Ethnically Speaking by Larry Meeks

The bumper sticker should have read: "we turn white people into white trash." I don't care if they're in fashion right now; tattoos are tacky.

This African American liberal democrat would NEVER have voted for Jesse Jackson for president. If it had been a faceoff between him and John McCain (the old John McCain, anyway), I would have voted for McCain.

I think the bumper sticker is sort of funny in an audacious way, but just as a play on words. Obviously it's going to rub some people the wrong way, and not without reason. It uses an outmoded term that most people find objectionable, and if you look at the statement from a certain angle, it seems to draw an equal sign between the lowest class of white people and all black people.
But if Larry really thinks the sticker "implies that African-Americans are just ink-filled white trash," he's way off target. It's a joke. It's a joke based on a literal interpretation of the word "colored." Meaning not black/brown/dark-skinned, but multi-colored, the kind of coloration you get with tattoos.

Larry, both you and Ann got it wrong - you focused on the colored part and assumed it was an insult towards black people. Did you guys skip over the white trash part? It is a widely held assumption that anyone with a lot of tattoos is white trash and most tattoos are in color. So I think it was a clever yet crass play on words and assumptions that pretty much insults everyone. Think about it - I'm sure you'll get the joke.

Yeah, the main target of the insult is really people with tattoos, which is pretty funny considering that the bumper sticker is an advertisement for a tattoo parlor. Seems best not to take it too seriously!

It occurred to me that a better bumper sticker would be: We Turn White People Into Colored People. That would be funny and a lot less offensive. (Am I really commenting on this again? LOL.) But of course white people aren't the only ones who get tattoos.....

I don't think the bumper sticker is particularly complimentary to anyone - whites, blacks, or tattooed people of any color. And I dislike the term "white trash." No person is "trash." It's just an ugly slur used to refer to poor whites who dress, live or act a certain way. It's another ugly stereotype that should have gone out with the 78 RPM record. That said, I also don't think the sticker is referring to blacks at all. It's designed to make you THINK it is, by use of the phrase "colored people," which is a phrase that most of us have come to equate with blackness. However, if the sticker is taken very literally, you COULD interpret it to mean, "We take trashy white people and color them with colored ink." That observation made, the sticker is stupid. I certainly would not put this sticker on my car and I don't like tattoos anyway.

Matt: Did it ever occur to you that perhaps the fact that most blacks vote Democratic is a sign of that they're genetically more intelligent than whites, many of whom vote Republican?

Whatever the bumper sticker was trying to say, it struck me more than anything as being a terrible way to advertise a business. Why would you call your potential customers "white trash", and on top of that work in a term that's offensive to black people? I get that the "colored" reference is referring to being colored by ink, but it's implying something else and we all know it. I find it obnoxious.
One other thought. I understand Larry's reluctance to fall into the trap of being "too sensitive." There are people who will say insulting and bigoted things and then eagerly cry we're too "PC" or "get a sense of humor" when someone objects. I don't think anyone should have to apologize if something offends them. Right or wrong, it's how they feel and they should be able to say as much.

Re: Geoffrey James. No, that never occurred to me, probably because it's absurd. Do you realize how positively racist you sound right now? I can't decide if you're being intentionally provocative, or are simply mentally ill.

Oh, by the way Geoff...blacks are only 15% or so of all registered voters. Obama would never have been elected without white support. You ARE aware of that fact, correct?

84.3495% of all statistics are made up on the spot...*shifty eyes*... xD

Dear Mr. Meeks,

I too agree with you about blacks voting for Liberal blacks, but it appears most blacks tend to be conservative in their religious values.

Nuff Said...Dennis

How about feeling offended because the sticker may have implied that white is trash if there isn't a dash of color mixed in? Obviously, if someone wants to feel offended they will certainly find something to feel offended about. Whatever.
Having spent over a decade of my adult life in a city of mostly blacks,I saw first hand how many black people will vote for a black person regardless of the fact that he was the most idiotic thief on the ballot. The same city kept the same Super of Schools for years, even after he was sued by a teacher for sexual misconduct, even after doing such a horrible job with the school system that thousand's of people have left that county. He was rewarded by being elected mayor.
So, people can claim that whites are the racists but the fact that Obama is president proves otherwise.

First off you are all way to sensitive. And the sticker says "Turning White Trash Into Coloured People". I happen to have one on my car and I think the sticker is hilarious

hiya all,well i didnt know my slogen on a bumper sticker would stir up such a fuss,it was brought up to me bye a fellow coworker thou.and just had to jump into the conversation,being as how i am the creator of it,and new that some ppl would probably be upset,but first of all let me start bye saying it,says "turning white trash into coloured people"that being said i can understand how ppl might get upset but frankly i do not care.it was not meant to be racist it was a stab at high sociaty,being as how i grew up poor my whole life with an artistic ability and a.d.d,i new i wasnt gonna join the classes of the higher society clubs or whatever it is u guys have,ive been a hood rat my whole life,and dont really plan on changing that i like who i am,i also grew up in faoster homes juvy centers and group homes,in ny,so i grew up with black ppl so i am probably the furthest thing from being racist,plus i am part native american,well my point being is ever since i started puting ink in my skin and as far as any other person putting ink in there skin we know how ppl look at us.we see it everyday and none tattoo artists who try to get good jobs who have alot of ink,r aoutomatically marked as a criminail of some sort or a bad guy.wich this is the futhest thing from the case,we celabrate art on r skin the many differant styles of art work that there is.and we celabrate the stories that r told on r skin,each tattoo holds a certain storie telling a chapter of r lifes.and as far as the coloured ppl remark,black native asian doesnt matter.ppl with ink in there skin r the truly coloured ppl on the plant i am black i am red i am green i am purple,and so on i have way to many colors on me to name them all. the white trash remark on the bumper sticker is refering to how ppl look at white ppl who r tattooed,if i was african or indanesion,it would be considered a tribal thing or of some high spirituality. the slogen on the bumper sticker is not of any racist decent just experience,living as a tattooed person.and being a white native tattooed man in america the land of the free,or is it just free for those who get to have things there way?i have been across r great nation and have noticed and seen nomatter were i was the upper class see one of us walking there way,they huddle themselves up or quickly walk across the street,when for all they know one man or woman coulda just saved another human or animail from something horrible happanning.so the bumper sticker i feel is just a spoof on sociaty.not meant to hurt anyone just simply meant to get a smile and hopefully some kind of awarness.for the true coloured ppl of america.and for the ppl who hate tattooes and think they r tastless u have a right to your opinoin.but when u do so how do u feel about ppl who paint on canvas whether its a naked woman or a vase.tattooes r just another artistic medium that we use in a way to express the things we want to say and for one reason or another we dont,so we say it on r sleeves or chest werever. or just so simply liked a picture so much just hade to have it on us.and yes i know i dont speak for all tattoed ppl im just saying this is just my experience with it.take it how u want to.but please have fun with it

Hey moron named Tigger, what are you Winnie the Poohs buddy? Im surprised your even able to find this website with your spelling. I also am a tattoo artist that grew up poor but I know how to spell. The little red lines under the words means to spell check it. I hope you dont write names at your shop because you'll probably misspell them. Your trying to school people on proper ethics you might want to check your grammar first. No one can take your message seriously due to your poor grammar and inproper word placement. So next time you try to correct somebody you need to use a word program to make sure your message comes arcoss clearly.All you did was make you and your shop look like idiots.

Yes I know I spelled across and improper wrong. Just seeing if Tigger could catch it.

Kasey, I am a retired English professor and a published author, and you actually made quite a few mistakes in your post as well (I counted 18 errors, but I am pretty tired so my count might be off). Pot, meet Kettle.
Tigger, you write expressively and from the heart. Sometimes the authenticity of a person's experiences shine through even brighter when they write 'stream-of-consciousness' and with all errors intact. Most people write what they think other people wish to hear. When you write, you spill your soul on the page. Don't let anyone tell you to stop. The ability to express what we deeply feel is what defines our humanity.

Thank you Kodiak! I really felt what Tigger wanted to get across (I don't care about the errors)

I guess what amazes me the most is that on this site of all places, the person everyone is commenting about (where the bumper sticker came from) writes to explain and immediately that person is judged.

Society is changing and what was once deemed as inappropriate is now turning into the social norm. I think we all should take a step back and think about this.

Hey Geoffrey James.. Before saying something so anti-white, you should probably watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQp6Weo0JK0

I have been collecting tattoos for about 25 years, long before it became the social norm. Although I agree that too many people get stupid tattoos that they eventually regret, it's not really your business to judge them for it. Most of us in the "tattoo world" call it "Getting ink" or "getting Colour", it's not racist, just a slang term.

By the way, I would say that 99% of tattooed white people also vote democrat. So doesn't that make them smarter too?

Dear Larry,

This is in regards to your open discussion about the bumper sticker, “Turning White Trash into Coloured People.”
This day and age we are supposed to be working to eradicate racism and yet, with the statements made on your open discussion towards our bumper stickers, everyone is taking us back to when we had separate drinking fountains. We are supposed to be moving forward not backward. For one thing, my sticker was misspelled in the article. I used the word “Coloured” as to color something in. The misspelling implemented racism. There are many things in everyday life that can be turned and twisted to be interpreted as racism. People use the sticker as an outlet to openly talk about race and tattoos. Also, People used my stickers in the open discussion as an excuse to be negative about tattoos because they don't have the balls to do it themselves.
Many have said in your open discussion, tattoos are tacky and tattooed people don't belong in industries such as banks, restaurants, etc. What makes people with tattoos any less hard working or qualified for a job? I am the owner of the tattoo shop in question and I have many color tattoos. Does that make me white trash or coloured? Or am I just tattooed? A lot of people look at me and turn the other way not knowing who I am as a person, tattoos don't change the person I am today. I am a hard working father of four that tries to raise my kids with an open mind and a decent set of morals. However, I am treated like a low life because of the color in my skin. Which weather you like it or not for lack of a better term its being racist. I am tax paying member of society that abides by the law and I would be the same person with or without tattoos. Many of my clients liked my bumper sticker because they are open minded and understood the play on words.
The way some people have taken the sticker is off base from its meaning. Racism in society made it all about a color barrier. Anyone who has tattoos knows what it is like to be deemed trashy or tacky by people who don't agree with tattoos. We are therefore considered “White Trash”. White trash is not a racial slur it is a term used by many to describe someone lower then themselves. A stereotype passed down through society. My sticker was a stab at being politically correct and what society thinks about people with tattoos. However, it was taken as racist. If the sticker was meant to be racist there are many other words I could have used other than “White trash”, and “Coloured.” The sticker is for a tattoo shop; hence, you come out “coloured“. It was a play on words and was taken too far by people who are worried about racism. Who are in fact the ones being racist with those thoughts. People just need to let it go, it's the only way the racial barrier will come down and we can finally over come it. Open your mind and learn to take a joke; life is too short. So get tattooed and live a little.

Thank you
Inflictions Tattoos