In
my area, like nearly every other city in the United States, political signs
appear to be everywhere right now! It doesn’t seem to matter whether they are
signs of Democrats or Republicans, here in Southeast Arizona, the signs are
being vandalized and stolen.
Are we children? You don’t like the fact that John Smith is running against Bob Jones, so you’ll steal John’s sign? Really? Most cities these days we have to deal with graffiti. While I definitely dislike graffiti and disrespect those who put it there, for the most part, “taggers” are teenagers.
However, a neighborhood surveillance camera caught someone vandalizing a political sign a couple nights ago. He appeared to be a man in his 50’s. I was glad that the newspapers and radio did not announce to which party he belonged or whose sign he was vandalizing, because it doesn’t really matter. It is happening to signs from both parties.
I attended a political event recently attended by both parties, and the speakers were from both parties. When someone asked why Susie School Board Member didn’t have any signs on the corner of X and Y, she responded that she has put several at that corner, but they kept disappearing.
In my city, there are the criminal codes associated with the damage to political signs, and they are being applied to anyone violating those codes.
“16-1019. Political signs. It is a class 2 misdemeanor for any person to knowingly remove, alter, deface or cover any political sign of any candidate for public office or knowingly remove, alter or deface any political mailers, handouts, fliers or other printed materials of a candidate that are delivered by hand to a residence for the period commencing forty-five days before a primary election and ending seven days after the general election.”
How childish to believe that destroying or stealing a political sign will help the opponent. I have never determined for whom I would vote because I was influenced by a sign. Intelligent adults will read about the candidates, online or in a newspaper, and/or watch them on television to learn more about them.
I will vote for the person with whom I agree on most issues affecting our country or my local area. I don’t want to vote for someone who tries to get my vote by bashing their opponents. (I know it is hard to avoid these days.) I will also vote for the person who puts our country, city or state first, not their political party.
In some ways, politics is not that different from competitors’ advertisements in business. Nearly every business has competition. I choose to sell my products and business opportunity by informing prospects how my company will benefit them, what we have to offer them. I do not speak ill of my opponent in the hopes that prospects will dislike the other company and come to me instead.
I recently observed a representative of a company doing just that. In writing they were saying negative things about my company. Their negativity is actually backfiring on them. Prospects frequently call me after looking at the other company and tell me how they don’t like the negativity surrounding them.
So, after careful research and consideration, I will vote for the candidates who most reflect my views in a variety of areas. I will not vote for those who lie or spin the truth to make their opponent look less competent.
I will also continue to promote my Xpress Healthcare business in a manner that tells the public about the company’s integrity, our excellent products and our exceptional training program.
C’mon folks, let’s all grow up!
