Vandals destroy, deface political signs across Dallas-Fort Worth

[Haole Girl]

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/local/stories/100208dnmetpoliticalsigns.cdf82fa3.html

Vandals destroy, deface political signs across Dallas-Fort Worth

01:21 PM CDT on Wednesday, October 1, 2008

By DAN X. McGRAW / The Dallas Morning News

Joseph Paranteau woke up on a recent morning and realized that the John McCain sign on his front lawn was nowhere to be found. In its place stood a Barack Obama sign.

At first, the Plano homeowner thought it was a joke from of one of his friends, but as he looked down the street he knew something was amiss. Dozens of McCain signs on Belgium Drive had disappeared overnight and been replaced with Obama signs. Others were defaced to say “McPain.”

“The reason it bothered me was the people who did it — whether they be juveniles or adults — tried to take away someone’s political voice,” said Mr. Paranteau, 41, who reported the crime to police. “It saddens me. I would have rather have someone knock on my door and ask me about John McCain.”

Police in North Texas say what happened to Mr. Paranteau is fairly common, particularly during presidential elections. But it’s hard for authorities to quantify the problem or catch the culprits because many people don’t report it.

[Arkana]

1. Funny, but stupid--and it doesn't help our cause if it was actual Obama supporters.

[Haole Girl]

4. Nope

I was thinking the same exact thing.

Everyone has their right to stupidity.

It's funny... I live in the DFW area, but nobody in my 2-block radius has dared to put any signs out. Not one way or the other! lol

[juno jones]

22. I'm in WA

Our neighborhood was sign free until the people across the street put up a McCain sign. Suddenly Obama signs sprouted up and down the street. We ordered one too. Can't wait to box em in! :)

[blondeatlast]

2. Psyops. No thinking Democrat would even consider that. nt

[Haole Girl]

5. Ya know...

I bet you're right. Thanks.

[BrklynLiberal]

9. I think you are right.

[redqueen]

17. I was thinking some privileged teenager in the neighborhood got grounded,

and decided to take their frustration out on lawn signs. :)

[PermanentRevolution]

19. I hate to say it, but we did this kinda stuff back in college in '96

That was back in my leftist-pseudoanarchist-skater days - we'd trash all the Dole signs we could find. Yeah, it was dumb and I'm not terribly proud of it, but it happens.

NOTE: This may very well fit into your qualifier of "no thinking Democrat..."

[blondeatlast]

24. LOL! Good point! I was a post-punk, so who am I to talk... nt

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

3. Meh.

:shrug:

[Haole Girl]

7. Thought the article had some funny lines in it...

especially the last line (see link). That's all.

[codjh9]

6. It may be a bad thing to do, and won't help our cause, but I still like to hear it. :^)

(I'm a former D/FW resident, and lemme tell ya, those people are freakin' NUTS)

[Haole Girl]

8. Not all of us are Republican nuts, though!

:rofl:

[codjh9]

13. Oh, I know - I lived there too, remember? :^) Yeah, I was surprised by some of

the fellow Dems I DID meet there, such as a co-worker who was a white male, ex-Nat. Guard from Oklahoma who lived in suburban Collin County. Now what are the odds that he was a Repub.? About 80-90%! And he's even been raised as a Southern Baptist! So miracles DO occur, hallelujah! :^)

[Haole Girl]

16. I would be a great spy...

coming from a military family, having lived in Collin county, and raised Southern Baptist too! lol

[redqueen]

10. I wonder if anyone could access police blotters

to find out if Obama signs had been stolen or defaced, and find out if THAT made the news.

[Haole Girl]

12. Really.

I'll be on the look out! :hi:

[ClarkUSA]

11. McPain?? Bwahahahaha!!!

I prefer Miss Piggy. It's a waste of good Obama signs, though.

[Haole Girl]

15. Yeah. I wonder why Obama signs cost $5, but "McPain" signs are free?

:rofl:

[ClarkUSA]

23. Heh.

;)

[and-justice-for-all]

14. So far, me and my neighbors Obama signs have remained..

in tact. It is a good thing to, since there seems to be a shortage of them at the local Obama HQ

[Haole Girl]

18. Glad to hear it

:hi:

[Erin Elizabeth]

20. I live in Dallas.

People put their Obama signs in their front windows. Very smart, I say.

[sufrommich]

21. Childish and thuggish. nt

[moc]

25. I saw a defaced sign in Plano. A DUer told me about about it last week,

and I had a chance to drive by there yesterday (SE corner of Alma and Park). It's still there and says "Main Pain"

I confess to getting a chuckle out of it. After almost 10 years of being one of the lone progressive voices in the conservative wilderness known as Collin County, I admit to feeling a bit of pleasure at seeing the defaced sign.

[tammywammy]

26. I'm in the DFW area and my sign lasted a whole day

I assume it was just teenagers in the area. :shrug:

[tammywammy]

27. .