Bumper Sticker Post

Elissa Forsyth

8/29/2016

Bumper Sticker Blog Post

Over the weekend, I observed bumper stickers in Golden, CO at Westernaires and Starbucks in Golden, CO. Westernaires is a conservative horseback riding organization, and the bumper stickers fit very well with this generalization. The majority of stickers that I saw had to do with politics. The bumper stickers that I think most strongly represented the conservativeness said, “if you vote left, you’re not thinking right”, “don’t tread on me”, and “Hilliary”. These stickers emphasize freedom of speech, the belief that democrats are corrupt, and support of America’s history. The bumper stickers that supported the fact that all those in the parking lot are horse owners said, “slow down for horses”, “yes, I was raised in a barn”, and “my other ride is a horse.” These stickers show the owner's’ passion for their pets, their hope for safety while driving, and their dedication to the sport. The horse bumper stickers come across as more humorous than the political stickers. This is because the horse stickers are talking about a passion that is not often argued about while politics are highly controversial and people want to persuade others to believe their viewpoint, even if it is with one sentence.

After leaving Westernaires, I went to Starbucks. The general idea that I would have about the people stopping into Starbucks is that they are either middle to upper class, more liberal than those at Westernaires, and possibly have a professional job that requires them to work on the computer while enjoying some coffee. The bumper stickers at this location were humorous and had a message requesting action. The bumper stickers that popped out to me said, “be ready, be buckled”, “there are no jobs on a dead planet”, “watch out for the idiot behind me”, and “the closer you get, the slower I drive”. The first quote is one that I’ve seen quite a lot and the audience for this sticker includes other drivers and their passengers. The second quote gives you a reason to care for the environment, and it is pointed at anyone that believes that environmental disaster resulting from a lack of care won’t affect them. The last two quotes were humorously telling people not to tailgate them, so it is for anyone who drives behind them. When it comes down to it, all those quotes were asking people to take action whether it be about being safe, not annoying, or care more about your surroundings. I think the Starbucks parking lot had a more random pool of people in contrast to Westernaires, but nonetheless the stickers displayed that this group of people care for others, the environment, and want to be safe while driving. The two locations vary because Westernaires, as do most western associated activities, is highly based on conservative ideals while Starbucks is a business that many go to regardless of skills or passions.

Summary of Open Letter to Chancellor Linda P.B. Katchi

Nathan Brown wrote a letter to Linda P.B. Katehi after police brutality occurred against the peaceful student protesters at UC Davis. The protests were about the university’s choice to save money, negatively affecting teachers and students. Brown wrote to Katehi to defend the students of UC with three main points; (1) he wanted to show his disapproval of the police violence against the students, (2) ask Katchi to explain her unsafe choice to order police to violently manage the protest despite her wishes to keep students safe , and (3) push Katchi to resign because of her inability to keep students safe. The letter recalls the recent incidents between the students and police, describing the students as peacefully expressing their ideas and the police using batons and pepper-spray to manage the crowd. The letter to Katchi effectively communicated how the author felt about the police and protester interactions, demanding action.