Behind the Headlines

By Danielle Portteus

My co-worker Paula posted a little while ago about campaign signs being stolen or vandalized.

After speaking with a caller yesterday, I thought this would be a good time to make some additional comments to Paula’s post.

It seems this year, more people are noticing that signs are being damaged or stolen. I think more people are complaining about it because they think there is a different motivation this time.

I spoke with a man who lives along Secor Rd. in Bedford Township. His Obama/Biden sign was spray painted black. He thinks it was racially motivated.

A sign just up the road from his was also damaged.

When I traveled the stretch of road near his home, I noticed it wasn’t just the Obama/Biden signs that had been hit, but the McCain/Palin signs as well. Those signs, which were smaller and made of different material, had been torn in pieces.

The Bedford substation has reports of signs being damaged on both sides. The difference, I think, is people’s awareness about what signs have been hit.

I think people do take political sign vandalism personally this time around because of the candidate choices, at least for the Presidential election. I think more people are concerned because they think a random “attack” is really and attack on their candidate of choice rather than just silly mischief.