The disturbing bumper sticker
 

I like bumper stickers as a whole...my cars previous to the current one have been slathered in them: usually I have a few funny ones along with my favorite music groups. Rho likes them too...the back end of Putt-putt is smothered in them. I've had people pull up beside me while driving her car to tell me how funny and/or great some of them are.

Bumper stickers can also reveal a bit about a person--be it their humor or their beliefs or whatever. But I saw one Wednesday while driving home from work that threw me for a loop...

Have you ever seen the one that says "My Boss is a Jewish carpenter?" For those not in the know, it's a reference to Jesus. I've seen them around for about 10 years now.

The one I saw Wednesday read "My boss is an Austrian painter." I had to think about it for a minute, but then it hit me...it's a reference to Adolf Hitler.

I really REALLY want to believe that this person has a twisted sense of humor. After all, the presentation is brilliant...I didn't catch it right away, and I imagine it might stump the average person. And I have a pretty bizarre sense of humor myself.

But I only show off my bizarre sense of humor in certain situations...and I wouldn't show off anything extreme like that on my car. If someone with less tolerance than myself were to see that sticker and get the meaning, the owner of said sticker could find himself replacing that back window. Not to mention, there are quite a few Nazi sympathizers and anti-Semites out there.

I guess I shouldn't be so surprised. After all, look at the number of folks with Confederate flags on their cars/trucks. But that sort of thing is pretty overt to me. This seemed much more covert and sinister...

When PA license plates read "You've Got A Friend In Pennsylvania" I added "But, It's Not Me".:)

That reminds me of another good thread I've been meaning to start.

Thanks Bruce. :)

I was behind an Intrepid once that had i picture of a tush, a hand, and the words" Spank me" in big letters.

i almost rear ended her trying to make sure i saw what i thought i was seeing.....it was on crooked, so i'm thinking someone had slapped in on there for her. Yes, naturally I passed her to see just who liked getting spanked so much, and let me just say that it would have been a "BIG JOB"
to spank her.

probably wear your hand out on that one.

I can't recall ever seeing someone with Christian bumper stickers and items on their vehicle act very Christian.

Honk if you love Jesus usually gets you the finger almighty.

Disturbing Bumper Sticker
 

Just as an fyi, I saw one of those "My Boss is an Austrian Painter" in downtown St. Paul, MN on 12/31/03. Like others who've seen it, I was puzzled at first (b/c I couldn't think of a famous Austrian painter)...and THEN it sunk in that it must be a Hitler reference!

I hate to admit it, but a lot of the hate mongers out there are a lot more clever than "the mainstream" gives them credit for. The "Austrian Painter" bumper sticker ranks up there with the KKK t-shirt that says 'The Original Boyz in the Hood" (riffing on the Cuba Gooding Jr. movie of the early 90s, of ocurse) in the prejudiced parody department!

Welcome to the Cellar, Stuff. You're right about not all hate mongers being inbred hillbillies with 1 tooth. I've met intelligent, educated people that are severely off track. Some will even give you what they believe to be a rational explanation for their feelings. It usually involves circular logic and sometimes Old testament quotes.

"These days you can't tell who's in cahoots, 'cause now the KKK wears three-piece suits."--Public Enemy

Re: Disturbing Bumper Sticker
 

The "Austrian Painter" sticker probably isn't hate-mongering. It's simultaneously a shot at the sticker-displayer's boss, and a shot at the "Jewish Carpenter" ones.

Saw a Hummer with this bumper sticker today- Will gladly trade blood for oil.

Hmmm... maybe it was just my first um... episode of the new year.

I saw "If you live your life like there's no God, you better be right."

Heh. If some people would behave worse if they didn't believe in God, we'd better be happy they do.

Yay, finally I stumbled upon this thread
 

As soon as it dawned on me who the Austrian Painter was, I started laughing.

I think that it's a hilarious corruption of the Jewish Carpenter bumper sticker.

I'm a big fan of subtle and complicated humor but a bumper sticker referencing Hitler is the very worst place for it.