Just saw this bumper sticker

[NightTrain]

IF YOU CAN READ THIS, THANK A TEACHER.
IF YOU CAN READ THIS IN ENGLISH, THANK A SOLDIER.

And thoughts or opinions on that?

[Melodybe]

1. Seasame Street taught me to read, do I thank a muppet?

[arcane1]

2. my thoughts

it's a right-wing racist repube's car

[stopthegop]

15. what's racist about it? n/t

[arcane1]

16. the statement itself? perhaps nothing...

but I've heard that kind of crap from people all my life, and without exception every one of them was a racist

the whole mistrust of furreners is essentially a racist attitude. Much like the Irish, who are as white as can be, but dealt with all kinds of BS over being Irish, back in the day...

[Warpy]

3. Pretty stupid, considering the only foreign country to invade

was ENGLSND, in 1812.

[KissMyAsscroft]

4. I dont have any problem with it...

I mean, WWII did happen

[el_gato]

18. what the hell does WWII have to do with it?

Do you think Hitler could have invaded the U.S. or something?

[KissMyAsscroft]

19. Eventually, yes.

He was trying to take over the world.

[solinvictus]

23. Nope...

Hitler's designs were on continental Europe and possibly England. He never had and never would've achieved the capacity to invade the USA.

[KissMyAsscroft]

25. And after that, where do you think he would have gone?

That was his intial plan, but are you saying that if he would have conquered Russia he would have just called it a day?

[indypaul]

26. Yes,

along with the Italians and the Japanese and thank
your "bipee" he did not get the bomb first.

[ET Awful]

5. Fine, I'll thank Mrs. Reading (4th grade teacher) and myself (soldier) :)

n/t

[Atman]

6. It is simplistic and silly

Right wingers' car for sure. "Thank a soldier" is a catch-all feel-good phrase that cheapens what we really should thank a soldier for. What language would we be speaking otherwise, thanks to what soldiers?

[BringEmOn]

17. If they're referring to WWII and German language,

I guess we should also thank a Russian soldier...they did the heavy lifting. And, no thanks to Prescott Bush.

[cprise]

7. Yes. It means

...Arabs are the new 'red menace'.

...and education is dependant on a strong military?

[TN al]

8. As a teacher and an ex-soldier...

... I suppose I may have a unique insight into it. I am, however, ambiguous about it. I am flattered by the thought but it makes me uncomfortable too. Should I get a bumper sticker that says "you're welcome"? At the end of the day though, I think that you are using an expression that none of us can disagree with to support a position that most of us can't agree with. I am wary because I suspect anyone who says this is hiding a right wing agenda.

[BringEmOn]

9. Thank God Reagan invaded Granada

:eyes:

[NoPasaran]

12. Yeah, we would all be speaking Grenadine otherwise! n/t

[johnnie]

10. My thought is...

It's not that clever really. My other thought is...I'm getting in to the bumper sticker business.
"If you can thank a teacher in English than you probably aren't a soldier because you are over somewhere fighting some bullshit war."

[RobertSeattle]

11. Pithy

Might I add:

IF YOU COLLECT SOCIAL SECURITY, THANK A DEMOCRAT
IF YOU COLLECT UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, THANK A DEMOCRAT
...

Or conversely...

IF YOU ARE PAID THE MINIMUM WAGE, THANK A REPUBLICAN
IF YOU'RE JOB HAS BEEN OUTSOURCED, THANK GEORGE BUSH

[Maat]

14. Those are really good ones, Robert Seattle!

I'd make up some other ones like, "If you're an abandoned, unwanted child, thank Republicans, the Religious Right and their propaganda." But I'd probably get in trouble...so I'll shut my mouth now.

[felonious thunk]

13. I saw a similar one in 2nd Century Rome

It said (and I've translated to English)

IF YOU CAN READ THIS, BE THANKFUL YOU ARE MALE
IF YOU CAN READ THIS IN LATIN, THANK THE GLORIOUS EMPEROR AND HIS ARMIES WHICH SAVED YOU FROM A LIFE A SAVAGERY AND ENSLAVED YOU FOR THE GLORY OF ROME

[NightTrain]

22. Next time you fire up your time machine, can I ride it with you?

;)

[blondeatlast]

20. No thoughts, only reaction.

:puke:

[LastKnight]

21. thats stupid.

even if we were still controled by a foreign power, it would most likley be britian who ALSO SPEAK ENGLISH.

maybe it meant thank a french soldier. afterall, we wouldnt have won the revolutionary war without them.

-LK

[LastKnight]

24. kause we all no the rebulikans ar big supportors of ejookayshun.

can you tell i go to a public school in a republican controlled state?

-LK