Great Article - http://bigpeace.com/kschlichter/2010/07/20/coexist-you-first/

So I’m driving down the 405 in West Los Angeles, thinking about how I can’t exist while others who believe differently from me exist, when I see it – a blue bumpersticker on the back of a Prius with the letters of the word “COEXIST” replaced by a variety of religious symbols.  Whoa.  I’d never thought of just, you know, coexisting.  Thank you, mystery middle-aged hybrid-driving guy with a goatee, for stripping off my mental blinders and allowing me, for the first time, to truly see a future of love and tolerance.

Funny thing, though.  I don’t remember seeing any COEXIST bumperstickers – much less love or tolerance – when I was deployed to the Middle East.  And I sure don’t remember any in the ethnically cleansed villages of southeast Kosovo.  But I wasn’t really looking then since I was pretty busy actually doing something about hate and intolerance instead of just striking concerned poses.

COEXIST bumperstickers represent more than just the obnoxious posturing of self-important twits – although the obnoxious posturing of self-important twits is a huge component of what they represent.  These public statements represent the kind of dangerously parochial, ethnocentric mindset that conservatives are often labeled with, except this mindset is the mantra of the transnational liberal/left.  It is a mindset that sees the “intolerance” of the West as the real root cause of conflict, and imagines that if we can just get beyond our own myriad flaws all will be well.  What this mindset does not appreciate – what it almost willfully ignores – is that all those groups represented by all those symbols making up the COEXIST design are not the same, do not share the same values, and in many cases have absolutely zero interest at all in coexisting.

You can find something of the history of the COEXIST design in the “religious intolerance” section of something called suite101.com – its catchphrase, “Insightful writers. Informed Readers,” captures perfectly the kind of dreary pretension you’d expect from people who use the back of their ride to lecture lesser mortals.

Apparently, the COEXIST design originally came from Polish artist Piotr Mlodozeniec, whoever that is.  At first, it incorporated only the Islamic crescent, the Star of David and the Cross for the C, X and T.  Later modifications added a yin and yang for the S, while the O, E, and I are replaced with peace signs, mathematical equations or various “pagan/Wiccan symbols.”  This would appear to demonstrate a fearless rejection of the anti-Taoist, peacenik, mathematician and pagan/Wiccan prejudices that are tearing our society apart.

Sometimes the letter E is replaced with a hybrid male/female symbol, apparently to chide those who refuse to tolerate males and/or females and/or both.  It’s probably unfashionable to mention that the folks with a big problem with one particular gender and the LGBT community in general are mostly clustered within one of the symbols toward the beginning of the COEXIST design.

A variety of companies, groups and commie collectives generate their own versions of the “COEXIST” design on mugs, shirts and lame man-purses as well as the ubiquitous bumperstickers.  One big provider is peacemonger.org, which also sells an Obama inauguration version where the O is replaced with that creepy circular Obamafanatic symbol and the caption reads “In Love and Peace – Dreams Come True.”  This treasured keepsake will set you back $3.  Also available on the same page is a sticker featuring a grinning Obama, complete with dreadlocks, rampant upon a rasta-riffic green-red-yellowish background, bearing the legend “Inhale to the Cheif (sic).”  Yeah, “Chief” is misspelled.  Blame it on the bong hits.

U2 used COEXIST as a central image during its Vertigo tour.  No surprise that a hackneyed, clichéd band far past its prime would glom onto a hackneyed, clichéd symbol that represents a past-its-prime mindset that should have faded away in about 1971 along with flower children, Jefferson Airplane and the non-ironic use of the word “groovy.”

The problem with COEXIST is not just the irritation generated by the college-town posers, limo lib pseudo-sophisticates and pompous rock gods who have adopted it, though it really is annoying to be on the receiving end of a one-word lecture from people whose experience in the world outside their cloistered enclaves consists largely of staring down upon it from 767s as they jet between LAX and JFK.  It is that a significant number of people take to heart the unspoken assumptions that underlie the COEXIST symbol.  And worse, right now some of those people are running the United States’ foreign policy.

The COEXIST symbol represents an ideology that imagines that the very real conflicts in the world are not the result of difficult, often irreconcilable beliefs and interests but are instead generated because we Westerners are just not tolerant enough of others.  Sound familiar?  This is why the enlightened few share this powerful message through the medium of tailgates and concerts not with the people in places where, you know, people actually aren’t coexisting but with citizens in the bluest corners of a country famous for coexistence.

Of course, you won’t find COEXIST on the back of some car rolling through Gaza or Tehran or Peshawar or Pyongyang because the locals there largely don’t want to coexist.  They want to prevail – in the end, it would be they who would exist and we wouldn’t, unless we decided to submit, in which case we might be allowed to keep drawing breath if we do what we’re told.  Maybe.  For a little while.

The COEXIST mindset is actually condescending not only to those of us being lectured but to those we are being instructed to coexist with.  The COEXIST mindset assumes we can all just sit down over a steaming cup of cruelty-free, organically farmed chai and talk out our differences because at the root there really are no differences, just misunderstandings.

But deep down, someone with a COEXIST bumpersticker does not really understand that many people actually believe what their religions teach, and often those beliefs do not include coexisting with adherents of other beliefs.  You can sub in a crescent for the C in COEXIST if you want, but if that jihadi gets a hold of you he’s still going to lop off your noggin while you’re in mid-cliché and hold it up for the video camera by the pony-tail.  And you’ll die thinking “Wait, you mean he really believes that stuff?”

We can see the results of this kind of thinking – or, more accurately, projecting – in the American elite’s attitude toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  The Israeli position, made clear in public statements and through actions, is that they would be happy to coexist with their neighbors in peace and prosperity.  The Palestinian position, made clear in public statements and through actions, is that they want all the Jews dead or driven out.

This sort of makes compromise difficult for the Israelis, but since the Israelis are more associated with the West our elite naturally blames them for the impasse.  The COEXIST mindset adopts the demonstrably false notion that what the Palestinians actually say and do must be ignored in favor of embracing the assumption that they really think like us, that they don’t really mean any of that crazy talk about driving the surviving Jews into the sea.  This is why the current Administration seems to see Israel as the obstacle to peace instead of seeing the real obstacle to peace – the Palestinians and their scummy leaders – as the obstacle to peace.

And it’s even worse with regard to Iran.  They don’t even try to hide their goals and the elites simply wish them away in favor of a fantasy of coexistence.  Sadly, the American troops getting killed and maimed by Iranian IEDs don’t have that luxury.

Of course, only the elite buys this nonsense – most Americans, who have been in a schoolyard fistfight or two, feel the Israelis are right to prioritize continuing to “exist” over submitting in order to “coexist.”  But it’s those gun and God-clinging ignoramuses that the COEXIST bumperstickers are designed to enlighten anyway.  The guy who has cluttered the chrome on his Toyota with one is not who needs to be told to coexist.  It’s the rest of us knuckledraggers who need to be taught to expand our consciousnesses by our chardonnay-sipping betters.

Interestingly, our elite hybrid-hugging overlords do not feel any need to coexist with us.  Our beliefs need not be respected – in fact, they must be belittled and changed.  The very same tolerance-pushing website that gives us COEXIST’s history also provides an appreciation of the “Darwin fish.”  Somehow, I doubt they’d be quite as quick to talk up the awesomeness of a symbol designed to insult Taoists or “pagan/Wiccans,” and I know they’d never try that with a Muslim symbol.  They’re stupid, but not suicidal.

The pretension of some sanctimonious nimrod with a self-righteous bumpersticker is mildly annoying.  The infiltration of that mindset into the highest reaches of our foreign policy establishment is quite another matter, and the consequences are potentially apocalyptic.  You cannot wish away the fact that we have enemies in this world, enemies who are as serious about defeating us as we should be about defeating them.

There is nothing wrong with “coexisting” – Americans have done it for centuries in a manner that is the envy of the world.  The problem is the people who are not interested in coexistence – and it’s not some tiresome bumpersticker that we’ll need to stop them.

Good post!!!!!

And therein sits the great lie,,, that evil does not exist.

Evil exists and I don't mean religious evil, I mean plain old evil, as in wrongdoing, murder, rape, robbery, destruction, hate, etc.

There clearly are groups of people bent on doing evil. Think of the simple criminal, for example. At least 2.68% (2008 numbers) of our population is criminal in nature. With about 1% being currently active in criminal activities.

Question: What happens when these criminals run a country? Might it result in criminal activity on a large scale? Evil on a large scale?

Coexist? FUCK YOU. I'll defend myself, my good family and my good country against evil.

10/10 rant

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

On target!

**clang** HIT!!!

Great article... could probably be shortened and more succinct.  

And yeah, I had to get the BS remover kit when I bought my Prius.   Fucking 'COEXIST' and 0bama stickers are standard equipment around here!   It now wears a BFL and "Who Is John Galt?" sticker.

I always say that a Prius with an Obama sticker is like a double negative.  It is like saying wet water.  By it's nature a Prius automatically means "I love Obama."  If you are not libtard and you drive a Prius...You are going to have to prove to me that you are not one of these idiots.

That's what the bumperstickers on mine are for.   I refer to my car as my 'hippie camouflage' around here.   You can't throw a rock without hitting a Prius in my AO.  

Quite a statement, when no swearing is involved.

10/10.

I prefer this one...

Here is a proper alternative to go with the rant above...

Interesting irony is that the 1st symbol (Islam) on that bumper sticker is fundamentally against coexisting with any other religion.

The Qu'ran categorizes all peoples into two 'houses':  House of Islam or House of WAR.

Islam is perfectly willing to Coexist with Christianity and Judaism or even Hinduism if and only if the non Muslim accepts Dhimmi status.

Dhimmis pay an extra tax and have fewer rights under Sharia than do Muslims.

Sharia rejects the notion of religious equality.

I was in a band called Coexist in the late 90's.

A few years after we broke up, I saw one of these stickers on a car out of town, and it looked close enough to our logo from far off, that I was like "sweet, our music really got around".

Then I realized it's a pagan/hippie/liberal thing and then I was like

The best rants don't always have cussin'.
10/10

COEXIST=Surrender your culture

Finally! Someone who gets it!

I freaking hate those condesending hippie assholes with their "Coexist" bullshit!

Anybody know where I can get one of these?



Hessian-1

ROFLMAO!!! I want that on my car right now!





 

Here are a couple more good ones...

This. I agreed with every word, but he makes the same point over and over again.



 

It bears repeating...  

This is the cynic's view.  While he has a realistic perspective, it's important that we have ethical ideals and acknowledge them.  Staying stuck in a fearful & culturally isolationist world is just as bad as the zealots we fight.

I will run my life realistically, thanks. You can run yours in a way that is ethically ideal and see how that works out.  Also, how do you work with and/or integrate a culture that is based on the destruction or subjugation of all others?

Gibberish.

I'm considering posting this on Facebook just to watch people's heads explode...

Consider it done.  I already posted this to my Facebook.  I have some people I know that drive Prius' with Obama stickers and the like.  I am HOPING they read my post.

By Coexist I think they mean don't fight back.

Exactly, things will never change for the better if both sides stick to this mindset.

Hell yes.

Same libtard dreamer garbage as the peace sign

Same old "can't we all just get along" garbage

"We are are world"  

Anyone who attacks traditional America is my foe

Excellent post. A bit pedantic but still very, very valid.



I remember during the first Gulf War how the two arabs, an Iranian and an Algerian, at my company were pissed off and on their high horse about how wrong it was for the coalition to be taking on Iraq. They had zip to say about how wrong Iraq's action were though. Islam may not be evil but it certainly is intolerant by definition.

Great Article.


–– John

Interesting take on the Peace Industry.

Anyone else find it strange that the libs find such cause in promoting Sharia in the US?  Power hungry bastards love each other, I guess.

I am pretty sick of people harping on the US as "fearful & culturally isolationist."  We are the most free, open, and accepting country in the world by leaps and bounds.  For example, all of the supposedly "enlightened" liberal paradise countries (UK, France, Canada, etc...) make it illegal to deny the holocaust.  We are the only country (I believe) that respects freedom and opposing viewpoints enough to protect the speech of someone looking to deny the holoaust.  Are holocaust deniers correct?  No, but we protect their right.  One of my favorite quotes is:

"The suppression of opinion is wrong, whether or not the opinion is true; if it is false, society is denied the fuller understanding of truth which comes from its conflict with error; and when the received opinion is part truth and part error, society can know the whole truth only by allowing the airing of competing views."

Also, France recently outlawed the wearing of full burquas.  Whether or not you agree with the wearing of burquas...Is it really a good idea for the Government of a country to start deciding which religions are okay?  "The government shall make no law" and all that...

Huh?  

There are groups out there that believe in what they want so badly they're willing to not only kill you, but THEMSELVES to accomplish it.  

How can you reason with them?  Where's the room to "come to an agreeement" when the only thing the other side is willing to talk about is how they're going accomplish their national/organizational objectives REGARDLESS of what you think?  (Think Iran, NK, China and Russia, not necessarily Al Qaeda.)

The really disappointing part is, the logical extension of the fact that you're willing to "reason" with them is that you don't believe in anything strongly enough to fight for it yourself.  

OK, I'm coexisting.  Now what?

Seriously, dude.  Try the decaf next time.  And then go to the gym, and work out for an hour.  Take a nice shower, have a sandwhich, and chill

What's the upside down cross?

The reality is "COEXIST" is a naive notion.

Those that spout such gibberish simply do not take into account three very salient points:

1.)  The reality of Coexisting requires that ALL parties are open to such ideals.  That simply isn't the case.

2.)  The reality of Coexisting does NOT account for or even acknowledge that there are issues that simply are at DIAMETRICAL ODDS with one another and are utterly incompatible.

3.)  The reality of Coexisting requires every party involved to take a relativistic approach to their own beliefs wherein ALL beliefs are uncompromisable and negotiable.  Do those of you who espouse such notions REALLY believe that is the case?


I'll give you a PERFECT example of the idiocy of Coexist:


MANY Islamic cultures practice Female Genital Mutilation.  Google it if you'd like.  I'm not linking it.
Let's take a relativistic approach to that, shall we?  I don't think so.  


That is one of hundreds of examples.



Coexist is the naive drivel that people talk about when they are baked.


–– John

According to every horror movie I saw in the 80's, it refers to Satanism.


–– John

You're basically saying its not worth trying to get along inter-religiously because there exists a bunch of shitholes in the world where it is not possible to nor do the populous want to...

America is the shining beacon on the hill, the best country in the world, we SHOULD be more "advanced" than those shitholes, saying that we should wait for them to better themselves before we do, that's un-American.  

Most places should look back-asswards compared to here.

We lead, we do not follow.

People who have their freedom defended by people with guns whom they hate have these bumperstickers.    The other one I hated seeing back in the day said  "I would be a wonderful day if schools had all the money they needed and the Air Force had to have a bake sale to buy bomber."

The naievety of people never ceases to amaze me.

Hard to coexist with people whose sole purpose in life is to fulfill a "religious" calling of blowing you, and all you love, straight to hell.

Yeah...that is fine and good.  BUT - this bumper sticker espouses an elitist BS agenda.  The people sporting this on their Prius want prevent the US for defending itself and its ideals from those who wish to destroy them...and they do this in order to protect those who would blow themselves up to get to us.  The COEXIST stickers and fad stand for the same thing that the Prius stands for...some liberal yuppie jackass trying to show you how much better than you they are because they apparently care more.