Which Way Does Your House Lean?
Moderator Katie: Look at us! We’re posting fools over here. And what’s more, we’re topical. GET THAT PEOPLE – IT’S NOT ALL FUN AND GAMES OVER HERE!! This entry concerns…politics:
The upcoming Presidential race is expected to be the most exciting and emotional one yet. People that never expressed themselves politically before are finding themselves speaking out, but there are consequences in doing that as is illustrated in this Blogfight submitted by Penny and James from a formerly quiet suburb of Cleveland, Ohio.
Penny writes: Blogfight, Please help me settle a debate my husband and I are having over a political yard sign that is currently sitting on our treelawn. We live in a quiet neighborhood and are friendly with pretty much everyone on our street. While our area is known for leaning strongly to one side politically, we don’t lean that way. We’ve now effectively announced it to the neighborhood and we’re getting some negative results. We’ve had one old man stop his car in front of our house to explain, not so calmly, that we are incorrect in backing our candidate. We’ve had a neighbor, who’s parents were in town, request that we remove the sign so that it wouldn’t offend their visiting relatives, and another neighbor is giving us the cold shoulder, blatently. I feel that really, the sign doesn’t make as much of a statement as our vote does and that we should probably just remove it in order to live peacefully in our neighborhood, passive as that is. My husband feels the opposite way and is willing to make enemies in our community rather than remove the sign. He feels like it would be backing down and isn’t willing to do that. What do your readers think?
James writes: I pretty much agree with how Pen put it except that I’m not trying to make enemies, but I feel it’s absolutely riduculous to bow down to people that can’t get past our political beliefs no matter how close to us they live. I’d rather not associate with them if that’s how they choose to act. No, I don’t think a sign is going to change anyone’s belief over to our side, but I do think it serves a purpose in sending a “get out there and vote” message to those who see it. There aren’t many Democrats around these parts and our sign might make some people more brave to swim against our neighborhood’s current. I’m all about peace in my neighborhood. My sign isn’t an act of aggression – it’s a sign. I’m willing to let Blogfight in on this and will strongly consider what the people think. It’s American to vote, after all, and I’m willing to go with the majority rule on this one.
Moderator Katie: Wow – we feel so important now. So let us at Blogfight donn our white wigs and wait for you, the jury, to weigh in on whether the sign stays or gets pulled.
VOTE NOW! And check back for the results and for more Blogfights! Voting ends 30 days from post date.
August 24, 2008 at 12:19 pm |
It always amazes me how silly some people get (the neighbors) when people are simply expressing an opinion.
August 24, 2008 at 10:01 pm |
I myself have 3400 pink flamingos, 3400 blue flamingos and 3400 various other colour flamingos as non-affiliated, minority affirming support in my front garden.
It’s about 8′x4′ so there’s obviously an overcrowding issue which I solve by putting any that wont fit (about 101150) in neighbouring gardens in the dead of night.
I am not an american, not in America, but like to join in.
Thanks for popping on my blog. I like it here and will be back. With utterly silly comments, naturally.
August 24, 2008 at 10:52 pm |
Nic -
You obviously aren’t from this country because here in America we likes our flamingos big and pink. Like our steaks. And our asses. But cheers to you because you’re obviously a spunky little minx and that, my many flamingo’d friend, is a universal good.
August 25, 2008 at 1:46 am |
If you can’t put up a sign in your yard to show support of your candidate, do they next get to dictate the length of your grass or the color of your siding?
I say not only should the sign stay up, but you should find and display signs for all of your policitcal candidates.
If that fails, go for the flashing lights on the roof. That should get your message across.
August 26, 2008 at 9:58 pm |
I think the sign should absolutely stay, but I have to admit I can understand the hesitation. As a matter of fact, I’ve got a sign, still in the box, for my chosen candidate but haven’t yet put it up due to similar concerns. Not to mention one of my neighbors (who is friendly, but will never be a friend) told me not long ago that his dog likes everyone “except people from New Orleans and people who support Obama”. And I’m not looking forward to having that giant dog rip me a new one…
(Here from ICLW)
August 28, 2008 at 4:45 pm |
I have no vote yet and if I was able to vote, I would probably be a Republican.
Nevertheless, I think YOU SHOULD KEEP THE DEM SIGN. Any person who gets offended by it is someone who defines themselves by the party. We are more than our party so we should be able to relate to each other despite those differences.
August 29, 2008 at 12:32 am |
I vote for flamingos painted in the appropriate party colors.
(ICLW)
September 21, 2008 at 7:53 pm |
I’m just amazed that the neighbors actually made a point of commenting (negatively) on the sign. I don’t think I could have been bothered to comment on a neighbor’s political sign.
I would keep the sign up just to annoy people, but the flamingos are a really good idea
Here from ICLW
September 22, 2008 at 12:16 pm |
(Here from ICLW.) That’s not right to do that to someone. We’re all allowed to have our own political views. I’m sure their neighbors wouldn’t remove their political signs if she asked them to.
September 22, 2008 at 1:04 pm |
This is America! If you want to put a sign in your yard for a particular candidate then you should be able to. That said I must say that this year the race is notably nasty. I work with people who are voting opposite of me. It doesn’t bother me but it sure bothers them. I don’t plan to go to work the day after the election if their candidate doesn’t win because I am worried for my safety. I think everything will blow over if we wait it out until around Christmas 2009. Here via ICLW.