Together

Bumper stickers are one of the most common ways for people in society to express themselves. One bumper sticker that I have come across in Tallahassee numerous times is the “Coexist” bumper sticker. It is a blue and white bumper sticker that spells out coexist with different religious symbols. The letter “C” is replaced by a crescent moon that represents Islam faith, the letter “X” is replaced by the Star of David representing Judaism, and the letter “T” is replaced by a cross representing Christianity. The dot on the letter "I" is replaced by a yin-yang that represents the balance of good and evil in the Chinese culture. Finally, the letter “O” ties all of these religious symbols together, with a peace sign. Dictionary.com defines coexist as "to exist separately or independently but peaceably, often while remaining rivals or adversaries." In a world where people are hostile toward other religions, this is a step forward in society becoming civil and respecting each other’s different views. This bumper sticker is designed with simple colors of blue and white that mean peace and optimism, which support the overall theme of the bumper sticker. Also the “coexist” bumper sticker appeals to ethos with a phone number and the website, www.peacemonger.org if someone was interested in finding out more information. What amazes me the most about this bumper sticker is the fact that while it is trying to promote peace and coexistence, it is has been regarded as offensive and insulting to some people. A Christian friend of mine that saw the “coexist” sticker and felt insulted that someone would put associate the cross next to these other religious symbols. This shows that the good intentions of this bumper sticker cannot reach out to everyone, but it’s a respectable attempt. Do you find this bumper sticker offensive?