I live in a small Midwestern city of roughly 100,000 people, and I deliver the local paper on a daily basis. I have about 130 customers, and all told, I probably pass around 300 single family residences on my route. About a month ago, yard signs started popping up, and it got me to thinking (something I can do alot of when I'm by myself at 2 o'clock in the morning!)
At first it was exclusively McCain signs. In fact, there were probably 10 McCain signs up before the first Obama/Biden sign appeared. Then the McCain/Palin signs started showing up, although mostly they would be an accompaniment to the orginal McCain signs. Then other derivatives started sprouting up. The "Veterans for McCain" signs, the "NObama" signs, and the ratio continued to be roughly 10 to 1. But lately, the Obama/Biden signs have been starting to catch up (many of them are the hand painted, home made variety, bless their hearts).
Seeing this time honored tradition play out, I started to wonder. What purpose do they serve? Has anyone ever made up their mind based on one, much less changed their mind? In 2004, my wife wanted to plant a Kerry/Edwards sign in our front yard, and I said absolutely not! I told her the only purpose it would serve is if Bush were to lose the election. He would then declare marshall law, appoint himself emperor for life, and it would just make it that much easier for them to find us and take us away.
Then there are the disturbing yard signs. One of the first that I noticed was the "I'm a bitter gun owner, and I vote." There is no overt indication of any party affiliation, but you can probably guess. Some times, I think of stopping and asking them what they are so bitter about. But then I worry that they might be bitter about being asked what they're bitter about, and I already know that they have I gun, so I think otherwise. Besides, I could run into this person around town, and I'd just rather not know that I'm standing in line at the grocery store next to a "bitter gun owner".
Probably the single most disturbing one I've seen yet is the "Another democrat for McCain" sign. What the hell does that mean? If you call yourself a Democrat, I presume that you voted against Bush, and for Gore and Kerry. All things being equal, why would you go the other way now? I think I know why, all things aren't equal this time around, are they. Maybe this is a door I should knock on, so I can have the opportunity to see a real live racist.