Anonymous
Post 08/25/2020 11:30     Subject: Don't tread on me license plate
I can't believe we are arguing about a license plate. Are we going to have teams for road rage matches on the beltway?
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2020 11:30     Subject: Don't tread on me license plate
Anonymous wrote:DH wants to get a "Don't tread on me" license plate (the yellow one with the rattlesnake). DH is very libertarian and does support gun rights, but he's not a Trump supporter and definitely isn't racist (I'm not white). DH keeps saying it's about individual rights and freedoms.

When I google, there's a few articles saying that people think it's racist, but that hasn't been my experience. The guys I know that have the flags/shirt are usually ex military and one of DH's friends is black with the sticker on his Jeep

Other people's thoughts?


I just think it makes a statement, and that statement is “I am a selfish fu** and need help”
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2020 11:29     Subject: Don't tread on me license plate
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote: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?


OP here. It's time to get new plates for his car and I asked him which he wanted. We ALWAYS have special plates. Why do you see some ulterior motive?

If you are truly the OP and are responding to that other poster, why are you asking the question if you’re so defensive about it? if he needs new plates and he always likes special plates and you really don’t care what other people think, go ahead and get your don’t tread on me plates, if that’s what makes you happy People are admitting that they will have a preconceived notion about the person driving with those plates, but again if it doesn’t bother you, no harm no foul
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2020 11:22     Subject: Don't tread on me license plate
Anonymous wrote:DH wants to get a "Don't tread on me" license plate (the yellow one with the rattlesnake). DH is very libertarian and does support gun rights, but he's not a Trump supporter and definitely isn't racist (I'm not white). DH keeps saying it's about individual rights and freedoms.

When I google, there's a few articles saying that people think it's racist, but that hasn't been my experience. The guys I know that have the flags/shirt are usually ex military and one of DH's friends is black with the sticker on his Jeep

Other people's thoughts?


I love that image/motto. To me it is very New Hampshire/Libertarian. It also has echoes of Ben Franklin's political cartoon of the 13 colonies. I am sure people will have a problem with the peace symbol soon. As soon as cancel culture crosses one thing off the list, they move on to the next no matter how nonsensical.
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2020 11:10     Subject: Don't tread on me license plate
Anonymous wrote:DH wants to get a "Don't tread on me" license plate (the yellow one with the rattlesnake). DH is very libertarian and does support gun rights, but he's not a Trump supporter and definitely isn't racist (I'm not white). DH keeps saying it's about individual rights and freedoms.

When I google, there's a few articles saying that people think it's racist, but that hasn't been my experience. The guys I know that have the flags/shirt are usually ex military and one of DH's friends is black with the sticker on his Jeep

Other people's thoughts?


“Your black friend” has one so it’s ok. Cool.
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2020 11:08     Subject: Don't tread on me license plate
I don’t understand the question, I didn’t think libertarians cared about anyone but themselves.
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2020 11:08     Subject: Re:Don't tread on me license plate
I assume drivers with that plate are resentful and aggressive. But then I'm not a fan of politically minded plates anyway.
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2020 11:06     Subject: Don't tread on me license plate
They make me roll my eyes, particularly because I've seen so many on newish expensive vehicles that would indicate that the owner has not been particularly tread on.
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2020 10:55     Subject: Don't tread on me license plate
Anonymous wrote:Just buy a bumper sticker that says "Ahole on board, please key my car" same as license plate.


And be ready to be targeted yourselves. It's never a good idea to put your political views or even anything remotely political on your vehicle, IMO.
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2020 10:50     Subject: Don't tread on me license plate
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.


This. These things don't exist in a vacuum. Historically, the Gadsden flag may have meant something else, but what it means NOW is affected by the kind of people using it. And it was absolutely taken up as a Tea Party/hard right/white supremacist signal. So if you display it, you don't get to control how other people see it, and many people will see it in that context, because its recent resurgence is absolutely tied to those groups. And many other people will see it as a more general signal of a selfish blowhard, which presumably you also don't want. But if you don't care about that, then put it on your car. If you do, and you don't want to send that signal, then don't.
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2020 10:45     Subject: Don't tread on me license plate
Just buy a bumper sticker that says "Ahole on board, please key my car" same as license plate.
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2020 10:18     Subject: Don't tread on me license plate
It is a huge turnoff to me.

He sounds like he would not care.

But it suggests to me that the person opposes reasonable government intervention (such as researching gun violence, or taking guns away from people who have restraining orders.)

Remember, we ELECT our representatives, so they should be allowed to act on behalf of our welfare.

This is not England in the Colonial times, when government (an unelected king) was imposed upon the people.
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2020 10:16     Subject: Don't tread on me license plate
It self identifies as kind of a dick imo / ime. And I’m a lifelong shooter who favors stronger gun regulation and training requirements fwiw.
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2020 10:11     Subject: Don't tread on me license plate
Anonymous wrote: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?


OP here. It's time to get new plates for his car and I asked him which he wanted. We ALWAYS have special plates. Why do you see some ulterior motive?
Anonymous
Post 08/25/2020 10:09     Subject: Don't tread on me license plate
Anonymous wrote:
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.


so? They were also carrying the US flag.