Around this time of year in America, little blue or red signs start appearing on roadsides, on trees and all over people's lawns, urging us to cast our votes for local politicians. Election Day is looming (something I am not particularly thrilled about, because it means the kids are off school, but naturally it is NOT a public holiday, so I am supposed to be working).
While there's no obviously Presidential election this year (I can't wait to see what next year is like), we are being exhorted to vote for County legislators, police commissioners, town controllers and all kinds of legal positions including Supreme Court judges. The 'lawn sign' is an equivalent of you poster in the window saying 'Vote Labour' or 'Vote Conservative', but they are much more ubiquitous, as are car stickers.
I find it all slightly meaningless, because I can't vote due to not being a citizen, but this year I actually know somebody who is standing in a local election - the mother of one of the boys' friends. She's very nice, and a Democrat, so when I bumped into her recently I explained that while I wasn't allowed to vote for her, I wished her all the best. So she asked me if I wanted to put up a lawn sign, and I agreed. When in Rome and all that. (My German friend, on seeing me carrying the thing, teased me: "Finally, you have Arrived!")
Well, the sign was up on my lawn for a total of 48 hours. Coming back from the shops on Saturday, I noticed that it seemed to have been ripped in half, and was hanging forlornly off its poles. There was no sign of anyone nearby, except for some kids playing with a hockey stick and a rather guilty-looking squirrel that was running away, with what looked like a piece of cardboard hanging from its jaws.
So now I don't know what to think. Was this the work of furious new neighbours, outraged that I had dared to put a political sign on the lawn just weeks after moving in, however discreetly placed in the corner (I notice there are no others in our street)? Had the kids had been using it as a hockey goal? Or (sinister music starts to play) do I have Republican squirrels?
12 comments:
I'm thinking it may have been the squirrel, nesting.
But a note for anybody who doesn't know (you surely do ^.^), in the US we typically run for election or office instead of standing for it.
Language is so weird.
I blame the squirrels. Who knew that they could read, and/or can see colour?
Would love to buy into your Republican squirrels theory but I suspect one your neighbours took umbrage. But the squirrels makes a much a better story...
I like the idea that you have squirrels monitoring the area for inappropriate political statements!
If you check your lease, or the deeds, you will probably find they are banned in your street. Seems strange nobody else had one, so I'm thinking there is a reason for that.
Yep definitely the squirrels, they are evil personified...i.e Republican
Conuly - now that you come to mention it, yes I do know that it is 'run' for office. But I didn't know you couldn't use 'stand' as well!
Iota - Long Island squirrels are particularly vicious. Last year they demolished all our Halloween pumpkins. So, I would not be surprised....
PM - well, possibly, but it was odd that it happened in broad daylight on a Saturday (when the boys and The Doctor were actually at home). You'd have thought if someone wanted to rip the sign down, they'd have done it a night. It's still a mystery to me.
Muddling Along - I know; I wonder if they'll disappear when the Republican convention is on?
Julie - I checked the lease and there is nothing there. But I am going to ask around (discreetly) as to whether there is an unwritten law against such things!
NB - Well, they're definitely not my favourite animals....
It's not pretty, but you've been introduced to the well-known corollary campaign sign custom of election season in New England: the removal or defacing of opponents' campaign signs. It's illegal, and the subject of many irate letters to the editor of small-town newspapers, but there's not much you can do about it. Sigh. People do tend to get a little worked-up and crazy about even local elections.
We have a squirrel. I love it. Mainly because it is eating it's way through our walnuts. And we have many, many walnuts. The more he eats, the less I have to pick up and dry. It's a win win. No idea of his political leanings or indeed whether he is a male.
Lynn - I fear you could be right. Maybe it was a random person going round the town, not one of my neighbours (I do hope so). Still find it strange that it happened in broad daylight, though.
HOM - the squirrels here are really feral. There are hundreds of them, and they eat anything. They haven't got this year's pumpkins yet - but I'm just waiting for the day.
Tsss. Americans. So extreme and all. Even their squirrels...
You definitely can't say stand here. I mean, you can, but we wouldn't know what you meant unless we're, um, a little obsessed with language, etymology, and dialectical variation. (And now you know how I come to be reading blogs by Brits in the US, or vice versa!)
Really, it's an affliction.
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