# Car Decal: Black Square with Blue Stripe **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 22, 2005, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-decal-black-square-with-blue-stripe/327383 "2005-10-22T03:01:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-decal-black-square-with-blue-stripe/327383/1 "2005-10-22T03:01:06Z")
I see this on more than a few cars in the US. What does this decal mean? ---
**Author:** ![False\_God](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee7513/32.png) [@False\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/False_God)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-decal-black-square-with-blue-stripe/327383/2 "2005-10-22T04:48:44Z")
Most likely this decal represents the “thin blue line” of law enforcement between regular folks and criminals; however; I’ve also heard that there’s also a similar decal that stands for bear-related activities and/or SMDB. I’d side with the law enforcement explanation. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-decal-black-square-with-blue-stripe/327383/3 "2005-10-22T05:05:59Z")
> [@False\_God](#): > > however; I’ve also heard that there’s also a similar decal that stands for bear-related activities and/or SMDB. I’d side with the law enforcement explanation. Not quite…the [Leather Flag](http://www.imsl.org/Leather_Pride_Flag.jpg) has blue and black (and white) stripes (plural), not one blue stripe on a black background. And the [Bear Flag](http://home.swipnet.se/~w-22696/bild/flag.jpg) is shades of brown and gold. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-decal-black-square-with-blue-stripe/327383/4 "2005-10-22T05:20:34Z")
> [@False\_God](#): > > Most likely this decal represents the “thin blue line” of law enforcement… [Bingo](http://www.policetees.com/cgi-bin/ms2/rescuetees/displaypol?c=Decals&q=D198). ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-decal-black-square-with-blue-stripe/327383/5 "2005-10-22T05:31:48Z")
There’s also the [HRC](http://www.hrc.org/), which is two yellow stripes on a blue background. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-decal-black-square-with-blue-stripe/327383/6 "2005-10-22T08:40:15Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Not quite…the [Leather Flag](http://www.imsl.org/Leather_Pride_Flag.jpg) has blue and black (and white) stripes (plural), not one blue stripe on a black background. And the [Bear Flag](http://home.swipnet.se/~w-22696/bild/flag.jpg) is shades of brown and gold. Beaten to the punch. ::sigh::, I’m losing my touch in my older years. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-decal-black-square-with-blue-stripe/327383/7 "2005-10-22T14:11:53Z")
> [@SmackFu](#): > > There’s also the [HRC](http://www.hrc.org/), which is two yellow stripes on a blue background. I’ve been wondering _for years_ what this thing meant. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-decal-black-square-with-blue-stripe/327383/8 "2005-10-22T15:49:32Z")
A friend was doing research in a rural area and became friendly with a local gas station owner. She finally asked him on day if he knew the rainbow flags he flew on the station everyday were a symbol of the gay rights movement. He said he didn’t know, but said he liked them and kept them up anyway. She said she was sure he wasn’t gay. I’ve often wondered how many rainbow flags are flying just for that reason. “Look, it’s so pretty.” ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-decal-black-square-with-blue-stripe/327383/9 "2005-10-22T15:55:41Z")
> [@chaoticbear](#): > > Beaten to the punch. ::sigh::, I’m losing my touch in my older years. Whippersnapper… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2005, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-decal-black-square-with-blue-stripe/327383/10 "2005-10-22T16:01:54Z")
> [@drhess](#): > > A friend was doing research in a rural area and became friendly with a local gas station owner. She finally asked him on day if he knew the rainbow flags he flew on the station everyday were a symbol of the gay rights movement. He said he didn’t know, but said he liked them and kept them up anyway. She said she was sure he wasn’t gay. I’ve often wondered how many rainbow flags are flying just for that reason. “Look, it’s so pretty.” The rainbow is also the symbol of the Cursillo Movement, a cross-denominational thing in Christianity (started by Spanish Catholics, spread worldwide, picked up by Episcopalians and then by Methodists and UCC’ers among others) where a three-day short course (“cursillo”) in practical Christianity is followed by an ongoing commitment to a deeper spiritual life. In that program, it symbolizes “all the colors of God’s love.” It’s worth noting, too, that the HRC equals-sign logo is not a symbol meaning “I’m gay” but rather “I support equal rights for gay people.” My wife and I had that decal on our car bumpers for years (haven’t picked a new one up for our current car).