Signs of the times

In a town where Republicans outnumber Democrats by more than two to one, it was interesting to note the sprouting of a Harris-Walz sign here and there some weeks ago. Every few days, another one or two would appear. What was even more interesting, however, was the lack of Trump-Vance signs. In the past 10 days, though, Republicans have begun to post some signs, but the homeowner enthusiasm seems more subdued than four years ago. What’s most notable about the appearance of Trump-Vance signs is their placement on the property.

Harris-Walz signs are close to the sidewalk, stuck into the ground perpendicular to the front of the house so that passersby can read the double-sided signs coming or going. In contrast, the majority of Trump-Vance signs are being posted much closer to the front of the house and in parallel with it, effectively making a double-sided sign a redundancy. Four years ago, banners might be hung from houses, but signs would be prominently displayed. The stark difference in placement makes one wonder if this is a kind of official/unofficial operating procedure.

Placing a sign so close to a house means one really has to look to see it. Placing a sign so close to a house is not the mark of someone loudly or proudly crowing for their candidate. On second thought, maybe the placement is more about a fear that their signs might be stolen.

Sign stealing is a particularly low act, and I speak from experience. Four years ago, in the final days  days before the election, my yard sign was stolen. That wasn’t all, sad to say. In the weeks leading up to the sign’s disappearance, someone placed big clumps of dog poop under the sign. More dog doo was placed near doors and at the gate to the fenced yard. It’s been hard to shake off how all that activity felt. Did I want to go out and do likewise to someone else? You betcha, but what would that solve? They sent a message, and it sowed a lot of intended ill will.

It's a struggle to take the high road or even to adopt a “live and let live” philosophy. Both sides feel like there’s too much to lose and that the world is going to be a horrible place if the opposition loses. That, ironically, is about the only thing both camps agree on. Agreeing to disagree might be a bridge too far.

Does a political sign convince anyone to change their mind about a candidate? It’s unlikely, but it might well change your neighbor’s opinion of you. Still, posting a sign is an exercise in free speech, and that should be something both parties agree on.

We’ve got a good thing going in Storm Lake. Whether we are religious or not, we seem to have done a decent job of welcoming the stranger to our gates, and that’s not just a Christian virtue. Most cultures place a high moral value on welcoming the “foreigner” in their midst. If we can do that, could we somehow tolerate a political difference of opinion? So, this is a plea to keep it clean and civil in The City Beautiful this election cycle.

Joan Zwagerman has lived in Northwest Iowa and northwest Washington state and loves North by Northwest. It's a good direction.