Any way you slice it, it’s vandalism.
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Lately I’ve seen a few stories in the paper, on the news, and online, regarding vandals defacing political signs. The few stories that I saw all related to democratic signs being defaced. Are there other stories of republican signs being vandalized? I ask because I haven’t kept up with the news like I should and I truly don’t know. The stories also point every available finger at teens for this crime. I have to say that I’m not altogether sure that this is the case, and I’ll tell you why.
In my shop, I sell a wide variety of bumper stickers. Many of these stickers are printed with language that some may find objectionable, while others promote religious beliefs that are not the norm in this area. I see many customers return to replace these stickers after someone has removed them from their vehicle, many times removing paint or chrome and leaving an expensive fix. Some other offenders simply use a sharp object to scratch away the portion of the sticker that they disagree with. This isn’t happening in school parking lots or night spots. Most often, this is happening while the owner of the car is at work. This happens much more often than most people would believe (or want to believe).
I’m not sure what makes people think that because they disagree with a person’s view, they have the right to vandalize this persons personal property, but it is illegal, and it is vandalism, just as much as spray-paint tags are vandalism, and it is just as ignorant.
I only sell stickers with certain viewpoints, so I need some perspective. I know of several instances where wiccan/pagan signs have been peeled from cars, but has anyone here ever had more “mainstream” religious insignia scraped from your vehicle while you are at work, or anywhere for that matter? Is this a rampant problem with everyone, or just the less “mainstream” ideas? Has anyone had their republican campaign signs tampered with?
What are your views on freedom-of-speech related vandalism, and what gives a simple bumper sticker such power?
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Comments
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4 I agree with you, it’s vandalism….but personally i choose not to deface my car with some tacky ” look at me, look at what i am, what i do, what i think, give me some attention” bumper sticker.
That also includes those charitable and support your troops magnetic ones……….geez put them on your refridgerator.
I probably am really happy with my car that i dont feel the need to adorn it with idiotic decals or bumper stickers.
You are free to express your opinion in america, but the downside ….looking like an idiot. I really dont want to “lick a witch” or know if you are a “drama queen”
Get over yourself. Are you that insecure that you need a tacky sign on your car either displaying your rage, or displaying you have a stick up your posterior, or you are just merely a fool.
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4 0 For the record, my vehicles are “sticker free”, but I will stand up for the rights of people to express themselves, whether it be by sticking statements to their cars or putting signs in their yards.
Or even unnecessarily harshly judging them on the internet.
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1 0 Regarding political signs in peoples yards. People have been vandalizing, stealing and otherwise defacing these for as long as they’ve been around. This isn’t anything new. I don’t understand people that put bumper stickers all over their cars, let alone people and their personalized license plates. I guess some of us just crave more attention than others so whatever. It doesn’t bother me to the point where I’d want to deface somebody elses property.
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0 2 Hi Alice,
I think you missed the issue of the stolen Stop signs….big, heated debate on that post about what, exactly, consititues “vandalism” and what is considered free speech by some. . . .
thanks for a great post. . . .
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1 0 In regards to the “STOP WAR” signs.
Yes. They should be responsible for replacing the signs. AND however they come up with the $ to do that is fine by me (Snake River Freedom Coalition.)
In choosing this means of disseminating a point of view, the consequences seem worth the end they achieved. They got people on both sides of the issue talking, and made a lot more folks aware of their point of view.
The great thing about this country is that people can make CHOICES. (even to break the law for a higher purpose.) The thing a lot of us do not appreciate is that to keep freedom what it is, we also MUST take responsibility for our choices. Freedom is not free.
I am not advocating breaking the law. I am expressing my appreciation for my rights as a US citizen (ie freedom of expression; the right to protest) as well as acknowledging the responsibilities (paying for stop signs) that go along with those freedoms.
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2 0 There was a clip on the news last night about this - people removing bumper stickers and even keying the cars. As for myself, put anything you want on your car. One tip, though: Go for the “Idaho Sheriff ’s association” sticker over the “support the police:beat yourself up” one or “I heart my bong”. You will get pulled over less. 
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0 0 #7 lol… you’re definitely right about the attention that some of the stickers get you.
I would have liked to have seen that news story, which channel was it on?
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0 0 That was on channel 8 news.
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0 0 I just stumbled upon this website, during a totally unrelated search (you know how that goes… )
http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/05/21/100-bumper-stickers/
I just thought it was pretty funny and thought I’d share. No hatemail please ; )
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2 0 My wife bought a bumper sticker from Shaddow Domain once upon a time. She put it on the back of our Mercury Villager (which I’m now rid of, thank god), and I still see the people that bought it from the dealership driving around and they didn’t remove the sticker!
DEAD GIRLS DON’T SAY NO
LMAO, good stuff.
Another Shaddow Domain purchase, my wife has it hanging by my rear view mirror - a vampire doll hanging by a noose.
Needless to say…my wife is a freak ;).
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3 0 Praise the freaks, without us life would be reeeeealy boring ; )
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1 1 I concur! Funny stuff guys! Have a great evening! 
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1 0 Alice - Jeana just asked me to ask if you have found a place to order vampire fish yet.
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1 0 I do have the vampire fish back in stock! Woot!
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0 0 Rock on! We’ll be making our yearly Christmas gift trip soon!
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whew, slow day, time to all start commenting again!
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There was a letter to the editor (PR) a couple days ago about this very thing. The writer reminded those who were so up in arms about the “war” tags on the stop signs that perhaps it’s their own children and maybe even adults who are stealing political signs from the yards of those with whom they disagree politically. Seems a bit of a double standard to me. It’s “vandalism” when it’s stop signs; otherwise, it’s just kids pulling pranks. Think about it. Are you guilty?