# How offensive is this bumper sticker? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 4, 2006, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-this-bumper-sticker/351239 "2006-04-04T12:13:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-this-bumper-sticker/351239/41 "2006-04-04T17:44:45Z")
> [@The Swan](#): > > Are you saying you couldn’t find it online? > > Hate to let you down, but “picked my own damn cotton” returned a ton of results on Google. Leave the quotes in. To be perfectly honest, I Googled “If we knew you’d be this much trouble bumper sticker” (without quotes). I was hoping I wouldn’t find a lot on it, and with those parameters, I didn’t. Off to go look again, though with your parameters. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-this-bumper-sticker/351239/42 "2006-04-04T17:46:37Z")
Yep, I saw. Well, that’s the thing with people. They’ll surprise you all the time. ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-this-bumper-sticker/351239/43 "2006-04-04T17:52:46Z")
As this bumper sticker is sold by the Ku Klux Klan, I think the question is answered. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-this-bumper-sticker/351239/44 "2006-04-04T18:22:22Z")
I am geniunely shocked that there’s any debate at all about the meaning behind the sticker. What **Belladonna** got out of it was precisely what I got out of it, and it didn’t take any deep thought process to arrive there – my reaction was instantaneous. I can imagine someone trying to defend it using An Arky’s interpretation (not to single you out – you were just the first person to see it that way in this thread), but that’s a pretty weak argument. I think that too much is being made of the juxtaposition of the flag on the bumper sticker, also. The image that I ran across on the Klan site (shudder) had two flags at the very top, with cotton in between, and the message below it. The idea is that the racist sentiment represents a Confederate way of thinking. Just to be clear: I’m not saying that _I_ equate Confederate supporters with racists – just that the bumpersticker makes that implication. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-this-bumper-sticker/351239/45 "2006-04-04T18:26:30Z")
I am absolutely stunned at the level of naivete of otherwise very intelligent people in this thread. That bumpersticker is completely offensive, and it’s very intent is to be offensive, as evidenced by the google results. I hope it is naivete, because otherwise it is a deliberate attempt to excuse obvious rascism. ---
**Author:** ![Nytewatchyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b38774/32.png) [@Nytewatchyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nytewatchyr)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-this-bumper-sticker/351239/46 "2006-04-04T18:32:04Z")
I have to agree with Belladonna and Asimovian… There is no debate in my mind as to what the sticker means… Again, I don’t automatically associate the Confederacy or the Confederate flag with racism but, when juxtaposed with that phrase, it is, IMO, a “no-brainer” ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-this-bumper-sticker/351239/47 "2006-04-04T19:48:30Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > during the Civil Rights era and afterward, interest in that flag was revived, and it was _very specifically and intentionally used by many, many people to convey their racial hostility._ [Georgia’s flag was changed in 1956 to include the Confederate flag to express hostility to civil rights laws.](http://www.kudzumonthly.com/kudzu/feb03/Wisdom.html) (It has since been changed again to a design that doesn’t incorporate the Stars and Bars) ---
**Author:** ![burundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@burundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burundi)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-this-bumper-sticker/351239/48 "2006-04-04T20:11:04Z")
I’ve seen variations on this bumper sticker several times (with and without the flag). **belladonna** ’s interpretation is certainly the one I also drew. And, yes, quite offensive. ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-this-bumper-sticker/351239/49 "2006-04-04T20:17:15Z")
I keep thinking, “Suuuuuuuure you would have picked your own cotton.” I’d like to see them do it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Swan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Swan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Swan)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-this-bumper-sticker/351239/50 "2006-04-04T20:29:43Z")
> [@Anne Neville](#): > > [Georgia’s flag was changed in 1956 to include the Confederate flag to express hostility to civil rights laws.](http://www.kudzumonthly.com/kudzu/feb03/Wisdom.html) (It has since been changed again to a design that doesn’t incorporate the Stars and Bars) As was pointed out earlier in the thread, the confederate battle flag is not the “Stars and Bars”. As a matter of fact, the exact opposite of your statement is true. The current Georgia flag has been changed to a design that _does_ incorporate the Stars and Bars. ---
**Author:** ![Aholibah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Aholibah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aholibah)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-this-bumper-sticker/351239/51 "2006-04-04T20:36:36Z")
> [@Lamar Mundane](#): > > I am absolutely stunned at the level of naivete of otherwise very intelligent people in this thread. > > That bumpersticker is completely offensive, and it’s very intent is to be offensive, as evidenced by the google results. > > I hope it is naivete, because otherwise it is a deliberate attempt to excuse obvious rascism. I hadn’t posted yet, but my initial response to the OP was one of befuddled suspicion. I couldn’t make much sense out of the bumper sticker as described, but what little sense I could make out of it seemed to point towards something rather nasty. With no intent or desire to excuse racism, the interpretation “If I’d known we were gonna get in this much trouble (that is, secede, go to war, lose), than I’d never have participated in slavery” seemed to be the closest I could come to making sense out of the sticker. That being the case, I found it quite repellent and offensive in the way that it minimalized the real evil of slavery. But I was also confused because the message didn’t really glorify the Confederacy the way I expect messages that are embellished with Confederate Battle Flag to. Upon reading **belladonna** ’s and **the raindog** ’s exegesis, I was convinced that that was the intended message of the sticker, and found it even more repellent and offensive, as well as somewhat more consistent with the type of message I expect when I see that flag. So count me among the confused and naive, but please not among those people who would deliberately intend to excuse racism, obvious or otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-this-bumper-sticker/351239/52 "2006-04-04T20:52:44Z")
> [@Lamar Mundane](#): > > I am absolutely stunned at the level of naivete of otherwise very intelligent people in this thread. > > That bumpersticker is completely offensive, and it’s very intent is to be offensive, as evidenced by the google results. > > I hope it is naivete, because otherwise it is a deliberate attempt to excuse obvious rascism. Just to be clear - I got the offensive intent right away; it was more the specific way the person was trying to offend I needed help with… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Swan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Swan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Swan)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-this-bumper-sticker/351239/53 "2006-04-04T21:04:27Z")
[Georgia](http://www.flags.net/images/largeflags/UNST0109.GIF) [Stars and Bars](http://unitedstatesamericanflags.com/images/stars_and_bars_800x600.gif) ---
**Author:** ![Charger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df788c/32.png) [@Charger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charger)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-this-bumper-sticker/351239/54 "2006-04-04T21:33:56Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > “If I’d known this (symbol of my cultural roots would forever be associated with slavery), I’d have picked my own cotton.” That’s the only interpretation that makes sense to me. With the assumed racist interpretation, it would have said “I’d have made them keep picking cotton.” How can “I’d have picked my own cotton” be a pro-slavery message? In my experience, most people who display the flag don’t associate it with slavery, but with making a stand against an oppressive government, YMMV. That’s why the “heritage, not hate” stickers are so popular. Despite those efforts to declare it a message of “not hate,” many people roll their eyes at that saying. Maybe it’s because the percentage of rebel flag flyers who really are racist are the ones who really stand out in our minds, kind of like how we remember the farter in the elevator, but forget who else was in the elevator-riding category (again, YMMV). I really like the bumper stickers that say “I’m offended that you’re offended.” I’m considering getting one. Basically, it’s saying if you have a knee-jerk reaction and paint a negative picture of me, you’re exactly like the stereotype you hate, that of someone who hates a group at a glance. And there are few worse insults than to be called a racist, and it’s ironic when it comes from a total stranger. That, and I really am offended (and surprised/appalled) by the knee-jerkers. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-this-bumper-sticker/351239/55 "2006-04-04T21:34:33Z")
> [@Lamar Mundane](#): > > I hope it is naivete, because otherwise it is a deliberate attempt to excuse obvious rascism. Nobody is naive or excusing racism; the phrasing of the message is illogical, that’s all. You needn’t beat that straw man so hard. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-this-bumper-sticker/351239/56 "2006-04-04T21:50:11Z")
My initial reaction, reading the OP, was that the bumper sticker made no effing sense - and was probably meant to be race baiting, or barely disguised racism - and offensive for that reason, alone. Having read the whole thread, now, I still claim the bumper sticker makes no effing sense, but there are enough plausible interpretations here for me to find it very offensive, rather than just offensive. > [@CalMeacham](#): > > “If I knew this was Gonna Happen” > > (Mary Poppins) > > “I’d have picked my own cotton.” Thanks to this I just snarfed Elixer. It hurts. I hope you’re happy. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Swan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_Swan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Swan)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-this-bumper-sticker/351239/57 "2006-04-04T22:16:55Z")
> [@Charger](#): > > That’s the only interpretation that makes sense to me. With the assumed racist interpretation, it would have said “I’d have made them keep picking cotton.” How can “I’d have picked my own cotton” be a pro-slavery message? > > In my experience, most people who display the flag don’t associate it with slavery, but with making a stand against an oppressive government, YMMV. That’s why the “heritage, not hate” stickers are so popular. Despite those efforts to declare it a message of “not hate,” many people roll their eyes at that saying. Maybe it’s because the percentage of rebel flag flyers who really are racist are the ones who really stand out in our minds, kind of like how we remember the farter in the elevator, but forget who else was in the elevator-riding category (again, YMMV). > > I really like the bumper stickers that say “I’m offended that you’re offended.” I’m considering getting one. Basically, it’s saying if you have a knee-jerk reaction and paint a negative picture of me, you’re exactly like the stereotype you hate, that of someone who hates a group at a glance. And there are few worse insults than to be called a racist, and it’s ironic when it comes from a total stranger. That, and I really am offended (and surprised/appalled) by the knee-jerkers. Nobody in this thread is jerking a thing. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-this-bumper-sticker/351239/58 "2006-04-04T22:24:23Z")
> [@Charger](#): > > That’s the only interpretation that makes sense to me. With the assumed racist interpretation, it would have said “I’d have made them keep picking cotton.” How can “I’d have picked my own cotton” be a pro-slavery message? Actually, you missed the message entirely (based on my interpretation, and that of **Belladonna** and others). It’s not a pro-slavery message. The point from the bearers’ perspective is to say that bringing blacks to this country to pick cotton was not worth whatever trouble it is they feel blacks are causing to this country now. Making blacks slaves was to them not worth the price they’re now paying to have us freely roam the country doing all the terrible things we’re apparently doing. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2006, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-this-bumper-sticker/351239/59 "2006-04-04T23:47:00Z")
> [@The Swan](#): > > [Georgia](http://www.flags.net/images/largeflags/UNST0109.GIF) > > [Stars and Bars](http://unitedstatesamericanflags.com/images/stars_and_bars_800x600.gif) By the way, thanks. I was just about to look up the difference, then I noticed you did it. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2006, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-this-bumper-sticker/351239/60 "2006-04-05T04:26:34Z")
> [@Charger](#): > > That’s the only interpretation that makes sense to me. With the assumed racist interpretation, it would have said “I’d have made them keep picking cotton.” How can “I’d have picked my own cotton” be a pro-slavery message? As noted, it’s not pro-slavery, just racist. It could be read as “you people are so much trouble, it wasn’t even worth the free cotton to bring you over here.” > [@](#): > > In my experience, most people who display the flag don’t associate it with slavery, but with making a stand against an oppressive government, YMMV. That’s why the “heritage, not hate” stickers are so popular. Despite those efforts to declare it a message of “not hate,” many people roll their eyes at that saying. I’m pretty sure those stickers don’t include any aggressive messages directed at African-Americans. If they do, the whole thing is a sham. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-this-bumper-sticker/351239.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-offensive-is-this-bumper-sticker/351239.md?page=4)