Signs of the Times

So my father, in a bold political move, did something he has never done before.

He put a yard sign up in his yard. For John McCain.

My mother is not happy about this. My sister and brother-in-law (a cop), who share a pipestem driveway with my parents and are the first of the two houses, are not happy about this.

Their problem isn't that they disagree with my dad. Their problem is that they are worried about *other* people who disagree with him and feel that vandalization is an okay way to express an opinion.

I'd say they were crazy...if it were any other election. But while I was in Texas and in Pennsylvania, I heard a number of people say they had the same concerns when they were considering putting their support for Hillary Clinton in full view. We verified, in Texas, a number actual sign thefts and did hear reports of vandalism, so it's not a unique concern. In fact, there are *laws* around this sort of thing precisely. But it's hard to catch sneaks in the night.

A friend from work relayed the following story to me a few weeks back. She was driving to work with her "Hillary" sticker still proudly displayed. She and Hillary Clinton are actually personal friends so it seems reasonable that although Hillary is no longer in the race my friend is not so inclined to remove the sticker. An individual driving a car behind her honked his horn, sped up, and began to guesture rudely while pointing back and forth between her sticker and her as a driver. So she, this fairly well mannered southern lady, returned the favor.

Then he turned into the parking garage at work. Her work. My work.

We work for a consulting firm where supposedly we hire people who should know better.

I'm not a bumper sticker kind of girl. When we were campaigning for Hillary we did put signage on our 30 foot RV. And we did worry about having it up when we went to campgrounds. But campgrounds are kind of special and generally full of people, we've learned, who don't go around messing with your RV just because they disagree with you. We did generate a lot of conversation when we'd roll in - and most of it, I'm pleased to say, quite civil.

But I drive a Beetle convertible and my not being a bumper sticker kind of girl isn't why there is no support sticker for McCain on it. Because my brother-in-law, the cop, isn't worried about vandalism for no good reason.

I don't care who you support, but I do know this - you should be able to have a yard sign or bumper sticker and not have to worry about stupid people and what they might do to you.

Just a thought.

NL