Maybe I am just too cautious , but in areas where there is a lot of abuse of Native traditions it might not be safe for people ( or their cars ) to drive around with a bumper sticker linking them to this web site .
For me I certainly would not let a local twink, followers or pagans decide for me what I should or should not put on my car because it made them feel "uncomfortable" ? no more than I would let the local prevalent belief system in my town tell me that I have to take the pentacles out of my trees or the tag frame "hand to hand the circle is cast" ? off of my car (they have written me letters) ? How much authority do we want to give these types of people, who are in the wrong to begin with with threatening and controlling people etc, to do the same to you the activist - ? there are many different ways to go about activism, not all are necessarily confrontational. ? All involve some risks though because anytime you speak up or take a stance on something you risk possible confrontation. ? There is a saying I ran across online that I have come to like. ? It goes "Speak your mind even if your voice shakes" ? or as my mom says, if you see something wrong, fix it. ?
I have not cared what people think if I am linked to this website, I tell people I meet about it, I have a link to it on my website -I do programs on astronomy. ? People need to know about this site only when the word gets out that some things are wrong with the picture people are currently presented with, will things start to change a bit - at least the questioning of the principle characters they believe in will start I have seen it happen and "the ripple effect," oh, ? you are still hated for it, for starting the ripple, but that's progress. ? It won't change by being incognito..... ? I do carry vandalism insurance and do occasionally have to watch my back when I get rolling on something. ? ? There's another viewpoint I have taken over the years regarding issues I have become wrapped up in: ? "If no one dislikes me, then I'm not doing anything positive." ?
But yes, it can get very scary... very nasty...it can escalate fast being threatened with physical harm and legal action as well as with the rest of the "community" ostracism thing (a community you were not a part of to begin with with everyone is just on your case regardless). Some of these people and their followers can be dangerous when you start to cut into their cash cow. You just have to use common sense too.
But you want how many bumperstickers?
