Vandilizing Political Signs

With this year’s election coming down to the wire, it’s no wonder that political signs are running rampant through city streets. What is a wonder though, is why so many of them are turning up missing. Sign stealing is at an all time high, and it’s happening all over the US. The reason is unknown; whether it is opposing views stealing the signs so that their competition isn’t getting their name out there, or just a bunch of immature violence-prone people finally getting their chance to run wild. Whatever it is, it is getting out of hand.

A chairman in Hawaii has noticed that they have had “about 200 yard signs and large banners defaced, destroyed, torn down or stolen from areas throughout the island.” And apparently, this has been a campaign tactic used in Hawaii for years. I don’t know whether or not this is an effective “campaign tactic,” if anything, I want to say it’s more annoying and immature than strategic business practice. Although some could argue those traits are the core of politics, so when you get down to it, these sign stealers are just following suit. Nah, I am not condoning this one bit. I think it’s juvenile and destructive. Not to mention these little yard signs cost money! In Fairbanks, someone had destroyed two custom made Barack Obama signs that cost $400 each to make. That is hefty. And the possibility of installing security cameras near the bigger signs to catch the culprits has been thrown around. It’s not just yard signs people are ruining, it’s everything, and many people are upset that it’s a breech on the first amendment. “It’s interfering with American rights – the freedom of speech,” says a Democrat that has been having his signs and banners destroyed all over the place. It is unpatriotic and un-American. Some people still have a nonchalant stance on the whole thing. Understanding that disappearing signs are a cost of doing business in any political campaign, and it just comes with the territory.

Basically, yard signs are a way for people to get their views out to the world. Signs are a way to publicly display your personal beliefs on who you think is right for this country. And give your neighbors a pretty good idea of what kind of cul-de-sac they are living on. But nothing is wrong with that, and people should be allowed to express their opinions the way they want to. Would you steal the shirt of someone’s back because you don’t believe the graphic on the front? Would you rip apart the hat on someone’s head because you don’t believe in what the message is? I don’t think you would. Because really, that would just be silly. Now what is the difference between what I just mentioned and destroying someone’s personal yard sign or a banner that merely reflects what kind of person they are and what they believe in? I don’t think there is one. I have heard the argument that putting up yard signs is just asking for trouble. Explain to me how that makes any sense! Everyone needs to stop being so darn angry and destructive. Let’s start teaching respect; for other people and self, and maybe then people will stop thinking it is ok to ruin property that isn’t yours.

Is it just the fact that it is political that people feel the need to act like crazy animals? Because if that is the case, get over it. No one in this world is EVER going to have the exact same opinions on something as someone else, I think it’s about time that we realized that and actually celebrated diversity. Welcomed different views and voted like crazy. Wouldn’t that be the day? Whether its yard signs, political signs, “it’s a boy!” signs, or business signs, leave the signs alone, they didn’t do anything to you.