While some yardsign displays are over the top, if they aren’t violating any laws, it’s people’s right to be, shall we say, passionate, and we can simply roll our eyes. But the increasing lack of civility is what disturbs me. In the video link I posted, and will repost, http://www.cbs46.com/story/35482482/homeowner-thieves-stole-jon-ossoff-campaign-signs-from-yard, the woman has been cursed at by people driving by, her kids hav been cursed at, and someone threw a baseball with profanities written on it into her yard. All in addition to stealing her signs’ which she had adorned with flags and such. That just not ok, at any level.
This feeds into why college kids think we shouldn’t have free speech on campuses, that people can’t even tolerate seeing a sign about an opposing candidate.
I work on a friends local campaign. Local campaigns have teeny tiny budgets, many times self funded to an extent. Stealing signs is a huge problem, and many times it’s the only “press” a candidate or issue gets.
I wouldn’t be proud of my child stealing, I’d be more concerned that they think it’s okay to target someone of a differing view - maybe this time it was “cool” to be against the big candidate, but how would they feel if they were the minority? Group think is a dangerous thing.
Whatever the law is should be imposed and the college can decide if they will extend it to the students admission.
eyemamom–me thinks that if the child had a different view than the parent and they were stealing signs of the person daddy supported… proud papa would not be so proud. I always think that many schools would have no problem if the future student was stealing the “correct” signs…it would be civil disobedience…where as if they stole the signs from the side the college admissions folks were on it would be viewed as theft and these are not the type of people we want on our campus.
Sign stealing is wrong. Proud for your kid stealing? I guess cheating on tests and being a bully would be ok too…
If my kid was stealing signs I would be ashamed. No matter what political sign it was.
And keeping the purloined sign in your basement is “possessing stolen property” which is also a crime.
“where as if they stole the signs from the side the college admissions folks were on it would be viewed as theft and these are not the type of people we want on our campus.”
I seriously doubt this is true.
Regarding the Falmouth Trump signs, there were literally hundreds of them planted on both sides of a strip of Rte 1. Iit was a truly offensive display. And, I might add, lined the street in front of MANY businesses that probably did not agree with them. And they were NOT 30 feet apart! The guy who put them up owns two antique shops there. I strongly doubt that he consulted any of the other business owners.
Many of us ground our teeth driving by them, and we had sympathy for those who just couldn’t stand it any more. But we didn’t do it.
^Yeah, if they weren’t following the rules, a Falmouth resident should have called town hall and complained.
It sounds like moral relativism, you steal a penny, what else will you do that you deem okay, but is against the law?
Well, despite my assertion that they weren’t 30 ft apart, one can only infer that they WERE following the rules, appearances to the contrary. 
But it was still really, really offensive. I have never seen anything like it around here before in any election season.
It didn’t do his candidate any good. HRC beat him by a huge margin in Falmouth (4877 to 2633) and the surrounding towns.
Stothart’s trial was set for May 22. Maybe you can find what happened.
Frankly, I’ve learned something through this thread. But a measure of civil disobedience is part of our history. (And yes, there are penalties.) I suspect that edges up to moral relativism, but also think the philosophical is bigger than just the legalistic. Is it fair to say, I put them up, you have to live with them, it’s my freedom of speech, tough on you and your freedom to disagree?
But yes, I get that this was legally theft.
I don’t get why they are offensive. All the other candidates had the right to put up their signs too. Newspapers and TV/radio stations have to give equal time IF the candidates can afford it.
One can’t know if the signed changed any votes. There are certainly areas in the states that went Red and were expected to go Blue where it may have been the lawn signs that changed a vote or two. If they are such a waste of time and money no one would put them up.
Civil disobedience usually is a public act for which you pay the price while loudly proclaiming the rightness of your cause. So you steal the sign, put video on social media of you stealing the sign, let everyone know you stole the sign, make your court appearances into media events where you explain to one and all why you stole the sign.
Keeping it as a secret prize in your parents’ basement is just sneaking around.
“Is it fair to say, I put them up, you have to live with them, it’s my freedom of speech, tough on you and your freedom to disagree?”
Yes, it is fair. How about putting your own candidate’s signs up to counterbalance if it bothers you. Or, since I consider it all visual pollution anyway, thinking of something more creative that doesn’t break laws.
I’m all for political activism but breaking laws to do so 1) puts one at a lower level than those you are despising IMO and 2) lacks creativity and effectiveness over more intelligent, less impulsive reactions.
In the case of the Maine woman, it seems she did try to make her case in the media.
Dos, it spirals endlessly. He puts up 30, so I put up 30? Yes, visual pollution and I do mind that. That’s what I mind. He gets to be willful (under the guise of freedom of speech) and I have to hold back, to be the better person.
Same, in the end: my landscape is cluttered with his choices.
Look, I do get it. Campaign signs are temporary; there are worse eyesores. As a guy in a link said, theft is theft.
Political activism in the form of civil disobedience may mean breaking laws (particularly those one believes are unjust). But that means accepting (sometimes wanting) to be arrested and going to court (perhaps with the intent of increasing publicity).
Stealing signs and hoping not to be caught does not really fall into this category.
Agree with @MomofJandL - if you want to put up a sign counter to mine or even peaceful picket my sign and make a stand that is civil protest. Stealing in the middle of the night is not a form of protest. I teach my kids to respect others even if you disagree with them and don’t be afraid to stand up for your beliefs. If you can’t do something publicly, you need to think twice before doing it.
After this election, I’d love to live in a suburb that bans political signs. Hell, I’d even vote for it if it came up for a vote in my town.
Yes I understand that might be considered a violation of freedom of speech but it got absolutely ridiculous around here.
@MichiganGeorgia “Sign stealing is wrong. Proud for your kid stealing? I guess cheating on tests and being a bully would be ok too…”
That’s what I thought, too. Who knows what else his D did wrong? I thought of cheating right away.
@lookingforward perhaps you can look into getting legislation about the number of sign that can be displayed in your location. I live in a community with a very strict HOA and there are rules to the number and size and even types of signs that can be posted on your property.