# Family, Friends, and Social "Acceptability"



## imp (Nov 12, 2015)

Back in the late '80s, early '90s, living in the Phoenix area, there was a great deal of unusual public interest placed in displaying a variety of opinions, slogans, advertisements, and the like, via BUMPER STICKERS. Great displays and stacks of them were to be found at the big public sales areas, gun shows, and the like. 

One of the first we saw promoting "friendly help" read, "FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS DRIVE DRUNK". I thought it pretty appropriate and meaningful, promoting perhaps a "designated driver".

An enormous variety was to be seen, possibly in such excess as to induce unsafe driving, but that's not my point. "IMAGINE WHIRLED PEAS" comes to mind. In   ane, unnecessary, funny, distracting. 

But, then this evolved, very widespread:  "FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS EAT MEAT"

We were dumbfounded. I asked my wife, how could I consider someone a friend who dictated what I could, or could not, eat? 

Then, the final blow:  "MEAT IS MURDER".    Only thing in common I could see was they are both nouns. MEAT = MURDER

A variety of road-rage incidents, those also being new in that era, ensued over bumper stickers, not necessarily those I've presented. Then, the sticker craze faded, especially when official police advisories spoke against them. At the same time, red-light cameras came into being. GEEZ! What a melee they caused. Could a clear-plastic camera-light reflecting covering over license plates be "probable cause" for a citation? Did they even work?   imp


----------



## SifuPhil (Nov 12, 2015)

They did work, as some of my friends reported, but if you were seen sporting them it was a trip to Horror Hall for your efforts. A zero-sum game.


----------

