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Underground > Temple >

Paganism and Patriotism, do they mesh.

parnthachin

16:45 / 20.06.05

I've been wondering about this for ages it seems. We all know of the God Bless America stickers and merchandise ad nausium, but where is the merchandise for those of us who believe otherwise yet have a love for this country as well? The simple (fill in diety of choice) Bless America. Are we to jaded in the political spectrum to care for such merchandise? Would we feel it would offend those like us? Scared of what Christians may say or how they may react? Or do we just lack the actual availability of said goods to even get this far? Could something like this work? Are their enough people who believe in America as an idea as well as non Christian dieties to make this work? Or just people who want to piss off Christians in general? I've just been really bloody curious please help answer my quaries.

Perfect Tommy

16:57 / 20.06.05

I think the availability of such merchandise, and whether you feel comfortable putting it on a car and such, is strongly related to where you live. I'm in Portland, OR, which is an extremely liberal town. Mostly there are just anti-Bush stickers, but there are also a fair number which manage to be anti-war while being patriotic—"Patriot for Peace," "Support Our Troops -- Bring Them Home," that sort of thing.

Chiropteran

17:08 / 20.06.05

We had a "Goddess Bless America" sticker on our car for a couple years, FWIW.

As for availability and setting, it was given to us at Laurie Cabot's shop in Salem, MA. I think that's all that really needs to be said.

Wouldn't have wanted to drive too far South with it, though...

bobotheanticlown

02:52 / 21.06.05

i think he mees more of wy arnt there 'Shiva bless america stickers, or those for other religions of pagans, like "Blaphomet bless america"

20:31 / 21.06.05

Isn't this about the potential compatibility or incompatibility of paganism and jingoism, not patriotism at all?

dj kali_ma

02:48 / 22.06.05

Jingoism gives me a rash. But it's at the same kind of annoyance-level as, say, people who assume that anyone born south of the Mason-Dixon line is automatically a yokel.

Chiropteran

12:48 / 22.06.05

people who assume that anyone born south of the Mason-Dixon line is automatically a yokel.

Fair enough, and I apologize. My main experience of the Southern US is in the form of horror stories from friends who grew up there and moved away as quickly as they could, so I admit the biased sample. How about, "wouldn't have wanted to drive too far into a hypothetical ultraconservative region with it?"

charrellz

13:59 / 22.06.05

How about, "wouldn't have wanted to drive too far into a hypothetical ultraconservative region with it?"
You mean Texas? Where a Kerry sticker can get your window broken?

I think the issue comes from the history of America. The US was started by Christians (and some guys looking for money too) and Christianity has stayed entrenched in our culture. I think it will take a lot more than the giant balls needed to have an alternative bumper sticker to really change the climate enough to accept the idea of some other god blessing America.

gale

16:34 / 22.06.05

The American flag has been co-opted to such a degree by a certain type of person that I won't even consider having one on my car. I do not love what this country seems to have become: the ignorance, intolerance, and hatred. It scares me, and it's what I think of when I see the flag.

I'm thinking about getting a "god bless america" sticker and painting over the letter b, or maybe turning it into "god ble$$ america"--although either could get my window broken anywhere (if anyone noticed).

I also have two "support our troops ribbons" stuck together to form a perfect infinity symbol, which is appropriate since that's apparently how long they're going to need support...

Fritz K Driftwood

03:37 / 23.06.05

Haven't seen any interesting pagan/patriotic bumpersticks, but I did see "These colors don't run...the world" and enjoyed it thoroughly.

But it was in Berkeley, so not really surprising. The surprising thing is pro-Bush bumperstickers in either SF or Berkeley.

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