Of yard signs and tolerance
In the Midwestern neighborhood where I live in, one of the resident homeowners has had to move his “Trump” yard sign from curbside to tight against his house, due to it being vandalized repeatedly.
The family literally across the street from him has multiple yard signs touting “Harris-Walz” and various local lefty politicians. These line the street for much of the length of their yard. Never been touched. Which is as it should be.
Sadly, this is not an isolated nor local phenomenon. It is happening across the country, especially in urban or suburban areas. (Not that many folks in truly urban areas put “Trump” signs on their property. Even if they have a yard.)
Signs promoting Democrats — and progressive dogma — are safe, those touting Trump — and conservatism — are not. There is a reason for this disparity, and it is not that the vast majority of Americans favor Democrats.
It is because conservatives respect private property, and free speech, and are not into vandalism. Too many of today’s Democrats, and their supporters, do not. “The ends justify the means” is their motto. Consequently, trespassing, graffiti, and vandalism are no big deal. (Nor are cheating, lying, lawfare, intimidation -- or even assassination, apparently.)
There is something else that fuels their pettiness and thuggery, too: fear. Fear of their superior virtue being unseen. Fear of losing their power and control. And fear of their own emptiness and amorality.
So go ahead, fanatical virtue-signalers, put up this classic yard sign:
In this house, we believe black lives matter, women's rights equal human rights, no human is illegal, science is real, love is love, diversity makes us stronger, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
It’ll be safe and sound no matter how long you choose to leave it up.
But let’s take a look at what the sign should really say, if you guys were being truthful, shall we? It would state:
In this house, we believe Black lives matter, unless they are Republicans. Women’s rights equal human rights, but don’t extend to sports teams, locker rooms, or bathrooms. No human is illegal, except for Trump and his supporters, who should all be imprisoned. (To save our democracy!) Science is real, unless it contradicts our agenda. Love is love, even if it involves children and animals…or three or more people (of any gender.) Diversity makes us stronger, unless we’re talking about anyone who disagrees with us. And injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, unless it is perpetrated against Trump and MAGA people, in which case it is actually justice.
Just sayin.’
Image: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 2.0 Deed