Why do people care about having yard signs anyways. Just go vote for your candidate and find something else to do. It's not like anyone cares who you support anyways, especially people driving by at 34 mph. Maybe the sign thieves aren't even being malicious, and just being stupid kids looking for a laugh or something...who knows...it should stop though b/c taking something out of someone's yard is pretty low and pathetic. geez. I'll be glad when Tuesday is over.

Do political camps offer ways to recycle any of the signs? Or is it just landfill bound?
Its nice to see im not the only one who used to get together with a group of teens and “collect” yard signs. ahhh the memories. I do however disagree that the things teens do for fun inevitable Leeds to criminal adult behavior. I think its fair to chalk it up to teenage stupidity.

I read this story and comments the other day, then thought of it when I came across this video at CNN.com if a homeowner rigging a small electric current to the sign, as someone on this board had mentioned. They caught the kid on camera: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politic...

lakennedy, It's good to have a healthy fear of the almighty!

I agree that the stealing of the signs is wrong. Stealing is stealing. It is wrong regardless of the sign. However, they are just signs. I am not sure I would get all torqued up and run to the newspaper complaining about it. Somebody needs a busier day.

I don't care if it is teenagers stealing signs. If people could teach their children to respect other people's property and opinions the world would be better for it. All you are doing is raising a child that will become "an older 40ish bald man" doing the stealing. What a shame.

Teenagers? Yes, they could be doing some of the stealing and switching. I know someone who put a hidden camera in the front yard. It was an older 40ish bald man who was doing the stealing. Ha Ha. Go figure! I think more adults are doing it than what people want to believe.

Oh, for Pete's sake, people. Does anyone really believe that someone other than teenagers is doing this? When I was that age, we drove around with a pickup truck to see how many signs we could snatch in one night. We didn't care who the candidate was, we were going for quantity. It wasn't a "denying of someone's constitutional freedom of speech," it was a prank by bored kids. Get over yourselves.

I am in agreement with those who are disgusted at the thefts of these signs. Regardless of opinion/ candidate, it is not yours then leave it alone. Conversely, hopefully people are being considerate to their neighbors when putting these things up. No doubt there are some fueds going on between the Hatfields and McCoys....
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For you Obama lovers....watch the Youtube videos regarding the Iraq war vetran, and the "economics 101". You can get to them from the major news outlets reporting on the youtube videos. You will probably think twice about voting for Obama after watching these two videos!!! Both are done in great taste and detail.

I just spoke with Rodney King... and he is still asking...can't we all just get along?

they are just signs! not like people are taking away her right to vote! Boo hoo!

optimism i'll trade you three of your neighbors Obama signs for four of my neighbors McCain signs. :)

Just what are those colors, lovetoscrap?

sannio--You were certainly not born with the right to free expression. It was, indeed, bestowed upon you by our Constitution. There is a vast difference between "Natural Rights" and "Legal Rights." Natural rights are those things that most people who believe in a higher power attribute to Him as their source, e.g., life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. All other rights are granted, or not, by governments. While all rights are not bestowed by governments, all CAN be taken by them. The government (of this or any other country) can take your life away from you, can take your liberty away from you, etc. In addition, they can also take from you any rights that they have granted through constitutional grant. As for your argument about not getting your right to free expression from the constitution--sorry, but that is EXACTLY where you got it, from the First Amendment, the first article of the Bill of Rights. Ask Cubans or folks who grew up in the (late) Soviet Union about free expression. Their governments made no such provision, and therefore, the right did not exist. To put it into an everyday light, it's like "safe" and "out" in baseball. If the baserunner beats the throw to first, he's only safe if the umpire says he is. Even if he, in fact, beat the throw, he's still out if the umpire says he's out. He is nothing until the umpire makes the call, and then he is whatever the umpire said he is. You have no legal rights until the Constitution says you do, and then you have whatever rights it says you have.

Whoever is doing this is just showing us how it's going to work come election day, with all the poll problems we are going to have, you may vote for one, but it may count for the other. Either way.........we're screwed. :)

And then I changed my mind the following week on who I was going to vote for, so I thought, I would replace yours with mine and then we would be all good. ;o)

Another column sent down the streets of excuses to blame the other side for all the evils of the world. The thief of sign's, rather Obama or McCain's, is a crime, on that we can agree, but before we assign blame, as many are quick to do, let's find the perp's and blame them. But for a few, it makes no difference, the other political party is at fault. I've had an American Flag stolen from my yard----which political party should I blame? Let's find the guilty party first, remembering that it may be just a prank of some idiot who doesn't share the views of either political party, but just likes to do stupid things for the H---of it. IF YOU ARE SO SURE YOU KNOW WHO DID IT--REPORT IT TO THE JPD. Stop this stupid blame game.

It has nothing to do with NOT liking your canidate, it is actually the opposite. I couldn't afford to buy my own, so I took yours! LOL ;o)

Moo shoo, that comment an the people like you who make them are why this country is going to hell. The political parties have split the people and driven them to extremes for there own personal gains. Aren't we all Americans? Don't we have common wants needs and goals? Why tear each other down at the direction of a political party? They are both the same and neither Obama nor McCain are worthy of being our president. You probably know as many republicans as democrats, would you talk like them to their face or are you using your anonymity to talk tough? I will most likely vote for McCain but when/if Obama is elected I will back him as my president. That's what Americans do, or used to do anyway. We used to be "United" not seperated by professional politicians and their greed.

I wish the wooden Obama/Biden signs had been done a little more carefully, but it was probably a volunteer effort.
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I have family members who have run for office and I question how many sign thefts are actually political in nature. My impression has been that some people are just amused at knocking them over or throwing them across a neighbor's fence. This year, the Obama campaign has been coupling signs to donations, so I even wonder whether some are stolen by people who want a yard sign themselves for free.
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That said, I've also lived in Chicago, where it's a time-honored tradition to have your street crews steal the other guy's signs while they're out putting up yours. It's not as easy to get away with as it used to be, at least.

Your true colors are coming through Lakennedy...praying considered a threat?

My Obama/Biden yard sign was stolen the other night. It only strenghtens my resolve to see real change take place in this country. I went to the Democratic Headquarters and picked up another sign, which I proudly display. I made another contribution and plan on volunteering next Tuesday to help get the vote out.
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I wonder how stealing my sign reconciles with those high moral values supposedly held by a "Country First" law abiding, real American Republican thief and coward?

kennedy: religous peeps wont watch religulous. they FEAR logic...
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liltiger: i agree 110%. people always say that about who ever is on the oppo side of their discussion. it was a joke:)

Haha this is classic! If you honestly believe that someone is targeting you specificaly your wrong. When i was in high school which wasn't that long ago we did things like this on a regular basis. No harm done when your switching Obama signs for Mccain signs or viseversa. In a highschoolers mind THIS IS HILARIOUS. (It is still in my mind too.) And if any of them were to read this story it will make their month! It will also bring them back!

"...taking away my constitutional right (of expression)". I don't know where people think they get their rights from, but mine certainly don't come from the constitution. I'm born with mine, and I have them wherever in the world, or in whatever country I find myself. I can give them up freely, or they can be violated, but they can't be taken from me. I also have the responsibility to defend them, too.

Erroneous. On both accounts.

Since the gazette is a republican paper/website makes me wonder if they'd print the story if Obama signs were being taken? Probably not. Notice most pictures and stories have McCain in them.

Well, thank you whoannellie. While it is a very nice offer, I'd rather you spent the time (you would otherwise spend praying for me) watching "Religulous"
I don't have a "hard heart" I just don't run around threatening people that I'm going to pray for them.

I have to ask, what is up with all the big blue wooden

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OBAMA BI DEN

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signs in yards around. Did someone have a little trouble spelling Biden?

I know meagan personally lakennedy so I guess I can tell her I pray for her. That's my freedom of speech. I don't let your comment about being a christianbother me, Oh yeah I'm being judged by a non-christian. And while I don't support her (Mary) views, I pray that people would not take her signs out. I'm also praying for you so you could come to the saving knowledge of Jesus. Than maybe you would lose some of that hardness of heart!!!

Northman...I missed your post when I posted. A claymore...yes, illegal, but funny. How about setting up the signs with electricity? You know...similar to a cow fence. Shocking, yet not dangerous. :)

Actually...It could actually been Teens doing the stealing and replacing. Sure, they may not "NORMALLY" drive around with McCain Signs in their car, but if they are stealing them from other yards, they have something to replace them with. Although I don't agree that they should be doing these things, I think that is the most likely answer. Who else is quick on their feet and has extra time on their hands? Heck...as a teen we used to place or remove many things from peoples yards as pranks. And the Church Groups kids are quite stealthy at plopping those Pink Flamingos in the ground and the high schoolers do a fine job of toilet papering without getting caught. And heck...if I were stealing or replacing signs, I'd hurt myself moving that quickly as to not be spotted. Kids are quick. I think the idea of people removing the signs to take away our right to free speech and the right to share our beliefs is a bit too far out there. Although I agree it's stealing, it is still just a sign, not my constitutional rights they are taking.

This rash of thefts has never been limited to the campaign season. The mysterious disappearance of signs and flags have been rampant for years in Janesville and our family has replaced more than our share of both. We still wonder about the type of person would have taken our US flag on the 4th of July...

Vaseline or motion-sensitive lights might just work as a deterrent. Of course, wiring your sign to a claymore would be the most effective, though I’m not entirely sure that would be legal. It would certainly thin the herd of our local juvenile delinquent population, which could only be a good thing.

Obama and Biden 2008! RIP McCain/Palin

Honestly I bet this is a bunch of kids, going around stealing signs then putting different signs in the yards. Why don't you put something like vasoline or something on the signs so they get grossed out when they touch them. Or set up little things like have you porch light on or maybe a light in your house, hey turn your sprinklers on! Or get a huge amount of signs (or make them) and spread them all over your yard so it will take them more than two seconds to steal your sign! Just some ideas that I would have thought of before running to the paper to tattle tale!

Sorry that was meant to be for thekid...

some would say the same about OB supporters!

I think anyone who would steal a yard sign is a coward and an idiot and would like to see them prosecuted. People should be able to support their candidate without Ahaving to constantly replace yard signs.

I do, however, take issue with two things that Megan says in the article above. It is rather presumptuous to say that the people stealing her McCain signs must not believe in Obama. Mary Burpee's Obama signs are stolen and replaced with McCain signs. Does this mean that people REALLY don't believe in McCain? Perhaps, but maybe they are people who support their candidate but are going about supporting that candidate in a bad manner.
I also disagree with her belief that these thieves are taking away her freedom of speech. She is welcome to express her support of McCain. She is allowed put up yard signs, wear McCain apparel, stand in her yard yelling her support for McCain (as long as she isn't violating noise ordinances at night), etc. She can even talk to the Janesville Gazette and have her words printed to be read by thousands of readers. Some idiots making one method of her expressing that free speech inconvenient to express are not taking it away. Take a cue from Mary Burpee, make your own, more robust sign. Put your sign in the window of your house.
Citizens can make freedom of speech (or expression) more difficult or inconvenient for other citizens but it is the government that protects or takes away freedom of speech. Unfortunately, something like a cheap (likely free) yard sign being stolen is something that would be difficult for the government to explicitly protect (the taxpayers can't afford to have a police officer staking out her house every night), they certainly aren't taking away that right.
As someone with a degree in political science, I would hope that someone finishing up theirs would be able to understand the difference.

lakennedy you cant blame nellie...mccain fans are sorta like my ex wife...they only hear the part they want to...lol

Never fear futherrichguy! The Republicans are going to have to "shut up" after next Tuesday. Palin will have at least four years to perfect her "wink".

This explains why all of the large wooden Obama/Biden signs are all over Janesville. Personally I'm afraid to hang an Obama side out front as a lot of die hard Republicans here in town just simply scare me.

I'm sorry. I mean Obama supporter.

No prayers for the Obama candidate, huh? You suck at being a christian.

way to go Meagan!! I agree,if they weren't afraid, they wouldn't commit a crime and take away your rights! Oh,wait, that WILL happen if Obama is elected!! Keep up the good work Meagan! and I'm praying for you. I hope God uses your future in a big way!