Yingling and Yard Signs

What does stealing and removing political signs reveal to you? And what does it divulge when you find one in your front yard without permission? Worse yet, when your political yard sign is vandalized with profanity for the whole neighborhood to see, how would you react?

Some have said it is flattering when a political opponent has to resort to all those tactics. I also think it is an insight into the political and personal character of that person's campaign.

The picture featured as a headline to this article was photographed when a citizen pulled over on Washington Street in Grayslake as they witnessed the man removing Ken Idstein's 4x4 political signs. The profanity defaced yard sign found in one voters yard is too vulgar to repeat, but it kicked off this vile spree of behavior and you can read about it here.

In the last 48 hours, I have heard from 2 people - Brent H. from Round Lake and Tony K. from Round Lake Heights - that woke up one morning to a Yingling yard sign that was placed in their front yard without permission. Brent H has TWICE removed an unwanted Yingling yard sign. And this is happening all over town.

For me, this is not just a reflection of character but it reveals a pattern political manipulation. I think you can easily connect the dots from the corrupt culture that permeates our Illinois political system to something that may seem, to some, as annoying and benign like yard sign 'behavior'. But I believe when you demonstrate sneaky, creepy and borderline criminal behavior in one area, it exists elsewhere in your life and profession. And the opposite is also true. Which is why I am voting for a good and decent man like Ken Idstein to represent me and my family in Springfield as our state representative.