Standing Up Against Hatred: Continued Yard Sign Vandalism Finally Makes Local News

[K Gardner]

You all may remember I wrote a post a while back (here and on Kos) about June - our local Obama Organizer in Knoxville, TN., who had her large sign vandalized in her yard:

("Here's Your Ground Game.." http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251103893 )

Well, the vandals are at it again, and this time, the local media - astonishingly - came out and covered it. With her courage and perseverance, June is making a difference in ways other than the amazing ground game she is heading in East Tennessee.

IMHO, this woman deserves a personal phone call from someone in the Oval Office.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/oct/12/north-knoxville-womans-sign-supporting-president/

Besides this week's vandalism, Jones said someone sliced her sign in half early Sept. 22. She said she has repaired it multiple times and had others stolen.

"I'm not real sure (if I will repair the sign quickly)," Jones said. "So many people because of this act of violence have come to my door — just want to meet us and hug us. We have people who leave notes on our door and we have people who thank us for standing up against this hatred.

"They are just very supportive. The sign really cut up is getting more positive communication then anything."

The Knoxville Police Department has added the home at the corner of Cedar Lane and Parkdale Drive to a drive-by patrol so officers can keep occasional watch, according to Jones.

Millions of people like June are why we win in November.

[freshwest]

1. Excellent response. Wonderful people. Much love to the family of the little girls, we'll win.

[K Gardner]

16. I'll pass that on.. thank you, FW.. ! n/t

[Indpndnt]

2. Glad to hear that people are coming to their door and expressing their feelings about the vandalism.

It must help to know how much this angers other folks to have this happen.

[Raster]

3. When the haters have nothing else to offer, they lash-out, they vandalize.

FORWARD!

[defacto7]

4. Stand strong

Be proud and let their own hate work against them!

[skeewee08]

5. June I am so proud of you & your little girls

[ffr]

6. Impressionable children do stuff like that.

And grown ups who haven't reached puberty.

[12AngryBorneoWildmen]

7. I'm in Knoxville, too.

And I want to say, "You wouldn't believe the comments following the newspaper article," but I read/contribute to them on an irregular basis and , yeah, there's some sickness in them thar hills.

[K Gardner]

15. I haven't had the 'heart' to look at the comment section. But I can imagine. And

neighbor.

There's 3 of us now that I know of that are DU regulars, here in Knoxville !

[Samantha]

18. And you have another Du'er is there with you guys in my heart

Both my parents were from Knoxville, and I still have a lot of relatives in that state (including one who is famous). I am very politically active, but I tell you, K Gardner, it would never even occur to me to deface someone else's property because they were politically opposite from me. What are these people thinking?

Best regards,

Sam

[fifthoffive]

27. I'm in Maryville, but work in Knoxville.

Compared to Maryville, Knoxville is a Democratic haven! I have seriously never met another Democrat in Maryville. I know a couple in Knoxville.

[GETPLANING]

8. The vast majority of Americans are decent people

Even some conservatives

[SunSeeker]

9. K&R

[hrmjustin]

12. did you read the rules before you joined. Reread the rules my friend.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

14. If you're banned, how are your here?

[freshwest]

17. He's a returning troll. His insult to the OP should be deleted.

[Betsy Ross]

11. We had somthing similar last year.

http://alamedasun.com/local-and-hometown/9435-peace-shattered-in-fifth-street-home
So many neighbors came by, people recognized us and stopped us in the streets. Almost worth the $500 the window cost. The banner is still up, along with our changing display of social commentary elements.

[K Gardner]

19. Wow.. that is really a horrifying picture to me. I'm guessing that is a couch or

chair in front of the window where the rock came through.

God bless you for standing up.

[young_at_heart]

13. This happened t us too----never seems to happen to the other side

Someone slashed our sign with a knife an then pushed it to the ground.

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

20. It Does Happen to "The Other Side"...

except that when it does it's usually them doing it to themselves to stage a phoney attack so they can go to the media and say "see, both sides have their hateful supporters". And, always ready to jump on a false equivalency to demonstrate their "fairness", the media will report it that way. The depth of hatred that looms in our society it truly frightening and the republicans are experts at harnessing that hatred. They learned it from the Dixiecrats in the '60s and have managed to export it to all 50 states and the world beyond.

[young_at_heart]

22. Where does so much hatred come from?

We see it constantly and it makes one question the origin of such nastiness. I'm guessing it's learned in childhood, but maybe there is more to it.

[CrispyQ]

21. Standing up to the hate - that's what this election is all about, IMO.

The first story with the photos of the little girls - heart breaking. So glad they decided to fix the sign & put it back up, again & again.

Love that second sign!!

[Tigress DEM]

23. Some of the comments are interesting...

Axemanagain writes:

If you think it's cool to show your support for your political candidate by destroying other people's property....you might be a redneck.

[Tigress DEM]

24. SAY, there is one poster, a Republican who has integrity!!

JOEBOH's comments are insightful and he takes his own side to task in some other posts. Maybe one of you in East Tennessee could create an account on the Newspaper's Web Site and invite him to DU.

He's a FREETHINKER being wasted in the current party of rethugs.


Written on North Knoxville woman's sign supporting President Obama vandalized :

in response to LoudonHopper:

You're kidding, right ? Have you been paying much attention to the electoral map over recent weeks?

Exactly the point--looking at the "electoral map" for guidance in how to vote is about the same as listening to the radio show pundits. Is it you who is thinking or is it them? Thought so.

Things have really gotten screwed up, and it's "we the people" who have allowed that to happen. Dang, we're good.

JB



Written on North Knoxville woman's sign supporting President Obama vandalized :

I've seen her yard. It's really a pathetic site. I'm no Obama fan, but what's been going on on that corner is very sad commentary on what the Republican party has become, at least in Knoxville. Are people afraid that seeing the Obama sign on that Cedar Lane corner will tip Tennessee over into "Blue" territory? Doubtful that will happen. So what's the point other than being bigoted and spiteful. Do the perpetrators wear WWJD buttons? Wouldn't be surprised if they did, but again I don't think Jesus could condone such bigoted and hateful behavior. When gun owners or pro-life or prayer in schools advocates claim "free speech" rights, they expect (as they should) some respect from opposing factions. But when the "free speech" comes from the other side, it seems to be just fine to tear it down. Pathetic. Small minded small people. Hypocrites. Undoubtedly, this will brand me as some sort of lefty, but it ain't so. I was (and I emphasize 'was') a Republican until the idiots took over the party. I am embarrassed and ashamed of what the party has apparently become.

I believe in free speech no matter who it comes from. To do otherwise is un-American so there. I'm an East Tennessean, and hate to find myself ashamed of my fellow East Tennesseans, but I do.

JB



Written on North Knoxville woman's sign supporting President Obama vandalized :

Unrelated, but I've just gotta ask. I've seen billboards along I75 showing members of our military and saying something along the line of, "These people have given everything to protect what our current president has so boldly taken away." To whoever put those billboards up, what the heck are you talking about? How about some specifics? Are East Tennesseans so ignorant that they'll look at these signs, or the desecration of others, and think, "By God, I'm gonna go out and vote for Romney (whatever that happens to mean at the moment)? I sure hope not. I'm a proud East Tennessean, and that pride comes from thinking of East Tenneseeans as independent, free thinking folks. Not following some bigoted media BS. Wake up, folks. We're being used. I'm no Obama fan, but the blatant ways that his opposition are trying to take advantage of "hillbilly ignorance" are offensive, and could push me to the left if they keep it up. Dang it, we're better than that. At least I hope we are.

JB

[K Gardner]

25. I read some of those last night ! They WERE very encouraging !! There are really some

good people in E. TN., it's too bad the loudness of the rednecks drowns most of them out !

[davidpdx]

26. It would be great if we could get DUers over to her house to help replace the sign with a bigger one

I'm sure a bunch of people on here would be happy to donate a few bucks to make it happen. Through it back in their faces.

[K Gardner]

28. June doesn't want a new sign. She could get anything she wanted from the campaign, but

she is determined to make a statement with the one she has