One of the (many) problems that I have with bumper stickers
is that they so often espouse viewpoints or encourage behaviors that would
appear to directly run contrary displayed behaviors of the drivers of those
vehicles. Like the “Imagine World Piece” bumper sticker bearing vehicle that
cuts you off, the driver of which then flips you the bird. Or the Hummer I see
occasionally that proudly (ironically?) displays the “Go Green” bumper sticker.
A new example of this evidentiary dissonance was displayed on
the rear of an SUV this weekend. On my way home from an outing this weekend I
was behind a vehicle that bore three bumper stickers: “Occupy Somewhere Else!” “Proud
Member Of The 99%” and “I’m not jealous of the 1%: A Christian Receives His
Reward In Heaven!”
Okay, a bit strange, but at least one consistent theme that
would seem to imply that the driver has bought into the biblical proscription
against wealth and is willing to wait until after they are dead to get their
due. That’s cool!
I don’t personally buy into the theory that all good things come
to those who wait. And the idea that the meek shall inherit the earth is,
according to most scholarly works on the bible that I have read, probably there
because some middle-age revisionist thought it would be a good way to prop-up
the ruling class by equating passive adherence to the desires of the crown with
salvation.
The implication, however, is that the driver is patient
enough to wait until after they have died for their reward. But perhaps I have misinterpreted.
Just as the light was changing to allow us to cross the
intersection, an ambulance came roaring through the intersection, lights and
sirens blaring, on the cross-street. Out light that had just turned green, went
red as the ambulance passed. The SUV lurched forward and then, apparently,
thought better of it.
Interestingly, this – presumably patient – person who was
willing to wait for the afterlife to get their due was unable to wait for the
green to cross the street. He waited for about half the traffic to clear before
whipping right onto the cross street, went down a block and pulled a U-Turn.
It was deliciously ironic that the light turned green for me
as he was approaching the gore strip before the intersection. He had just
turned on his blinker and entered the turning lane as I cleared the
intersection. He re-entered the road I was on two cars behind me – three car-lengths
behind where he started. This was one place when his supposed patience would
have had demonstrable benefit. Too bad he didn’t have the short-term conviction
he seemed to be advertising for the long-term.
Wherever you are today I hope that you will behave in
accordance with your beliefs.
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