Kerry calls Edwards, post-debate, form his hotel room in Englewood, Colorado, October 5, 2004.
Posted on 10/06/2004 5:37:05 PM PDT by jmstein7
IT'S TIME TO ACT [10/06 03:38 PM]
Kerry calls Edwards, post-debate, form his hotel room in Englewood, Colorado, October 5, 2004. |
My friends, it is time for a vital message.
Yesterday we read about some disturbing cases of political violence related to the election. Now we turn our attention to a less directly threatening, but still disturbing trend in American politics.
Every election cycle, there are always reports of campaign workers stealing or defacing signs. Usually it's an overzealous campaign volunteer, or a drunk, or some activist with more anger than brains or knowledge of trespassing laws and respect for others' property. Or all simultaneously.
But something seriously disturbing is going on this year. There's been an exponential number of reports of signs not just stolen, but burned, defaced with swastikas, and torn down by pistol-packing angry teenagers. (An anti-Bush gun-control supporter, perhaps?)
The political season has turned ugly in Howard County, with an Ellicott City homeowner reporting a late-night fire that burned two Republican campaign signs in his back yard.
In addition, local Republicans say scores of other campaign signs have been destroyed or vandalized in the past couple of weeks, most of them along major highways.
"It's absolutely outrageous," said Howard Rensin, chairman of the county Republican party. He said about $1,500 worth of GOP signs have been destroyed.
"We're talking about dozens and dozens and dozens of signs. We think we may be looking at a concerted effort here," Rensin said. "If people want to express their political views, they ought to do so at the polls." ...
Over the weekend, county police conducted a surveillance operation prompted by the spate of sign destruction. On Sept. 25, police spotted a man on Route 40 cutting down with a power tool a sign urging voters to re-elect President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.
Police arrested Corey Robert Cooke, 33, of Ellicott City and charged him with destruction of property.
Pfc. Dave Proulx, a county police spokesman, said Cooke has not been charged in any of the other incidents.
The most dramatic incident so far involved the burning of the 4-foot-by-8-foot Bush-Cheney sign and a smaller sign endorsing U.S. Senate candidate E. J. Pipkin in Ellicott City.
James McQuarrie said he awoke shortly after 1 A.M. Sept. 25 and saw a fire burning in the yard of his home in the 10100 block of Old Frederick Road.
"I saw a big flame outside my window," McQuarrie said. He rushed to fight the fire with a hose, then county firefighters arrived to help. The fire also burned part of his yard fence and a nearby pile of wood, McQuarrie said.
Another case in the same neck of the woods:
Howard County's spate of political sign destruction led to the arrest late Friday of a Randallstown couple accused of using a bayonet to cut the centers out of two Bush/Cheney campaign signs on U.S. 40 near Ridge Road in Ellicott City, according to court files and county police.
Peter Lizon, 30, and his wife, Stephanie Louise Lizon, 34, of the first block of Valdivia Court, were each charged with destruction of private property. Peter Lizon faces weapons charges. He is free on $3,500 bail and Stephanie Lizon on $3,000 bail.
"We did it."
Three Duluth teenagers walked into the Duluth News Tribune on Wednesday afternoon, opening with these three words. The boys said they were responsible for vandalizing Bush campaign signs and painting a swastika and the word "Nazi" at a London Road residence last weekend.
An hour later, the three boys traveled to the Lakeside-Lester Park police station, where Sgt. Scott Campbell was waiting to talk to them.
The teenagers told the News Tribune they meant no harm to Bob James, the homeowner and Bush-Cheney supporter who erected the signs. They said they spray painted the signs and the swastika on James' sidewalk but had nothing to do with the vandalism of two of James' vehicles.
Friends and supporters of James and the Republican Party of Minnesota had offered a $2,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the vandalism.
While the teenagers were remorseful for what they did to James, they stood by their contempt for President Bush. They said they left a phone message for James on Wednesday and twice went to his house to apologize, but he wasn't home. They planned to try again later Wednesday.
"It was not an act of hate," said Dustin "Dusty" Dzuck, 17, a senior at Denfeld High School. "My mom called me a terrorist. It wasn't terrorism; it was activism. It was for a cause.... The whole thing is, basically, I just wanted to get the word out there that in my opinion Bush isn't doing this country any good."
Dzuck said his actions bothered him more when he learned James is an Army veteran.
Police said a Nashville teenager and his friends stole 71 Bush-Cheney yard signs because he was mad at President Bush for sending his brother to Iraq.
Andrew Thurman, 18, told police that he and 19-year-old Frederick Stevenson stole the signs from several west Nashville neighborhoods because his brother, a U.S. marine, was sent to Iraq.
"It's not unusual to see the isolated theft of campaign signs in local, state and federal elections," Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron said. "However, this is the first time I can recall that someone who admits responsibility for the theft has linked it to the war in Iraq."
Thurman, Stevenson and two other teens were riding in a Honda Accord when they were stopped by police. Officers searched the car and found the signs, along with three pistols.
Thurman and Stevenson were cited for misdemeanor charges of theft and unlawful weapon possession. The other teens, who were both minors, face only the weapon charge.
Officials say this presidential campaign has triggered more reports of stolen campaign signs than in previous elections.
The battle over political yard signs continued in Rapid City on Friday night, and the Republicans seemed to get the worst of it.
Signs supporting Republican candidates John Thune and Larry Diedrich were spray painted, stolen or destroyed up and down West Boulevard, as well as on several streets nearby. West Boulevard resident Ellen Drabek said Saturday that she lost two signs from her yard during the night.
"Mine weren't painted. Mine were stolen. And there were two large Thune signs up at St. Patrick Street that were broken up. All the rest of them were spray painted," Drabek said. "None of the Democratic signs were touched."
The vandalism and thefts occurred about two weeks after three Rapid City teenagers were caught after they were spotted in the act of stealing a large yard sign for Democrat Stephanie Herseth from a West Boulevard yard. Signs for Democrat Tom Daschle also had been taken.
There are also sporadic reports of Kerry signs being stolen or defaced. If you are a Bush supporter, and you tear down Kerry signs, you are among the lamest human beings on the planet.
But so far, the majority of these cases — and the ones involving the most disturbing details of bayonets, guns, fires, and swastikas — are targeting Bush-Cheney signs.
There is, of course, a way to fight this.
And, coincidentally, it just happens to involve the of the Kerry Spot.
Are those of us — left, right and center — going to let a bunch of bullies push us around? In our homes, front lawns, and neighborhoods?
I quote the football coach in the movie, Rudy: "No one, and I mean no one, comes into our house and pushes us around."
Or, if you prefer the University of Maryland, WE MUST PROTECT THIS HOUSE!
In this case, "this house" means our right to publicly support the candidate of our choice. If somebody stole your sign, they're trying to send you a message — that your voice shouldn't be heard, that their willingness to stroll onto your property break the law can trumps your First Amendment rights. Are you going to let those snot-nosed punks win?
If you have to only put your sign out while you're home, so be it. If you have to take it inside overnight, so be it. Better to make that little extra effort than to concede that their enthusiasm for vandalism can shut you up.
needs some advance time to get stuff sent to you. They got a slew of stuff to my Bush-supporting friends awfully fast, but we know they're going to get a rush of orders in the closing month of the election. And a sign for your candidate only does good before Election Day, obviously (unless it's for moral support during the recount, I suppose).
I know there are a bunch of you out there who don't usually put signs up. It's gauche. Wearing your heart on your sleeve. Kinda cheesy.
But this isn't a normal year. These aren't normal times. And a bunch of little twerps think they can help their guy win by stealing stuff and painting swastikas. On the property of a veteran. Guy spends years defending his country so some kid who can barely spell "Nazi," much less define "national socialism," can march onto his property and spray paint the symbol of those fascists?
Hands balling into fists yet? Jaw clenched? Getting in that Ben Grimm "It's clobberin' time" mood?
Go , or click on the ad at the top of the page. Bring the credit card or the checkbook. Buy as much stuff as you like.
And let's show the world what happens when these little sign-defacing reprobates mess with the wrong folks.
No, they wouldn't get that point. They think Cheney is the real power in the WH, and GW is just a figurehead. If the idea of Cheney having no further political ambition were suggested to them, they'd just put on their tinfoil hats and say that Cheney's vice presidency is his sinister plot to 'secretly' control the world. They'll invent just about anything to justify hating Cheney.
"Terrorism in this nation has been alive and well for years, decades. We just haven't recognized it."
Yes, yes, yes! You're so right! (see my tagline)
Wonder why the MSM Whores haven't reported on all these threats and damage for what they are: attempts to DISENFRANCHISE us.
Re #10:
"...I suppose that DoJ has to weight in with civil rights violations and voter intimidation prosecutions."
Hold not thy breath, Pilgrim.
The precidence is not encouraging.
"Justice" in our inherently corrupt judicial system seems to be very selectively applied these days.
Has Senator Hillary Klintton, for example, EVER been even politely asked to return those 900 some FBI files she stole in order to blackmail potential political enemies?
(I have little doubt that they are being updated regularly).
Will Slick Willie ever be held accountable for rape or treason - both charges of which there seems to be ample evidence to support?
Not to mention his end-of-term Pardon-for-Pay gala, in which known terrorists and criminals were allowed to buy their clemency and freedom with cash and/or political favors.
This systemic judicial selectivity and favoritism of the left sends a clear message to America that "Some are more equal than others" - or in this case some are more or less accountable than others, depending on political status, ideaology, and connections to power.
When the matrix of justice and rule of Law breaks down like this, Civilization begins to collapse, and in it's place anarchy and rule of the jungle predictably rush in to fill the void.
In the absence of civil, equatable Justice, other options are usually sought, and eventually found.
That's not "politics" folks; it's Nature.
And if you have not noticed by now, Nature takes no prisoners, leaves no food, and generally cares not a Tinker's damn for the weak, kind, gentle, unlucky, slow, or innocent.
A good example of this phenomenon might be the Western Territories of the 1870's, when "justice", if there was any at all in some places, was meted out at the muzzle of a gun or the end of a rope, most judicial formalities being summarily dispensed with for the convienience of the aggrieved parties.
Oh sure; a few of the unfortunate recipients of Frontier Justice may in fact not have been acutally guilty of the rustling, murder, horse thievery or whatever they were accused of - but it seems that in few if any of these instances was society any the worse for their premature and abrupt demise.
When decent, working people got tired of being bullied and plundered by los Banditos operating with essential impunity, they formed "Vigilance Committees", which you might have heard of - and by the time Federal Marshalls and Judges arrived on the scene to get a civilized handle on things, quite a few of said ruffians were no longer to be found in their midst for one reason or another.
Apparently, even the duly constituted Law Enforcement Agents were not above taking the occasional Judicial shortcut a'-la Winchester or Colt with really nasty Ombre's from time to time.
Yes; it was probably "unconstitutional", and indeed, it was violent.
But in the absense of "legitimate" institutional Justice, it sort of worked, didn't it? (Another bit of American History that I'll bet most Gov't socialist indoctrination centers convieniently leave out of the lesson plan).
And if our contemporary "legitimate" institutions of Law and Order don't step up to the plate pretty soon and spend more time trying to save what's left of American Civilization and less time and energy striving to abolish Faith in God, love of Country, and the "traditional" Family, then I would not be surprised to see History repeating itself...
As it has a habit of doing when we fail to learn from it.
"...Otherwise it could easily deteriorate into a shooting war."
Posters on other related topics are already discussiing the relative merits of baseball bats vs. pick handles; Pump vs. automatic shotguns and the like.
The term "Lock and Load" appears, as I recall, more than once.
Among others, I almost expect to see the Mortuary picking up some business over it before this is all over. The Emergency Room aleady has, it seems.
And it may not be at all "over" until well after the Election.
"Civility", or what passes for it, has been teetering on the brink of a very precipitous ledge in this campaign for quite a while now - and yet the Usefull Idiots - not to mention some of the Candidates themselves - insist on constantly pushing on it.
I'm no Prophet by any means - but a do read a smidge of History; and the patterns we see throughout, when their formative manifestations are being repeated, can be a reasonably reliable indicator as to what we may expect to follow at their maturation.
And the patterns which we have observed developing over this past week should be no stranger to the astute Historian, IMHO.
And where this foreboding pattern has gone in the past is likely, barring rational or divine intervention, where it will lead in the near future.
And we really don't want to go there, do we?
Stay tuned... sighted in... and prayed up.
UJ
Add the incident that occurred two days ago here in Knoxville, TN where an unknown person or persons fired gun shots at the Bush Cheney HQ on Kingston Pike.
I pass by various signs everyday and they don't bother me. I just feel sorry for the people that put up signs for Kerry/Edwards or Martin Frost. They are either grossly mislead or just plain stupid. Destroying their signs will only enforce their convictions.
.
Hey, just reactivate OPLAN 34A/Operation Phoenix.
I think that IS the reason.
".......they stood by their contempt for President Bush....... "
After this election is over, substitute "Christian" or "Jew" for President Bush and you will get the same result.
Thanks to the democrat's class warefare tactics and the aiding of the same by the mainstream media and state financed university professors the seeds have been well sown. The question is, will we allow them to grow into full fledged weeds?
Mark my words, before this is all said and done, we'll be in another Civil War in this country.
I just hope we have the good sense to wipe THESE Terrorist supporters off the face of the earth.
Re. #111:
"...I would volunteer for a couple of nights a week to stay and video tape anything/anyone that attempts to remove/deface the HQ signs. "
Good idea. I also opine that ALL GOP Campaign HQ be video-surveilled, recorded and monitored 24/7 through the Election, and if at all possible, manned by armed security overnight.
Select, competent GOP-friendly Lawyers (there are still a few out there, it seems) and sufficient funds should be on standby for the inevitable litigation that will follow any defensive action by attacked personell, no matter how legally justified their defense may be.
It may not be a bad idea wherever feasable to shutter or board up windows overnight, as is done when a hurricane is expected. Portable computers or sensitive data should NEVER be left unattended or unsecured.
These thugs are obviously willing to play hardball, and we'd better be ready for their next pitch or concede the game.
What concerns me is that some one out there may be just frustrated and angry enough to be watching some signs at night not through the viewfinder of a videocam, but through the crosshairs of a rifle scope some 300 yards away, all Ghillied up with his warpaint on.
Most of us probably know at least one person - probably a Veteran - who is quite capable, if sufficiently provoked and motivated, of doing just that - and doing it with deadly efficiency.
And woe to the loyal Brownshirt who defaces that sign!
His Momma's likely gonna miss him.
And you know, it could very well happen this weekend, I opine, if someone does not get a handle on this stuff ASAP.
Hitler was a SOCIALIST.
Leader of the German Workers Socialist Party.
From the Washington Times - Inside Politics column today.
Apparently these attacks by Kerry supporters are not being done by mindless yobs, but by employed Union Workers. OK, I acknowledge that the two categories are not necessarily distinct, but I would have thought that vandalism/terrorism of a political headquarters is a step too far for 'official' partisans.:
http://www.washtimes.com/national/inpolitics.htm
Mob violence
A group of protesters stormed and then ransacked a Bush-Cheney headquarters building in Orlando, Fla., on Tuesday.
Local 6 News in Orlando reported that several people from the group of 100 protesters face possible assault charges after the group forced its way into the Republican headquarters.
The TV station said it learned that most of the protesters were from the AFL-CIO and were taking part in one of 20 other coordinated protests across the country. Protesters also attacked a Bush-Cheney headquarters in Milwaukee.
I have a better idea: Lie in wait for the DemocRAT socialist trash, and beat the hell out of them. When they're on the ground, pepper spray their face and eyes.
LOL!
I like the Ad in 42..
The thing that caught my attention was the recent rash of breakins and vandalism of Republican campaign sites. Is it me or is this co-ordinated?
Bump!
In my nice neighborhood, but in a "blue state area", we've has Bush/Cheney signs stolen as well. These thefts are attributed to "kids", but who knows. At least there's no violence.
In Eastern European countries that have been taken over by George Soros-financed coups, disruptions of political campaigns and activities, violence, and vote fraud are par for the course. Participation of YOUTH (as in Soros' Otpor in Serbia) in these activities is very important.
Now Soros is backing the Kerry campaign and the "anybody but Bush" crowd. I don't think that there is yet any evidence for a systematic campaign to disrupt the activties of Bush supporters or to commit violence against them. But I would not put it past the Soros-backed MoveOn and "Americans Coming Together" to do so.
If anyone has any evidence for systematic, organized disruptor activity aimed against Bush supporters, please post it here and ping! us all. If the evidence is solid, get it out on blogs and even as many mainstream sources as you can, ASAP!!!!
I'd be real careful with that one. I'm in Tennessee and have CCW. The teachings in CCW classes generally require the defense of one's self or others from serious of fatal injury as the justification for use of deadly force. Now, if some joker storms into the RNC office and threatens or appears to threaten the inhabitants, that might be (or might not) considered as justification. As always, you may end up being judged by 12 "peers", all of which have the potential of being leftist shills.
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