from the you-knew-what-you-were-getting-into dept
There are many reasons a person might feel compelled to purchase a Tesla Cybertruck. Most of those reasons are tied to Elon Musk himself. If you like Elon Musk and think he’s a pretty cool dude, despite his mawkish behavior, mindless DOGE-based destruction, occasional Nazi salutes, ruining of Twitter, and his desperate courting of white nationalists, then you’ll probably buy a Cybertruck.
The vehicle is its own statement: one that says you support the things Musk supports because you’re willing to pay this guy a large sum of money in exchange for a rolling eyesore. Most Cybertruck owners bought these to make that exact statement — to throw aggressively-angled middle fingers to Musk haters, Trump haters, and pretty much anyone else who happens to be a little further left on the political spectrum.
Nothing about this is subtle. The Cybertruck certainly isn’t, and neither are the people vociferously defending their purchases, even after being dicked around by endless delivery delays and further fucked by the multiple problems they’re discovering the more they drive these vehicles. It’s “fuck your feelings” on four wheels, a Nazi car produced by the man running ExTwitter’s Nazi bar.
The backlash has been brewing for a while. The Cybertruck has been mocked since the first mock-up was shown to the public. Now that Musk has been elevated to the position of co-president in the Musk/Trump Administration, the backlash has increased steadily, with no apparent end in sight.
This has resulted in protests outside of Tesla dealerships, insults hurled at Cybertruck owners, and a plethora of vandalism, ranging from spray-painted penises to vehicles being set on fire in dealer lots. Some of this is just the price one pays for purchasing a car now synonymous with assholery. Some of this is clearly illegal and there are plenty of laws on the books capable of addressing those acts. On top of that, every Cybertruck contains tons of sensors and cameras that should make it easy to identify assailants or, at the very least, provide plenty of evidence to buttress insurance claims.
But that’s not enough. A private Facebook Cybertruck owners’ group wants more: protection from the federal government for a small subclass of vehicle owners who all happen to own the same vehicle. Ketan Joshi managed to archive a particularly whiny post from a member of the group who actually wrote his congressperson to ask for the government to step in and… I don’t know… turn Cybertruck owners into a new “protected class” or something.
Subject: Addressing Harassment and Violence Against Tesla Owners
Dear Congressman Garamendi,
I am writing to seek your assistance in addressing the growing harassment, hostility, and violence directed toward Tesla owners across California and the United States. You may be aware of the increasing incidents involving vandalism, road rage, and targeted aggression toward individuals simply because they own and drive a Tesla. As both a concerned citizen and a 24-year retired military veteran, I find it deeply troubling that owning an American-made vehicle has made me—and many others—a target for unjustified hostility.
I have personally experienced multiple alarming incidents. On one occasion, while driving on I-80, another driver deliberately attempted to run me off the road. In another unsettling encounter, while washing my car in my own driveway, a stranger drove up, hurled insults at me, and then left while running stops signs. Reviewing my HOA security footage, I confirmed that this individual had never been in my neighborhood before, making it clear that I was specifically targeted.
Beyond my personal experiences, I am a member of several Tesla owner forums where widespread reports of similar attacks are being shared. Owners are facing physical threats, vandalism, and intimidation simply because of their vehicle choice. Reports in the media highlight incidents of Tesla charging stations being burned, Tesla service centers being vandalized, and Tesla vehicles being spray-painted or otherwise damaged. Unfortunately, law enforcement often has limited ability to hold perpetrators accountable.
This is not just an issue of property damage—it is an issue of safety and targeted aggression. I urge you to consider legislative action that would increase penalties for these acts, potentially classifying them as hate crimes or enhancing legal consequences for individuals who engage in such behavior. No one should be harassed, threatened, or harmed based on the car they drive.
Thank you for your time and attention to this urgent matter. I appreciate your leadership and look forward to any efforts you can make to address this growing concern. Please feel free to contact me should you require additional information or wish to discuss this issue further.
Yes, it’s inadvertently hilarious, which is usually the best kind of hilarious. I especially like the fact that this “24-year veteran” thinks owners of American-made vehicles shouldn’t have to deal with this sort of thing, implying it might be a little more acceptable if the harassment targeted people driving foreign-made vehicles. Given Musk’s partnership with Donald Trump and Trump’s antipathy towards both Canada and Mexico, it might bother this easily troubled vet that about 25% of the truck’s components come from Mexico and another chunk come from Canada. Yes, the vehicle is 90% “American,” but only if you include the other parts of North America.
But the best part is the request that harassment targeting Cybertruck owners be classified as a “hate crime” with enhanced sentences for criminal acts. But here’s the thing about “hate crime” laws: they deal with historically marginalized groups with immutable characteristics. A Cybertruck owner can simply get rid of the truck if it’s that much of a problem for them. And there’s definitely no history of marginalization because… well, there’s just not really any history at all.
On top of that, it’s extremely asinine to make the case that being able to secure an extremely expensive, boldly-styled statement on wheels from the most Extremely Online man in the world is somehow a characteristic that should result in more government protection for you and your clique, when the rest of the world is more than happy to buy cars that don’t look like rolling dumpsters that come from a company run by a guy who hangs out with bigots, sociopaths, and conspiracy theorists.
Here’s where it gets really fun: by pleading with congressional reps to provide Cybertruck owners with extra protections, this tight-knit group of people with more money than common sense has only ensured the mockery and backlash will increase now that it’s been shown it’s having the effect it’s intended to.
Filed Under: cybertruck, elon musk, hate crimes, hate speech, nazi bar, protected class
Companies: tesla
