It’s October, and people are stealing signs.
No, we’re not talking about the Houston Astros, although we can’t watch them every minute.
We’re talking about people right here in our own wholesome town of Indianola.
Over the last couple of weeks, there have been several reports of campaign signs that have been stolen out of people’s yards.
The main targets, democratic candidates battling for a win in the upcoming election on November 3.
Democratic Executive Committee Chairman David Rushing called two weeks ago to inform me that a large and expensive Joe Biden sign had been stolen off his property.
The thieves returned a week later and absconded with the Mike Espy for U.S. Senate sign on his property.
“It’s childish,” Rushing said.
Indeed it is.
Whether political operatives taking up signs of an opponent or bored teenagers with nothing better to do than cruise the city digging up yard signs, it’s just plain childish.
It really doesn’t matter which political party is involved, stealing or vandalizing campaign signs is wrong.
This, unfortunately, is not an uncommon occurrence in Indianola and all of Sunflower County.
We’re fresh off the 2019 county elections, and we are just a few months away from the kickoff of the 2021 municipal races in Indianola.
During these local races, it’s not an exaggeration to say that we get weekly calls of people having their campaign signs destroyed or stolen.
We’ve already mentioned the fact that it is completely immature to do this, but there are some other things to think about as well.
It’s criminal.
Anyone caught stealing campaign signs, especially off someone’s property, could and should be charged with criminal trespassing and theft.
Some of the signs that have been reported missing cost hundreds of dollars to print and distribute. They aren’t free, and they’re not being paid for by a superpac.
These are grassroots locals and neighbors.
Which brings us to our next point.
It’s also a violation of the property owner’s First Amendment rights.
Whether you agree or not with the candidate or sign that’s posted, if it is posted legally, that property owner has every right under the Constitution of the United States to display his or her messaging.
Politics has become extremely bitter and sometimes even violent during 2020.
The national candidates haven’t done much to calm the environment, but let’s not let that trickle down to Indianola and Sunflower County.
We’re better than this.
If your neighbor puts up a political sign that you don’t like, you can always go out and buy a bigger one with your candidate or message on it.
In the meantime, don’t steal or vandalize signs.
