Today I was sitting in creeping morning traffic on The New England Thruway (an ironic name considering the usual congestion of this patch of highway). I was cleanly sandwiched between two imposing 18 wheelers. Studying the back of the truck in front of me, I noted the usual generic messaging: the corporation name, license numbers, the Tennessee plates, the ubiquitous "How's My Driving?" message. Then I noticed the following message posted in the same font, color and size. It read: "It's Not a Choice. It is a Child."
This struck me as really odd. Clearly intended as a statement of personal opinion, it seemed out of place on a business canvas such as the paneled wall of a truck. I liken it to seeing "End the War in Iraq" message on the side of a UPS truck in brown and gold.
I was talking with a friend about this later. He sort of agreed that it seemed out of place but felt compelled to ask "What about those trucks that have the mudflaps with the silhouettes of naked buxom women on them? Isn't that a statement?" Yes, but those rigs are owned by the truckers themselves and they are merely transporting cargo on someone else's behalf. They can be politically incorrect. They are not an entity of the corporation. Aside: One of the funniest things I ever saw on one of those trucker rigs was an oversized sign that read "Forget Your Boobs; Show Me Your Pubes." Delightfully unapologetic. But I digress.
I'm a firm believer in keeping political and religious conversations out of schools and corporations. Someone is bound to be offended and a place of business/learning must be a completely objective medium. You know, that equal opportunity thing? Yeah, it really should be more than political correct speak. Of course, a person's personal viewpoint is theirs--they hold it dear for whatever reason and as much as you may disagree, it is their right and their privilege to express it. But expressing it under the guise of a corporate entity smacks of Fascism. What's more, it's probably a hot bed for legal entanglements; we have amendments for things like that, I hear. And don't get me started on the whole prayer in school issue. It's challenging enough to be a child in a social setting; there's an atheist offspring somewhere just begging to be made an example of...and I hope they sue the bejesus out of the system when it happens.
Now, this is just my opinion. Feel free to disagree.
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5 comments:
Hi, Mom, Cathy and Nancy!
C&W, I directed my mother and 2 sisters here since I'm going to be meeting you in July. I want them to see how fabulous you are!
Julie, BTW, they'll be checkin out your blog, too, so keep it clean!
C&W, I agree. I have seen that sort of thing on trucks before and thought it was terribly misplaced. Makes me want to take note of the company name and try to avoid them. And that's not just because I am pro-choice. I would feel the same way if there was pro-choice mumbo jumbo on the truck. It just doesn't belong.
I disagree. It seems to me that a trucking company is still a privately-owned entity. I don't see how you can make an argument based on the separation of church and state for a company which is related to neither church nor state. I am just as offended by the sexy chick tire flaps as you are by the pro-life message, but I see them as both being protected by the free-speech amendment. Just like pornography and billboards advertising strip-clubs, sadly.
The lines cannot be as firmly drawn as we would often want them to be. Sometimes it's better for questionable things to be allowed than to become too rigid in your laws of what's excluded. When this happens, you get a situation like they have in France, where Arab girls are not allowed to wear their headpieces to public schools, as they are considered a religious symbol. They are REAL serious about the separation of church and state in France. I think that is far worse than allowing sometimes unpopular personal opinions to be expressed.
In a country where you have "One nation, under God" being recited daily by schoolchildren, and "In God We Trust" printed on every monetary symbol that we have, it's tough to argue for any kind of separation of church and state, much less political opinions and privately-owned companies.
Has any thought the trailer was owned by the company, and that was the opinion of the company owner... He - like so many corperations, is using his capital to lobby his opinion
They ALL do it, from Wal-Mart to Joe's bike shop. And it is well within your right to agree or disagree with their message or method of dilvery, and that is the risk they take as business people by speaking their minds
A thoughtful perspective, Jules. I can see where those grey areas (i,e. the situation in France you cited) can be trecherous. I concede the whole matter is really open for various schools of thought, but my personal feeling remains the same.
BTW, MCFoG emailed me today and said simply "I think the title of today's entry is very appropriate. I agree; we will
have to agree to disagree."
It's every person's perogative.
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