I think the bigger question is...why does he want it all of a sudden? Is he going into the election feeling fearful about a blue wave and wants to take a stand? As many people are looking to Biden/Harris to repair the division in this country and to have a government actually coordinate around the pandemic...don't tread on me flies in the face of it. Why does he feel so strongly to express this now?

Anonymous wrote:Your husband is right in that "don't tread on me" used to be about individual rights and freedoms, but now it means "i am a racist who likes guns".

"Don't tread on me" used to be about "hey England don't pick a fight with the colonies because we will stick together and fight back we see ourselves as Americans now not English subjects." It was NOT about being individuals, it was about all the colonies (now states) working together--if you step on any segment of the snake, it will bite. "If we don't hang together, we shall certainly hang separately." Etc etc. The colonies worked together to fight the British and then to form a successful federal government, a project that was complicated by "state's rights," namely, how to apportion slaves in Congressional representation and the federal role in regulating slavery (interstate commerce).

All the people flying that flag because they are libertarians are dumdums.

Anonymous wrote:The reality is that people assume any non-liberal political views are inherently racist. Your husband, who you say isn't racist, shouldn't have to hide his political views to avoid being attacked. We are nearing a point where only extremists are willing to speak, and that's dangerous. Normal, moderate people on both sides should set the example and that won't happen if they are forced into hiding.

The neo-Nazis in Charlottesville were carrying this flag alongside the confederate flag. That gives you an idea who puts this on their car.
Being anti-racist isn’t a liberal thing. It’s a human thing. You can be conservative and not be racist.

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it's necessarily racist, but it's definitely anti-Democrat, anti-liberal, pro-gun, pro-military / cop, and anti-government. High correlation with authoritarian personality disorder and probably with racism. This is probably not someone you want to hang out with and discuss books or art.

OP, you posted this question on an uber-liberal site, so you're only going to get responses such as this. You might as well have posted on Slate or Jezebel.

For the record, you can be married to a minority and still be racist.

Anonymous wrote:I think “insecure white dude that feels the need to pontificate every thought he’s ever had” when I see that license plate. I make sure to avoid them at parties - so dense and uninteresting.

Project much?

Maybe they just liked the look of the plate.

The reality is that people assume any non-liberal political views are inherently racist. Your husband, who you say isn't racist, shouldn't have to hide his political views to avoid being attacked. We are nearing a point where only extremists are willing to speak, and that's dangerous. Normal, moderate people on both sides should set the example and that won't happen if they are forced into hiding.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh the irony of cops and vets collecting government paychecks and flexin’ anti-government sentiments with a license plate issued by a government entity.

Is DH frequently confused?

OP here. He's not a vet or a cop... He's not an anarchist either.

And "anti-government sentiments with a license plate issued by a government entity"- doesn't the DC plate state "taxation with out representation"?

Taxation without representation is NOT anti-government. It is literally thousands of people asking to participate in their OWN government.

Yeah, OP's comment about DC shows she's pretty dumb, so go ahead and get the plate. People's judgment will be accurate.

I think “insecure white dude that feels the need to pontificate every thought he’s ever had” when I see that license plate. I make sure to avoid them at parties - so dense and uninteresting.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I generally assume people with these plates are toxic. The license plate basically says--"I was willing to pay more money and stand in line at the DMV to express my freedom to associate with white supremacist groups."

OP here. huh? Who stands in line at the DMV? He needs to renew his plates and you just check the box online.

I think you should both get one to annoy the people on this thread.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Gadsden flag was actually really cool once. As a history nerd I always loved it and even had one up in my dorm room.

Unfortunately it’s been completely co-opted by a bunch of toothless moron racist cosplay dipshits, so I wouldn’t use it anymore. I’m even a libertarian and also happen to be a bit of a gun guy; by all rights I should be target audience. But yeah, you’ve gotta read the room a little bit. In 2020 America, everybody knows who you’re trying to align with when you put this on your car. I want nothing to do with it and would be embarrassed to have it on my car.

OP here. I think we're probably most like you. DH and I are big history nerds and he keeps talking about the revolutionary war symbol. He thinks it's patriotic. He likes guns but isn't psycho (we hunt deer that we eat, no semi automatics). I actually hunted with my grandpa, so I always found that sweet.

I'm surprised by the turn that this thread took. I obviously didn't post it in the political forum. I personally am quite moderate and it seems like both sides are so stratified that there isn't a place for normal people anymore. I didn't get the racism bent, but I think that's something that's made up.

I personally would have thought that the racists would go for the Robert E Lee license plate, but whatever.

What’s your definition of a “normal person” OP? I like that you started out identifying with the “read the room” PP, since that’s always the best way to proceed, but the rest of your post didn’t make much sense.

Being interested in Robert E. Lee is not necessarily an indicator of racism. Many are, but not all.

The tea party flag, in Virginia, is a definite indicator of racism. According to my relatives and former friends I went to private school with (which didn't, unofficially, accept black students until recently.)

Anonymous wrote:Oh the irony of cops and vets collecting government paychecks and flexin’ anti-government sentiments with a license plate issued by a government entity.

Is DH frequently confused?

+ 100 and people who are collecting SS checks and SSDI checks love that plate too...the juxtaposition of it all.

Anonymous wrote:He’ll get pegged as an idiot and racist. It’s a stupid license plate anyway.

+1

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Gadsden flag was actually really cool once. As a history nerd I always loved it and even had one up in my dorm room.

Unfortunately it’s been completely co-opted by a bunch of toothless moron racist cosplay dipshits, so I wouldn’t use it anymore. I’m even a libertarian and also happen to be a bit of a gun guy; by all rights I should be target audience. But yeah, you’ve gotta read the room a little bit. In 2020 America, everybody knows who you’re trying to align with when you put this on your car. I want nothing to do with it and would be embarrassed to have it on my car.

OP here. I think we're probably most like you. DH and I are big history nerds and he keeps talking about the revolutionary war symbol. He thinks it's patriotic. He likes guns but isn't psycho (we hunt deer that we eat, no semi automatics). I actually hunted with my grandpa, so I always found that sweet.

I'm surprised by the turn that this thread took. I obviously didn't post it in the political forum. I personally am quite moderate and it seems like both sides are so stratified that there isn't a place for normal people anymore. I didn't get the racism bent, but I think that's something that's made up.

I personally would have thought that the racists would go for the Robert E Lee license plate, but whatever.

Virginia introduceda the Gadsden Flag license plate in 2011, after the Tea Party co-opted the flag and interest surged among conservatives.

The current popularity has nothing to do with historical interest. It’s all about social signaling to other hard right, antisocial conservatives. If you’re actually a moderate, you should be aware of that.

Except that most people have no idea what it means. I know several people with that plate and they all got it because it looked cool. Nobody cares what political nerd types think of their plate.

Ok whatever.