Political postcards disturb local Democrats

Salisbury Post (NC) ^ | Sat, Nov 27, 2004 | By Mark Wineka

[lwd]

Some anonymous post-election gloating by mail has angered local Democrats.

"It's disturbing," April Sherrill said of a postcard sent to her Mount Ulla home. Sherrill is secretary of the Rowan County Democratic Party and chaired the John Kerry-John Edwards campaign in Rowan.

Other Democrats in Salisbury have received similar postcards, which had only this type-written text:

"YOUR GUY LOST

NOW GET OVER IT

Thank the Lord for George W. Bush and his leadership, testimony and witness. Just think what this country would be like with a confessed war criminal, traitor of our country, murder (sic) of unborn children, kissing up to sodomizers, family destroyer and of course ready to tax tax tax."

Sherrill named at least six other families, all from Salisbury, who received the postcards. Most of those postcards were addressed only to "occupant."

But Sherrill's postcard was more personal. It was addressed to her specifically and included a note that said, "Your letter to the Post was a wasted effort."

Sherrill felt a bit troubled by the postcard.

"I showed it to my postmaster, and she said it was illegal," Sherrill said.

The Mount Ulla postmistress contacted a postal investigator in Charlotte and told Sherrill to hang onto the postcard in case fingerprints are needed.

It's probably a judgment call whether the postcards are communicating threats and therefore unlawful.

A couple weeks before the election, Sherrill said, she received by mail an envelope addressed to her that included a "right-wing voter education guide."

"I laughed about getting that and threw it away," she said.

Now she wonders if the postcard and that other piece of mail were from the same person.

Richard and Sandy Reitz of Salisbury also had a pre-election envelope mailed to them from an anonymous source before receiving the post-election postcard.

Sandy Reitz is former chairman of the Rowan County Democratic Party.

Richard Reitz said the handwritten envelope that the couple received before the election had a 37-cent stamp on it and included some copied, right-wing material inside.

"It was garbage," he said.

As for the postcard, "We tore it up and threw it away," Richard Reitz said.

Someone stole a Kerry-Edwards sign out of the Reitzes' yard before Election Day — one of several stolen in their neighborhood.

Richard Reitz said the couple have wondered whether postcards went to homes with a lot of Democratic signs in their front lawns.

"It just kind of made us angry," Reitz said of the whole idea of someone trying to harass the couple for exercising their freedom of speech during an election.

Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263, or mwineka@salisburypost.com.

[ladyjane]

They're going to check it for fingerprints?? LOL

[OwnershipSociety]

I got mail from Leftist orgs. I'm calling the cops!!!

[Bernard]

A school teacher down the street still has his Kerry sign in th front yard. That's the same one he put up in March. I didn't bother to tell him that it is technically illegal to have an election sign out more than 30 days before or 7 days after an election.

Hopefully he'll get over it soon. Or maybe he's just waiting for the recount in Ohio before he removes the sign.

[Minus_The_Bear]

hahahahahaha. you lost. scoreboard.

[lwd]

According to the lady in the article it's a "judgment call" as to whether or not threats were conveyed, so you may have a case against them, lol.

[OldFriend]

LOL.....made them angry. They started out angry! They're unhinged!

[Tax Government]

Illegal to have a campaign sign outside a certain date range? What kind of unconstitutional law is that?

[Colonel_Flagg]

Let's make a deal with these people. They quit apologizing for us, and we won't point at the scoreboard quite as much. :)

Okay. That's a little much. I love the scoreboard. :)

[Cobra64]

If the outcome were reversed, a Lib would have sent an anthrax letter to the Republican office. /sarcasm.

Series, what's up with these people? They're going to get the police to investigate a friggin post card??? Sheesh!

[Bernard]

It actually started out as a littering ordinance.

[winner3000]

Rubbing victory in people's face is still wrong. With the media in the Dem's pocket, they'd love to have a few incidents to get people worked up before the next vote. Most Repubs have too much class for crass stunts like that.

[TruthWillWin]

It is the opinion of many that Democrats were already "disturbed", postcards were irrelevant.

[attiladhun2]

Wouldn't be surprised if this nut sent the postcard to herself.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

I didn't bother to tell him that it is technically illegal to have an election sign out more than 30 days before or 7 days after an election.

So call the Village Hall. Our local ordinances have teeth in them. If people don't follow the ordinances, they can be fined $50 a DAY until they comply.

[Tax Government]

If the sign is on your own property, and they dare to charge you, the law would not stand. (Duh.)

[ez]

There are all sorts of laws regarding "signage" in residential areas.

[phxaz]

maybe you should bake some date nut bread to distribute to your lib friends.

[Stentor]

Wouldn't be surprised if this nut sent the postcard to herself.

And to the others that got them. A possibility.

[processing please hold]

I already thought of that. What devious minds we two have....lol