# "You Lie" Bumper Sticker **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 16, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-lie-bumper-sticker/532696 "2010-03-16T21:00:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-lie-bumper-sticker/532696/1 "2010-03-16T21:00:49Z")
One of the parents at my daughter’s school is a staunch Republican. I suspect he probably works on Capitol Hill. On his SUV is a bumper sticker with “You Lie” over the Republican symbol. (He has no other stickers, just that one.) Now, it seems to me that most of the Republicans I’ve spoken to were not terribly proud of the moment in question. Ithardly seems the type of thing that you’d want to randomly remind people of. In fact, when I first saw it, I wondered if he was a Libertarian trying to make a point _against_ the GOP. I’d like to hear the Dope opinion of this. What would be the motivation? Is it likely to help the party at all? ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-lie-bumper-sticker/532696/2 "2010-03-16T21:06:26Z")
I’d have thought that putting “You lie” over the Republican elephant was an allegation that the Republicans were liars – and so not very helpful to the GOP cause at all. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-lie-bumper-sticker/532696/3 "2010-03-16T21:11:50Z")
Everytime I read ‘You lie’, I only hear it in that god awful voice. So I would associate it as anti-Democrat right away. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-lie-bumper-sticker/532696/4 "2010-03-16T21:12:39Z")
The teabagger types thought it was great and that Joe Wilson is all kinds of awesome. Google “Joe Wilson hero” and you’ll see plenty. The irony, of course, is that Wilson was lying when he said that. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-lie-bumper-sticker/532696/5 "2010-03-16T23:03:52Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > I’d have thought that putting “You lie” over the Republican elephant was an allegation that the Republicans were liars – and so not very helpful to the GOP cause at all. Ditto. I very much appreciated SNL’s take on the [whole thing](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mZpnDownxE). ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-lie-bumper-sticker/532696/6 "2010-03-17T00:14:38Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > I’d have thought that putting “You lie” over the Republican elephant was an allegation that the Republicans were liars – and so not very helpful to the GOP cause at all. That’s what I would think too. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-lie-bumper-sticker/532696/7 "2010-03-17T00:52:45Z")
I was mistaken. This is the Obama Campaign symbol. Here’s the sticker: [You\_Lie](http://www.cafepress.com/+you_lie_nobama_bumper_sticker,407257730) That makes a little more sense. I still can’t comprehend why anyone would be proud of such a blatant breach - and one which was almost immediately denounced by the party leadership. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-lie-bumper-sticker/532696/8 "2010-03-17T01:05:23Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > I’d like to hear the Dope opinion of this. Really now? :rolleyes: Isn’t it fairly apparent? ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-lie-bumper-sticker/532696/9 "2010-03-17T01:16:18Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > I’d have thought that putting “You lie” over the Republican elephant was an allegation that the Republicans were liars – and so not very helpful to the GOP cause at all. > [@dangermom](#): > > That’s what I would think too. Ditto ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-lie-bumper-sticker/532696/10 "2010-03-17T02:12:58Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Really now? :rolleyes: Isn’t it fairly apparent? You have the ability to post, and you’ve neve been shy about using it before, so have at it. My opinion: like the ‘Impeach Obama’ bumper sticker I saw the other day, it’s just an effort to wind up the Liberal douches (to borrow a phrase). ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-lie-bumper-sticker/532696/11 "2010-03-17T19:06:17Z")
I saw this same sticker the other day, and had the same reaction. ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-lie-bumper-sticker/532696/12 "2010-03-17T20:01:32Z")
Could someone unpack the references for this non-American? Grim ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-lie-bumper-sticker/532696/13 "2010-03-17T20:18:25Z")
> [@grimpixie](#): > > Could someone unpack the references for this non-American? Congressman Joe Wilson blurted out “YOU LIE, BOY!” as the president was saying that a government sponsored health plan would not provide coverage for illegal aliens. Personally, from what I’ve read, the bill as written doesn’t seem to provide it, but at the same time, I don’t see how that would last as time goes by, court decisions, etc. But that’s a subject for another thread. . . . ETA: OK, he didn’t actually say “BOY,” but Maureen O’Dowd said that’s the way she interpreted it, and if it’s good enough for her, it’s good enough for me. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-lie-bumper-sticker/532696/14 "2010-03-17T21:17:00Z")
I’d read it as tea-bagger chest-thumping. And I’d make some snap assumptions about the driver’s level of compassion, overall intelligence, and critical thinking skills. I’d then make every effort to stay _behind_ that person on the road. Wouldn’t want to get rear-ended. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2010, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-lie-bumper-sticker/532696/15 "2010-03-18T02:30:04Z")
> [@](#): > > Congressman Joe Wilson blurted out “YOU LIE, BOY!” as the president was saying that a government sponsored health plan would not provide coverage for illegal aliens. No – he simply shouted “You Lie!” There was no “Boy” at the end, although some people seemed to think this was implied. I recall this because I specifically asked about this in a thread shortly after it happened – is “You Lie, Boy” a common expression somewhere in the country, so that the “boy” could be “understood”. The consensus was that, in fact, it was not, and the columnist who suggested the “boy” was implied was imposing her own belief. Wilson was guilty of rudeness, but not racism. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2010, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-lie-bumper-sticker/532696/16 "2010-03-18T08:01:00Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > ETA: OK, he didn’t actually say “BOY,” but Maureen O’Dowd said that’s the way she interpreted it, and if it’s good enough for her, it’s good enough for me. So she attacks people with bogus racism and you’re on board with it. That’s some mentor you got there. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2010, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-lie-bumper-sticker/532696/17 "2010-03-18T13:45:05Z")
Nah, nothing like that. I actually thought her article was kinda funny in its cluelessness, and think some urban legends, misquotes, misattributions are worth perpetuating, at least for comedic effect. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2010, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-lie-bumper-sticker/532696/18 "2010-03-18T16:22:43Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > Congressman Joe Wilson blurted out “YOU LIE, BOY!” as the president was saying that a government sponsored health plan would not provide coverage for illegal aliens. > > Personally, from what I’ve read, the bill as written doesn’t seem to provide it, but at the same time, I don’t see how that would last as time goes by, court decisions, etc. > > But that’s a subject for another thread. . . . > > ETA: OK, he didn’t actually say “BOY,” but Maureen O’Dowd said that’s the way she interpreted it, and if it’s good enough for her, it’s good enough for me. I’m not trying to defend the action itself, but there’s no substantiation for this “boy” bit. It really bothers me that she would say that and that you would have that “be good enough” for you. It’s an insulting diminutive at the least, and racist at the worst. I’ve not heard anyone else imply that’s what Wilson meant. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-lie-bumper-sticker/532696/19 "2010-03-18T17:01:06Z")
Maureen Dowd is entitled to interpret the siubtext however she wants, and she did express it as an interpretation, she didn’t try to report it as a fact. Whether her interpretation is reasonable or not is debatable. Obviously, no one has to agree with her, but I don’t think her interpretation is out of the question, since racial resentments of Obama on the right fringe (and not necessarily just the fringe) are palpable and sometimes overt. I don’t think it’s off the wall to question whether Wilson would have done that to a white President, and while I’m not going to say I _know_ what was in Wilson’s mind, I don’t think it’s crazy to wonder if he felt more entitled (even subconsciously) to yell back at Obama because he was black. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2010, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-lie-bumper-sticker/532696/20 "2010-03-19T09:00:15Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > I was mistaken. This is the Obama Campaign symbol. Here’s the sticker: [You\_Lie](http://www.cafepress.com/+you_lie_nobama_bumper_sticker,407257730) > > That makes a little more sense. > > I still can’t comprehend why anyone would be proud of such a blatant breach - and one which was almost immediately denounced by the party leadership. I would still think this was someone being outraged about what the Congressman did.