Saturday, October 29, 2016

October 29: Unusual and Unexpected, Campaign Sign, Freedom of Expression

While the wonder engaged me, something happened that was so unusual and unexpected that I can scarcely believe I saw it.  It was ridiculous.

What Dillard saw was this:  a mosquito landed on the neck of a copperhead and drilled through its skin for a bloody snack.  That is the wondrous thing that so shocked her.  I guess that she didn't think that a creature as dangerous as a rattlesnake would fall victim to mosquito bites, just like the rest of us.

This morning, I came out of my house and encountered something unusual and unexpected, as well.  On my front lawn, I have a campaign sign for Hillary Clinton.  Over the last two weeks, I'd noticed that it had been damaged.  I assumed it was from the strong winds and rains that we have been experiencing in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  Today, I noticed that the sign is gone.  All that's left is its wire frame.

I have neighbors with Donald Trump signs in their front yards.  Obnoxious Donald Trump signs.  "Hillary for President."  "Crooked Hillary."  While I find the signs offensive and childish, I have never thought about walking down the street to vandalize or steal them.  That would be wrong.  And illegal.

Allow me to climb onto a soapbox for a minute.  The United States was founded on certain principles.  One of those principles is freedom of expression.  Citizens have the right to say anything that they want to say, no matter how stupid, repugnant, bigoted, misogynist, homophobic, Islamophobic, or xenophobic they are.  That's why my neighbors can fly huge "Hillary for Prison" banners on the sides of their houses.  I don't argue with that right.  The reason that this blog can exist is because of freedom of expression.

I am going to leave the wire frame for my Hillary Clinton sign on my front lawn.  It will serve as a constant reminder to the person who trespassed on my property and stole my sign.  It will also be a daily reminder to me of how poisonous and hate-filled the Donald Trump campaign has been.  Perhaps I will add a little sign to the wire frame that reads "A Donald Trump supporter stole my property."

Okay, Saint Marty is climbing down from his soapbox now.

A good question

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