Editorial: Troubling signs
It’s not news that politics has become something close to a blood sport in the United States in recent years, starting at the top with national elections, and lately filtering down to state, county and even town races.
Witness the theft and destruction of political yard signs around the North Fork. If this was just kids looking for after-dark transgressions, it would be serious enough, but private video provided by Shelter Island homeowners shows adults, or at least one in particular, carrying out the violations.
Shelter Island Police Chief Jim Read left no doubt that it is a crime. “These actions are illegal and undermine the values of free expression central to our democratic process,” he said last week. “It’s important to remember that these signs reflect the voices and opinions of community members. Regardless of differing political views, we must respect one another’s right to express them lawfully.”
Southold Police Chief Steve Grattan said that area sign stealing isn’t entirely new.
“Every presidential election season, we have this rash of stolen political signs — maybe a couple here and there for local elections — but definitely the presidential elections are when we see it happen.”
The chief noted that Southold police have taken “about 11 reports” just this month. “We took another one yesterday,” he said.
“I can’t really focus patrols on a specific area, because it’s occurring from Laurel out to Orient Point — on Main Road, on side roads. There’s no specific, concentrated area,” the chief continued. “I have to assume it’s one or two bad actors that are responsible for a majority of these thefts.”
Sadly, the divisiveness goes beyond just thefts and vandalism. Numerous posts on a popular village-centric Facebook page complained last week that a “Welcome to Greenport” sign on Main Road had been “covered” by a pro-Trump flag. Turns out the structure that holds the sign is on private property, and the property owner chose to display the flag — as is their right. In response to the complaints, however, local business leaders decided to flip the “Welcome to Greenport” sign to avoid any suggestion that the village itself supports one political ticket over another.
It wasn’t always like this. Trespassing, theft, vandalism and outrage over signs promoting candidates wasn’t particularly common until the election of 2016. But then hyper-partisanship, personal attacks and vitriol during the presidential campaign seemed to seep into the region’s traditionally quiet, respectful political discourse.
Can this trend of vandalism be stopped? Yes, by the police and courts, presuming the perpetrators can be identified. More importantly, can the tide of divisiveness and mistrust be turned? Yes, but only by all of us who are willing to stand up for each other’s rights of free expression, and spread the word that this troubling behavior will not be tolerated, accepted or ignored.
