Freedom of expression is limited in Alabama, as experienced by the Top Gear crew in their famous caricature of the US.
There is no doubt that one can paint slogans on cars that are experienced as insulting in any given place, while claiming their place in the global debate. However, it has struck me multiple times that most locals at least seem to have the acquired ability to postpone judgement during a brief encounter. Exceptions may be triggered by the construction of a sharp artificial local identity in the face of economic hardship, strong cultural pressure or other extreme strains. Postponing judgement should be an integral part of education in a just society. A debating culture, a mix of expressed identities at school, the surprise experience of learning any type of new fact may add to feeling that postponement and deliberation are useful reflexes.
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