Stop the sign stealing
Published: Monday, September 15, 2008 at 4:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, September 15, 2008 at 8:15 a.m.
I'm not endorsing a candidate or criticizing another. Yet, I'm an intern for one of the presidential candidates. This is my message and I want everyone on both sides, left or right, liberal or conservative, to follow it: No more sign stealing.
I happen to live right behind a local political party headquarters and, lo and behold, signs went missing. Numerous signs I pay for out of pocket to give to fellow supporters turn up missing on a daily basis. If one side wants "change" and the other will bring about "ethics," then I think we're all missing the point. Stealing those signs could land you in jail. That's trespassing along with stealing property.
So, this is my plea to all: Let's play nice. No more stealing signs. No more ripping off bumper stickers.
It's sad that our country has a 43 percent average voter turnout in federal election turnout. That is sad. I could cite even lower statistics for local elections (20 percent). We fought a war and founded a nation so we didn't have to borrow money at interest from the Bank of England. In this process, and war, we ended with a democracy. Later, we changed to an Electoral College to determine how a president wins. Florida is a very important state to win. Most of the candidates are pouring money into Florida and Ohio.
We're all proud Americans. We fought for this right to vote - to cast a vote for another to vote on our behalf - and then we resort to stealing signs and stickers and posting graffiti as if we are in gangs representing "turf." Please, let's all play nice.
Let's bring about "change" and all be "mavericks" about this. Let's shake hands and agree to disagree without resorting to petty theft.
Jack Kingdon Cole III
Winter Haven
This story appeared in print on page A6
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