Both Sides Lose Political Signs

[struggle4progress]

Across Middle Tennessee campaign signs are disappearing. It's a growing problem for both political parties as the November election draws closer. <snip>

Just ask Tina Caldwell, who lives in Belle Meade. "I had hoped it was a joke because we got our Kerry-Edwards sign here and very good friends (across the street) have Bush-Cheney... but I realized quickly that it wasn't a joke because all the Kerry signs were gone." <snip>

http://www.newschannel5.com/content/news/7067.asp


Signs of the Times
By Helen Colwell-adams
Sunday News
Published: Sep 25, 2004 10:38 PM EST

<snip> Many John Kerry supporters, who are asked by the party to donate $3 for each sign, have an investment to defend. <snip>

The party usually asks for contributions, but often by this point in past campaigns, Democrats were giving away signs. <snip>

But there’s no shortage of Kerry signs yet. President Bush’s signs are a different matter, even though GOP officials estimate they’ll have 15,000 signs by the time all are distributed. <snip>

http://www.lancasteronline.com/pages/news/local/4/8691


Free speech has price, Main Liners discover

<snip> Although Badey is a proud Democrat, he fervently said that it is equally wrong to tamper with any posters, including those of President Bush.

"I don't want to say it's not an important crime. It's a quality-of-life offense," he said.

Radnor resident Christina Perrone said she is "grateful" to whoever took her Kerry signs because it spurred her to get involved with Radnor Democrats, to register voters and to raise money.

She also bought about 10 more signs for herself. <snip>


http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1597&dept_id=188818&newsid=12999569&PAG=461&rfi=9


A Sign of the Times

Traitor. The word is spelled out in big, black letters. It's spray-painted over Kerry-Edwards campaign signs in neighborhoods all over town.

"I get frustrated. I'm angry that people would do that. It's my first amendment right. It's breaking the law," said Laura Burge, a Kerry campaign volunteer whose sign was vandalized. "No matter how you're voting, what you believe, you need to be able to say what you think <snip>

The Democratic Party says it's gotten dozens of calls from homeowners with vandalized or stolen signs.

"If their signs, property have been vandalized, every one of them has to make a personal choice on what they decide to do," said Janet Meza, a spokeswoman for the party. <snip>

http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=2342679&nav=14RTRGD6


Midland woman shows unusual Kerry support
After yard signs were uprooted, she painted garage

<snip> With the presidential race in full swing, campaign signs are sprouting up like dandelions in front yards. A true-blue Democrat, Merrie Thompson is not ashamed to let her allegiances show, using part of her home as a campaign sign.

"If you're going to say something, shout it," she said.

Why did Thompson paint a giant Kerry on her garage door? She was tired of seeing Kerry/Edwards signs being ripped from her front yard.

"I tried to think of a way that I could express my views without it being stolen," she said. "I came up with painting the garage." <snip>

http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/news/092404_NW_da_kerry.html


Sign at your own risk

Politics is heating up around the country with 40 days left for voters to decide whom they will choose at the polls. But some residents of the Main Line feel that someone is trying to dampen the democratic spirit by stealing and defacing their political signs.

A number of these incidents have been reported to local police, and an even bigger number have become fodder for talk, debate and speculation over who is doing it.
St. Davids resident George J. Badey III said he hopes the sign-stealing "epidemic" is a just a prank.

When Badey awoke last week to find that his two Kerry/Edwards signs had been taken from his yard, he said he was "deeply offended and distressed that in a community like ours people are trying to silence political statements."

Still standing directly across the street are two Bush/Cheney signs that adorn his neighbor's lawn. <snip>

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=12986822&BRD=1677&PAG=461&dept_id=82745&rfi=6


Sign Shenanigans (LTTE)

At a time when thousands of people in this country and the Caribbean are deprived of food and shelter by hurricanes, when thousands are starving in the Darfur region of Sudan, when death and destruction continue every day in Iraq and terrorism destroys lives in Russia, with what do we occupy ourselves on peaceful Oaklawn Avenue? With petty thievery.

Two weeks ago, every Kerry/Edwards yard sign on Oaklawn Avenue was stolen. This morning, our Forsyth Democratic Party sign was uprooted.

All this is far removed from bombs and machine-gun fire, but at a time when Republicans urge the high road of public morality, it would seem fitting that these depredations cease.

And why is it that no Republican signs are disappearing? Could it be because there were none in the first place? Why not? <snip>

http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArticle%2FWSJ_ColumnistArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031778106461&path=!opinion&s=1037645509163

Candidates Deal With Vandalized, Stolen Signs
Campaigns, Homeowners Report Hundreds Of Sign Problems To Police
POSTED: 5:20 p.m. HST September 22, 2004
UPDATED: 11:41 a.m. HST September 23, 2004

HONOLULU -- Earlier this summer, workers for mayoral candidate Duke Bainum reported more than 500 signs and 100 banners stolen.

A homeowner filed another police report Tuesday night with a new problem.

The Bainum campaign said following the primary Saturday they have had an increasing problem with their signs obliterated by vandals with spray paint. <snip>


http://www.thehawaiichannel.com/news/3753740/detail.html


Some stolen signs turn up
By MATTHEW CLARK
Morning Sun News Editor

Political signs have continued to come up missing in Pittsburg.

Early Tuesday morning, some were found.

"I got home at 1:30 in the morning and there was nothing," Justin Capehart said. "Then at 7:45 I noticed that there were a bunch of signs in my front yard."

Approximately 12 political signs with different party affiliations were located in Capehart's front yard at 601 S. Georgia. <snip>

http://morningsun.net/stories/092204/loc_20040922010.shtml