As Election Day and all the political challenges are at peak, let’s remember to be neighborly regardless of which candidate we support. I read a short post from a friend of mine who had political signs stolen from his yard simply because he supports a presidential candidate that one of his neighbors thinks is a total disaster. I’d rather he didn’t support that candidate either; however, stealing a political support sign from his yard doesn’t say much for the neighbor’s character.
I remember
driving past a friend of mine’s house during a previous presidential election
season. We differed on our political values and didn’t let that interfere with
our friendship. He’d erected a huge banner over the entrance to his house
declaring his support for Obama; that didn’t surprise me as I glanced over at his
home situated at the edge of a well to do residential community.
The next morning,
I called him, mostly to joke with him for having supported the wrong candidate
as I said, “Hey, somebody went by and vandalized your house”.
“Yes, they
did and got spray paint all over our front door too”. That didn’t sound right as I listened to my
friend explain how his Obama for President banner had been spray painted over
night by someone who didn’t appreciate his political leanings. I had no idea that my wanting to joke with
him about our differences had become a criminal act by someone else who
strongly disagreed with his political choices.
Stealing
political posters and signs isn’t being neighborly, doesn’t advance the notion
that our country invites different political ideologies to compete for public
support. Regardless of which candidates
are elected or, as many suspect, which candidates are installed despite popular
voter counting, we will continue to be neighbors and should act accordingly.
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