We don't bite!

Ok, so I am not usually one who is very outspoken about my political choices. In fact, until I am sure you agree with me, I usually don't say anything at all. So, it was very unusual for us that for the first time EVER, we actually put a political sign in our front yard. Then, when we had a local campaigner stop by our house, one sign became two...

Having a 9 year old during this election season has really helped us focus on the reasons we are supporting this candidate. Justus asks lots and lots of questions about the political process, the political parties, voting, etc., So, it has been very hard to explain why mysteriously two signs have now become one...

So, what happened to this second sign? A number of possibilities cross my mind: 1) It got blown away in the wind, so far that it was nowhere to be seen in our neighborhood (and the other sign was just so much more securely grounded that it stayed put), 2) Some local teenagers were pulling a prank (and picked JUST our house, and JUST one sign), 3) The sign was relocated to a more visible area by a do-gooder (this is Optimist Wayne's idea), or 4) Someone, presumably a neighbor, came into our yard and removed this sign because they disagreed with our political position.

For me, reason number 4 is the most disturbing. I can understand, and even value, the fact that we do not all agree on all issues (in fact we don't all agree on any issue). As a mediator and one trained in conflict, I see a tremendous value in having differences of opinion...for if it were not for that, life were certainly be boring, to say the least. However, I can't, or don't want to, understand why a person would choose to come on someone's property and actually take away (literally) our freedom of speech. Instead, I wish that person would have come up to our door, rung the doorbell, and engaged us in a conversation about the reason's for our decision. Then we could also have the conversation about why and how they come to the political decisions that they have.

My guess is that people often do not engage others because of fear. I know that is why I often do not bring up topics of conflict. However, if we could just address each other as people of value and worth, expressing our opinions, but being kind while doing so, my guess is that we would both learn something.

So, if you don't agree with our position and voting preference (and I would daresay some of you reading this do not), or any other topic, for that matter, PLEASE talk to us, engage us in conversation, even tell us you think we are flat out wrong...just don't take our sign.

Trust me, we don't bite! (Ok, except for our 18 month old, but that is just in rare circumstances and we would keep him contained during our entire conversation...I promise!)