On today's ride I wore my Stars and Stripes jersey. It seemed drivers were more respectful than normal. They gave me a lot more room, waited on me more when they were turning-I even got a thumbs up or two along the way.

Could it have been the jersey or maybe the flag socks or maybe folks were just in a Holiday spirit?

It was a really pleasant day to ride in NC. Low temps in the morning but it did get warm by the end of my 103 miles.

I was thinking a Stars & stripes jersey would be good for today.

I'm thinking a Stars and Stripes jersey would be good just about any day!

X

I suspect it would be deemed highly unpatriotic to squash you on July 4th when you are wearing the Red, White, and Blue. Yes, that would be especially heinous. I was riding the rural roads of E. Tennessee last year and thought a nice bright orange Vols jersey would have added to my security.

A good way to test that would be to ride around with a North Korean (Chinese???) flag jersey and see what happens. Maybe a jersey with a big picture of Fidel Castro or Karl Marx on the back?

I've been thinking that wearing a stars and stripes jersey would be a good idea for my trans-am. Might help in some areas and probably won't hurt.

I,m thinking the jersey. I have a Stars and Stripes golf shirt I wear and get compliments a lot when I wear it.

Now there are those who have ankle fetishes so it could have been the socks, just sayin'

Nope doesn't work here. Of course, wearin the stars n' bars helps when pick 'em up trucks are passing.

J/k I sincerely hope. I don't know of any old time Cofederates "I hate the Declaration of Independance too" types around here. I think most folks who display the stars and bars do it to be in-your-face obnoxious.

Thats a pretty broad statement, which i suspect isnt accurate. I wear a "Confederate Battle Flag" jersey (confused often as the stars and bars) with no intent to be obnoxious. I wear it for the same reasons most people wear the stars and stripes.

I suspect it was more due to the holiday and people weren't hurry up on schedules.

Which is.....?

....I'm proud to be a citizen of the USA. I wasn't aware there were any citizens of the CSA.

I wear my stars and stripes necktie every year on 9/11. It.s well received by drivers.

Paul

Sad to say, but where I live in the "Deep South" there are still a few of those who would probably offer you a ride in their pickup truck and a cold beer if your wore a jersey emblazoned with a CSA battle flag - and/or a very pointy-looking helmet. Scary stuff, huh?

Not to argue the politics of the Civil War (incorrect title for the conflict BTW) or the CSA, but my belief is that at one time the CSA DID exist. I would presume that most would wear a stars and srtipes jersey to show pride for the USA. I have that same sense for the CSA, i respect those that wanted to leave the USA because they believed in no longer served their purpose. They simply wanted their independence, something the citizens of the USA celebrate every 4th of JULY.

Blacks universally find the stars and bars offensive. Just sayin'.

Having grown up in South Carolina, it's been my "general" feeling that most of those who so proudly fly the Stars & Bars because they want to "celebrate their heritage" are racists at their core. I'm white, and I certainly knew enough of them to feel comfortable in that generalization.

"The Weak Link" makes an excellent point. I've never met an African-American who didn't find the Stars & Bars repugnant. We can argue the proper name for the Civil War, the political theory behind the South's secession, the economic reasons, whatever...it doesn't change the fact that it will forever be VIEWED as one side supporting the enslavement of fellow humans while the other side fought for their right to be free.

Whether you are or are not, wearing the Stars & Bars will get you labeled as a racist by most white Americans and pretty much all black Americans. If you are a racist, then I applaud you for having the courage to be honest about it, even if I don't support your politics. If you aren't a racist, why would you want to be thought one? Just my thoughts, y'all.

And to the OP, yep, when I wear the Stars & Stripes jersey, I tend to get more tolerance from motorists.

Charles

I grew up revering the Stars and Bars as a symbol of rebelliousness and defiance. I was not raised to be a racist and never grew into that way of thinking, but I would admit to having a bit of a chip on my shoulder regarding people from more northern areas who might have a completely unwarranted sense of superiority (was that diplomatic enough?). I am not ignoring the history of slavery associated with the Confederacy, just stating that the symbol was not about that to me. Eventually I had to very reluctantly give up the practice of displaying that image as it had been so universally adopted as a symbol of something ugly by people on both sides of the racial issue. It made no sense to cling to the flag and argue that it did not mean to me what they said it meant when I would find myself standing beside people for whom it meant exactly that.
So I no longer associate myself with the Stars and Bars, but I am pissed off at the people on both sides of the racial issue who stole it from me.

Thank you...in a very short manner you stated what I've always felt.

South Carolina for years flew the Stars & Bars above the State House. It finally became so divisive that it was agreed to remove it. While I can certainly sympathize with those who do view the flag as a proud part of their heritage, or as a symbol of rebellion, the sad fact is that it is almost universally viewed as a symbol of hatred.

Those of my friends who still "love" the Stars & Bars don't display it anymore. They got tired of either defending their reason for flying it, or of trying to disassociate themselves from those who thought they had found fellow bigots...

And yes, I thought you were very diplomatic. I've got cousins from "up north" who would visit each summer and make fun of the way we "Rebels" talked. I told them on more than one occasion that THEY were the ones who talked funny in the South, and that if they didn't like, they could stop visiting...unfortunately, they went from being just a Yankee (one who comes to visit) to a Damn Yankee (one who comes to stay).

BD and I agreeing on something yet again. This scares me. The four Horsemen of the Apocalypse must be upon us.

We always agree, except when you're wrong.

Link, BD and chasmm you all make good points but my original statement stands that I do not wear it to be obnoxious or to offend. It may be VIEWED that way but that doesnt result in it being truthful or a fact.

Not buying that for a minute, sorry. But not to argue the politics of the Civil War and getting back to the original post, it seems to me that the Stars & Stripes are a pretty powerful symbol these days... sufficiently so to elicit near universal positive feelings from their display. Especially on a day designated for celebrating their meaning. That's the thing about symbols... they're highly social in nature.

LOL I fear you would get the easy rider "redneck to biker" treatment

Must be that dang "2012 thing", doncha know? I better stock up the ol' fall-out shelter with plenty of automatic weapons, ammo and "inspirational" Pat Robertson DVDs. Come to think of it, you can't drink bullets and religion is 99.44 percent feel-good hype. Guess I'll take along 100 cases of Lowenbrau Special Dark instead. If one of those Four Horsemen shows up, I'll be sure to offer him a cold frothy one.

Thinly-veiled sarcasm aside, I wonder how much respect a "Four Horsemen" jersey would get?

"Blacks universally find the stars and bars offensive."
Patently fallacious. There is no universal perspective for any group of people on any point of view and it's a crock that anyone should argue this point. As evidence, for instance, I point to the FACT that blacks fought on both sides during the Civil War. With gun in hand, it's hard to argue that those who fought on the side of the Confederacy found the flag they fought under offensive. It's especially hard to argue that to my great-great-grandson-of--slaves former roommate who participates in Civil War re-enactments proudly wearing a Rebel uniform in honor of his great-great-grandfather who fell in battle.

If white/caucasian people can be labelled racist on the basis of historical abuses with no other argument or evidence offered, then at least one poster in this forum can be labelled the same without animous for the implication that flying a flag is, inherently, a racist act.

As for me, I agree with those who are so tired of having to explain themselves when flying a Battle Flag that they feel they had to give up the right to speak freely by NOT displaying a "Rebel flag"for whatever reason they so chose.

When I tour, I fly 3 flags - the Stars and Stripes, the Stars and Bars and a POW/MIA flag. I'm considering flying a fourth - a Wounded Warrior Project flag. What does that say about me? That I am a redneck racist who likes guns and blood, engages in torture, smokes/smoked pot while on guard duty and drives a Hummer? I think some people need to get a grip and quit foisting their own insecurities and prejudices on others.