin "Blessed are the meek...and the peacemakers...and the poor.....", upsettin' the natural order of things around here....... And throwin' out the MONEY-CHANGERS! Those were IMPORTANT PEOPLE! They greased the gears of society, and so forth! He just tossed 'em like they was the pan-handlers!

[ProudLib72]

11. Saved by Jesus!

Smart message, smart addendum. I like it!

[SWBTATTReg]

12. Amazing!! nt

[Mountain Mule]

13. Good on you, Democracy Mouse!

I live in the "Heartland" and even my conservative neighbors are getting fed up.

[BobTheSubgenius]

14. A very interesting polling technique.

And brave, to boot! Well done, you!

[DemocracyMouse]

26. I think it encourages others to speak out. Normalizes the left.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

15. That is some true activism!

Great job, and inexpensive to boot. Much like a rolling billboard!

......... ........ .........

[lunatica]

16. I could just hug you to pieces!

Fantastic idea!
Put one on the back of your car too

[Demsrule86]

17. What a great idea.

You rock.

[Capperdan]

18. I like your message

Better than Fuck Trump, makes people think a little. I'm hoping "his base" is starting to realize how he is taking our country down.

[DemocracyMouse]

24. Oh, believe me, I thought long and hard about the optics

[True Blue American]

20. A few years ago I had an

Obamacare sticker on my car. A new friend I was helping from Church get out more after the death of her husband.

She was behind me going into Church. She was horrified I had that sticker. I told her she might as well know, unlike most in the Church, I was a life long Democrat and admired President Obama. We continued on after that as I helped her go places.

Now,the Church and friend are History for me.

Now, I have a Thanks,FDR and union member sticker.

[DemocracyMouse]

27. I'm not in a union, but I promote them at every check-out counter.

[True Blue American]

28. Thank you.

I am not either,technically, but they took care of us,provided we got our fair share in the Auto bailout, made sure we were taken care of. For that I pay dues, voluntarily. They are still doing that.

My Son took early retirement because he was lucky enough to be in a Plant that had an Engineers Union.

There is no way I would ever cross a picket line. And am shocked at the Union members that vote Republican.

[BigmanPigman]

39. Before and especially after the election II had hand made anti moron stickers on my car.

My neighbor was afraid my car would be the victim of my political opinions even though we live in a very blue area of CA so I left my Teachers Union CTA/NEA sticker on it since most people like teachers. Since then I have received so many compliments on them that I don't need the union sticker as a safety precaution anymore.
I did see a pick up truck with a tRump sticker, a confederate flag sticker, and NRA sticker and a bunch of others last week while driving. It stood out like a sore thumb. I wondered if he was fearful of Dems tormenting him like the GOP voters feels free to do to Dem's cars with stickers.

[llmart]

21. Thank you!

Your polling is at least as accurate than what we had the day and night before the election.

[workinclasszero]

22. Nice!

[Vinca]

25. Jesus was a nice touch . . . LOL.

[Sylvarose]

29. Hoosier Here

People slowly waking up around here, but the "Love thy neighbor" was a good call.

True story. During the 2008 election when I worked the polls as the poll inspector, the Republican judge saw the bumper stickers on the back of my car. Among them were "Jesus was a pacificist." She was uber religious, even bringing her Bible to the polling place with her. Anyway, after the polls closed and we were wrapping up she asked me: "Are you mocking my Lord and savior?"

I replied, "No, I'm not mocking our, Lord and savior. The Beatitudes are my favorite teachings of Christ and passages of the Bible and among them, I've always revered 'Blessed are the peacemakers the most." She didn't have anything to say after that.

[calimary]

36. BREATH-TAKING!!!

Hits 'em right where it should hurt, if they're REALLY believers, deep-down.

I LOVE the Beatitudes. That Scripture passage seems, at least to me, to wrap everything up about the Teachings of Jesus, just in a few beautiful, lyrical lines. He talks about being our Cornerstone. Seems to me that passage constitutes HIS own personal Cornerstone.
After all, Our Lord never said "Blessed are the warmakers."

[renate]

37. I'm sad that someone would think that calling Jesus a pacifist could be construed as mocking him

He honestly would not recognize what is being done and said in his name. It's like Opposite World.

Do they... not read their Bibles?

[magicarpet]

42. What ?

Jesus rode bare back on dinosaurs, had a Southern Cross bandanna tied to his forehead with two ammunition belts hung over his shoulders forming a cross of bullets across his bare chest - and an AR-15 with rifle sight at the ready resting in his lap.

Jesus was no pinko-commie-fag-librule, - he was a tough alpha male macho man.

Praise the Lord in heaven - and pass the ammunition.

Amen.

[The_REAL_Ecumenist]

41. Ole Girl might have hauled her Bible around town but it's OBVIOUS, that

she DIDN'T read it. I know people like that who are in the church every time the doors creaked open BUT following the tenets? Wouldn't know Anything outside of John 3:16 or the 23rd Psalms if it bit them on the "rusty dusty". Those types wear their beliefs like a brand new Blackglama stroller, a 13 carat ring, a 2K designer purse or a Bentley.

Pitiful & pathetic.

[True Blue American]

47. For some reason

They feel that what they say and do at other times is fine as long as they sit in that Church.

I have seen too many think it is fine to cheat and smile,joke about it. Makes me sick.

[The_REAL_Ecumenist]

51. AMEN, True Blue.. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND how, if a person claims to be Christian

& understand what is in store for HYPOCRITES, LIARS, etc., they can still act this way. The only thing that explains it is that they "USE" Christianity in the same way others look at their membership in a social or country clubs. SMDH

[True Blue American]

52. The fake Piety Gang

They do not seem to realize the God they believe in is watching.

But to be honest most of it is for show to the world. They forget the part about, “ if you do it for the glory of man that is all you ever get.”

[MLAA]

30. Way to go! love the 'love thy neighbor' addition, pure brilliance.

[calimary]

31. That's pretty doggone shrewd!

EXCELLENT.

It doesn't go negative. The advice of Christ is a VERY nice and relevant touch. Who could possibly take umbrage to this?

Good to hear the response you described. ALL of this is MOST interesting in a really positive way. The rhyme is good, too! Catchy!

WELL DONE!

[SpankMe]

32. I admire your "we're-gonna-win" enthusiasm. But...

...many on here had that same "Trump-couldn't possibly-win" enthusiasm in November of 2016, and I replied to as many as I saw warning not to count our chickens before they were hatched. I know Republicans are capable of unspeakable treachery, and liberals and moderates are not reliable voters.

I have the same hesitation and foreboding now that I had at the time. Unless we can get turnout, there will be no blue wave. And, of there isn't a blue wave, Republicans will sell their victory as an exoneration of their agenda.

As far as I'm concerned any sort of enthusiasm or hopeful thinking that this is somehow in the bag is completely unacceptable. We have to keep quiet, keep our heads down and get out the vote. Then, if we win, steamroll our agenda through just like the cons have.

People are pissed. But, with jobs numbers we saw today, are they pissed enough to vote?

[True Blue American]

48. Never predict!

Not prudent.

[The_REAL_Ecumenist]

53. Actually, HE DIDN'T WIN! Without what is turning out to be a amazingly widespread

conspiracy involving CRAVEN traitors in concert with with putin. Let's NOT get it twisted. The thing that wasn't seen by MOST people was the TREACHERY committed by trump, pence, MOST if not ALL of the republican party, flynn, manafort, page, stone, etc. etc. etc.

[jalan48]

33. You're a brave soul.

[Scurrilous]

34. 100th rec

[Girard442]

35. Enjoyed your story, but your title...

...for a fraction of a second, put this real van Helsing image into my head.

Bad me. It's all good.

[DemocracyMouse]

38. Wouldn't the sign need to be made of silver? :-)

[TomSlick]

40. Good on you!

Did you take a picture?

[sharedvalues]

43. Pix?

[Silver1]

44. Perfect.

I would have signed my name.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

45. For other GREAT freeway signs

Follow the brave heroics of The Freeway Blogger out here on the Left Coast. Some of his work is inspirational. You can google him: Freeway Blogger.

[Beartracks]

49. You deserve mileage reimbursement for your public service!

But all I can do is buy you this beer...

=========

[DemocracyMouse]

55. Beer is good!

[Tracyjo]

50. You did good

Thanks

[Sneederbunk]

54. Convert to a bumper sticker for mass distribution.