Out: The sanctimonious EV or hybrid owner. In: The very, very sorry and definitely still your ally Tesla driver.

Yes, we’re a long way from South Park’s lampooning of hybrid owners for emitting toxic levels of “smug.” In my Northern Virginia neighborhood, which is one of those where the number of Teslas and the number of parking spaces have achieved near parity, I’ve noticed a new trend among Tesla drivers who have not yet abandoned their car outside a Lululemon and engaged the self-immolate feature. With Elon Musk now anathema and anti-Elon vigilantes prowling the twilight for Teslas to vandalize, variations of an “I Bought This Before We Knew Elon Was Crazy” bumper sticker are starting to show up.

Yesterday, I saw one for the “Anti Elon Tesla Club.” Online marketplaces also sell one with the message “This Tesla Does Not Endorse Fascists.” (Ah, if only a car was just a car.) A whole genre of these bumper stickers has formed, catering exclusively to Tesla drivers who feel a little bad about it.

The stickers, more importantly, probably serve the deterrent function that a steering-wheel lock does. Those who recently observed Passover are familiar with the strategy. I hate Elon too is the Tesla driver’s blood on the doorpost, a signal to the hooligans to pass over this Cybertruck and go find yourself a real Egyptian to smite.