Dear Tesla Driver: “It’s not You, It’s Him.”

Amidst a booming bumper sticker industry, one writer offers solace to those asking, “Does this car make me look fascist?”

1 minute read

April 13, 2025, 7:00 AM PDT

By Christine McLaren


Close-up on cardboard sign reading 'No Kings' being held up at protest at Tesla offices in Brooklyn, New York.

Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons

“To all the drivers who bought a Tesla before Elon Musk and his DOGE boys went on a rampage through the federal government and made a lot of people very mad, I’m sorry. It’s not you, it’s him.” 

So starts an open letter by Matt Bubbers in the Globe and Mail. The part-humorous, part-thoughtful and part downright serious piece examines the idea of “cars as drag” and dishes up a serving of empathy to the well-meaning consumers who bought Tesla EVs long before the current political situation made them targets of vandalism, arson and more. The piece features photos of apologetic bumper stickers on Telsas boasting phrases like "I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy." Bubbers pleads with readers to give Tesla drivers a break:

“The funny thing is that during Tesla’s wild swing across the political spectrum, from virtue-signalling liberal darling to hardcore MAGA-mobile, the cars never really changed," Bubbers writes. “They’re still the same lumps of metal made by the same workers. All cars are drag, yes, but they’re also cars, a necessary expense. So, let’s all agree to not put too much stock in whatever a car might signal about its driver. Leave that to the bumper stickers."

Monday, March 31, 2025 in The Globe and Mail

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

High-rise apartment buildings in Waikiki, Hawaii with steep green mountains in background.

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss

The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

April 6, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Blue and white Seattle Link light rail train exiting concrete Downtown Bellevue Tunnel in Bellevue, WA.

Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?

Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.

April 7, 2025 - Todd Litman

Silhouette of man holding on to back of bicycle ridden by woman with Eiffel Tower in background.

Paris Bike Boom Leads to Steep Drop in Air Pollution

The French city’s air quality has improved dramatically in the past 20 years, coinciding with a growth in cycling.

April 14 - Momentum Magazine

Multifamily housing under construction.

Why Housing Costs More to Build in California Than in Texas

Hard costs like labor and materials combined with ‘soft’ costs such as permitting make building in the San Francisco Bay Area almost three times as costly as in Texas cities.

April 14 - San Francisco Chronicle

Western coyote looking at camera in grassy field.

San Diego County Sees a Rise in Urban Coyotes

San Diego County experiences a rise in urban coyotes, as sightings become prevalent throughout its urban neighbourhoods and surrounding areas.

April 14 - Fox 5