Home > Officials: Hundreds of John Kerry yard signs stolen in Pensacola

Officials: Hundreds of John Kerry yard signs stolen in Pensacola

by Open-Publishing - Wednesday 25 August 2004
10 comments

Hundreds of yard signs supporting Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry have been stolen and vandalized in this heavily Republican region known as "Bush Country," officials said, prompting some Kerry supporters to hang signs from trees to deter burglars.

About 350 signs have been stolen, according to Panhandle for Kerry organizers, which met with Pensacola police Monday. The group has distributed nearly 3,400 signs.

Police said they would increase patrols and Panhandle for Kerry members planned to conduct neighborhood watches, said the group’s chairman, Jerry Holt.

"We have the availability, the funds and the will to replace every sign when we find out it’s missing," he said.

Pensacola resident Anne Bennett lost four Kerry signs from her front yard before putting out a homemade sign that read "Nice people don’t steal or vandalize." She hung her latest sign from a pine tree limb 15 feet in the air.

"It’s like you don’t have a right to participate in the public debate unless you are in the majority, and that is not one of the principles on which our country was founded," she said.

Northwest Florida is a Bible Belt region filled with military bases, veterans and Republican voters. In 2000, President George W. Bush beat Democrat Al Gore by better than a 2-1 margin.

Those caught stealing signs could be charged with petty theft or criminal mischief, said Bonnie Jones, Escambia County supervisor of elections.

Holt said he doesn’t believe the thieves were affiliated with the local Republican Party.

http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040824/APP/408240637

Forum posts

  • It doesn’t surprise me one bit that Rethugs are stealing and vandalizing John Kerry signs. We live in Houston, and we have had a Vote Bush Out sign stolen from our yard, and our neighbors have had their signs stolen, too. We are in a neighborhood of quite a few diehard Bush supporters. They will stop at nothing to keep others from dissenting. They feel it is their "patriotic right" to do this. It is unfortunate that we have such ignorant, close minded people living in this country. They obviously enjoy living under a fascist regime as opposed to a democratically run government. These people can steal as many signs as they can get away with stealing. It won’t deter any Democrats from going to the polls and voting for Kerry on November 2nd! In fact, it will only energize them and make them want to get others registered to vote Democratic. We will take this country back on November 2nd when we elect John Kerry as president!

    • I would electrify the signs and let someone who tries to steal them be in for a BIG sdurprise!!!

    • We have tried to get a sign from our friend but when she went to get it the one in her yard was stolen and she had to use the extra one for us in her yard!!!!

  • Holt said he doesn’t believe the thieves were affiliated with the local Republican Party.

    My friend had a Kerry sign up near the highway and it lasted a week. He saw two guys busy taking down the Kerry sign(it had two metal posts holding it up) and putting a Bush sign up. He told them that they were destroying private property and they said that they had been sent by the local Republican Headquarters here...they even gave the name of the woman who had sent them out to do their dirty deeds.There were numerous Kerry signs in the back of their Explorer so my friend went to the Republican headquarters only to be told that these guys didn’t represent the GOP. He told her that he had been given her name and then came insincere apologies. Yesterday our local newspaper ran a front page story about the Democrats accusing the Republicans of widespread vandalism....lots and lots of Kerry signs have been stolen, replaced with a Bush one, or shot at. Maybe the publicity will reduce the dirty tricks around here.

    • What would you expect from the party of Richard Nixon?

    • This sounds almost exactly like what happened to me too. Why are what seems to be a large portion of republicans so corrupt? Do they realy want the government run this way? or are they just mindless sheep doing what they are told?

  • You are not alone. In Shreveport, LA many families have had their Kerry signs stolen. We have had several stolen in the last month. Many persons have taken to hanging the signs from trees.

  • Whoever is stealing Kerry signs, you are a hero to me and my family. please continue your mischeif, and I will pray for your safety while campaigning for Bush

    • You have to be a Bush supporter you think alike...any dirty underhanded trick is not too disgusting for you and your mutants......Bush is like that too look at the trash he calls his daughters and that repulsive mealy mouth Stepford wife of his. You probably call yourself a Christian too don’t you after all we all know what a scum bag Jesus was going around stealing and killing innocent children for Halliburton...why aren’t you in Iraq doing some murdering over there for that pile of shit you call your president??? if you weren’t such a low life you would be there with the kids who are doing Bushco’s dirty work for their war profits instead of sitting on your fat ass being a disgusting piece of crap.....

    • Is stealing considered "campaigning" for Bush? You pray to God for the thieve’s safety? How christian like! In other words if you see something you don’t agree with you destroy it? This is America where people are allowed to have different opinions, and where stealing is a crime! Thou shalt not steal is one of the 10 commandments in case you forgot!