Dead Animals and Stolen Yards Signs

George C. Landrith

Yesterday I woke up early in the morning to catch a flight to Ohio. It was pitch black outside. I showered and shaved and then I woke my wife so that she could take me to airport.

I was grabbing a Pop Tart for the road when I heard my wife open the front door and loudly gasp. She quickly shut the door. By this time, I was near the door with breakfast in hand. My first thought was some kids had smashed the pumpkins all over the front porch. But her face made it clear that it was much worse. Naturally, I asked, “What’s the matter?”

She replied, “There’s a big dead deer in front of the door.” I almost couldn’t believe it. So I had to look for myself. She was right. A dead and partially decomposing deer was setting on our front stoop. The blood and odor were noticeable.

We shut the door and exited through the garage so I wouldn’t miss my flight. (We were already running behind schedule.) But as I placed my luggage in the car, I also noticed that our Bush/Cheney 2004 yard sign was missing and one of the windows on my house was cracked. At this point, it became clear some Bush-hater came to my home in the dark of night and stole my Bush sign and deposited a large, dead deer on my front door step.

Who knows what their motive was. Perhaps they were just trying to be funny. If so, they failed. Perhaps they were trying to be annoying. If so, they achieved their goal and them some. Perhaps they were trying to deliver a message. But what message? That they don’t approve of Bush? That they don’t approve of me supporting Bush? That I should stand warned not to support Bush? Where they trying to warn me that I’d better not support Bush or else? There is a long history of thugs and criminals using dead animals to suggest in a not so subtle way, “Would you like this to be you?”

I don’t know what they meant to communicate. All I know is that they stole my Bush sign, broke a window and left a dead dear on my front step. And I’m pretty sure they weren’t congratulating me on my support of such a fine presidential candidate as President George W. Bush. But I do know what message I took from this exchange – that Kerry’s support is comprised of far too many of people who simply hate Bush. Worse yet, Kerry is fomenting this anger and hatred – it is key to his campaign plan. Polls indicate that almost half of Kerry’s support comes from people who hate Bush more than they like Kerry. Conversely, virtually all of George Bush’s support comes from people who like Bush, rather than hate Kerry. That tells you something about the campaigns and appeals of the two candidates.

Kerry has run a campaign devoid of reasons to vote for him, except his silly promises of having a better, but unspecified plan, for everything under the sun. Kerry blames Bush for every problem that America faces, real or perceived. The lost jobs after September 11th are Bush’s fault. According to Kerry, the terrorists are not to blame – Bush is. Kerry’s hardcore supporters generate more anger towards Bush than toward Osama bin Laden or Saddam Hussein. Why? Because Kerry encourages them to. When they call Bush a murderer, a thug, or a Nazi, Kerry approvingly tells the world that these fringe extremists “represent the heart and soul of America.” These rabid extremists may be the heart and soul of John Kerry’s America. But most Americans don’t agree.

I understand supporters can get carried away and can do things that their candidate would never approve of. However, in this case, Kerry has fomented and encouraged hatred. It is the bedrock of his campaign.

So while it is true that John Kerry did not personally steal my Bush sign, crack a window and leave a dead deer on my doorstep, he has built his campaign on the anger and hatred of ignorant people. He has fanned the flames of their ignorance and their hatred. This is why his supporters are about 50% Bush haters rather than Kerry enthusiasts. Thus, Kerry bears at least some measure of the responsibility for the actions of the mobs he has whipped up into a frenzy.

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Mr. Landrith is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, where he was Business Editor of the Virginia Journal of Law and Politics. He had a successful law practice in business and litigation. In 1994 and 1996, Mr. Landrith was a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's Fifth Congressional District. He served on the Albemarle County School Board. Mr. Landrith is an adjunct professor at the George Mason School of Law. He is recognized as an authority on constitutional law and jurisprudence, federalism, global warming, and property rights.

george@ff.org