A longtime — and saddened — Westporter writes:
On Wednesday, my family and I discovered an offensive sticker placed on our “Black Lives Matter” sign. Someone came onto our property, and placed it there.
The sticker placed on a Westporter’s sign, on their property.
Whatever happened to civility? Difference of opinions? Discussion?
The values I was taught decades ago here in Westport, by family, church and school, are under assault, right here in “River City”!
I would happily sit and converse about our differences. We are proud to display our concern for civil rights, social justice, and defeating racism.
Our first BLM lawn sign was stolen. We reported it. The police came.
We replaced it immediately with a hand-painted sign, right after George Floyd was killed. It has stood on our front lawn since spring of 2020.
It’s our right to display our support of factual history, all people’s history being taught, and our concern over voter suppression, and violence.
The lawn sign, with its sticker.
I grew up in this town. The progress of civil rights has been my concern for decades, as it was and is for many Westporters.
What shocked me about this sticker assault was the personalized insult of the attack: “F—k you for voting for Biden.”
Really? I am a product of the Westport school system. I grew up in a time of stellar history and English teachers. We were taught to verify opinion with facts, support our statements with outside resources, discuss our differences and listen to one another — to speak our minds with passion, but also to respect differences.
Civility and civics were taught, along with the fundamental agreement that elections are decided by our democratic participation and voting.
My family moved to Westport in the 1940’s. As a long-time Westporter, I’m upset that someone came into our yard, defaced our sign and attacked our opinion.
I respect their right to vote the way they choose. But civil rights, expanding rather than shrinking voter registration, respecting proven vote results, and improving law enforcement training with sensitivity to racism and tactics to defuse conflicts are issues we care about deeply.
Want to have coffee and chat about those ideas? I do!
But this was a crude act of censorship, bullying and cowardice.
I remember when conservatives were not so fragile. This sticker is an attempt to erase our large message with a small and petty one.
Our hearts, minds, ideas and signs are bigger than this. We will continue to display our sign proudly, despite this act of shameless vandalism.
Due to the current climate, I have asked Dan to withhold my name.
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This make any critically thinking person today sad. By the looks of the scale of the two signs the small offensive sign is about as small in heart, intellect and stature as the individual who put it there! And they had to Sneak on your lawn in the dead of night to do it!!!
Although I sadly agree with Dan’s comment that sitting and chatting may not make a difference, I think it’s the only place to start. I grew up in a small town in western Pennsylvania that is now deep in the heart of Trump country. My friends there are not morons or mentally ill, but they do have a completely different world view than I do. We talk, we disagree, but we have remained friends for 70 years. My friends would not have defaced someone else’s sign, but if the person who did would be willing to sit and chat, I would welcome that opportunity to better understand why they feel the way they do.
Dear “Westporter’,
One cannot “sit and chat” with these people to any effect, as this November’s election will terrifyingly demonstrate.
This is so common with Trump people. Just consider that people who need to act and display their abnormal behavior have mental issues. Yes I politely mean morons!
I’m so sorry you have to go through this! If you arrived in Westport in the 1940s, I’m pretty sure we’ve crossed paths.
Sad. And why wouldn’t you vote for Biden, given the alternative?
I don’t know what P. Marks meant by saying “with Trump people.” Is he dividing voters into groups? What I will say is I am a frequent shopper at Amazon and have been appalled lately by how many book titles include f**k spelled out just as it is on that offensive sticker on the BLM sign. I, too, ask what has happened to manners, people being civil to each other without even thinking of it, and sharing different opinions in a respectful manner? I was raised to be respectful to others and wish everyone else was as well. I agree that the person who placed that sticker was a coward who chose not to discuss his or her views face to face. I may be white but to me all lives, including black, matter to us. I am sorry it happened and may happen again. Just have the fortitude to take it down and move forward.
I can’t speak for P. Marks, but if I say “Trump people” it refers to people who deny the reality of the result of an election because their guy lost.
It is people who supported a seditious attack on the Capitol in an attempt, for the first time in the history of the country, to prevent the peaceful transition of power to the next President.
(For those who say “they” didn’t support the storming of the Capitol…) they support the Republicans in Congress who almost universally opposed impeachment and who opposed the mere Congressional investigation of the January 6 attacks (and they largely downplay the seriousness of the attacks – falsely claiming it was a few dozen rowdy people or that it wasn’t an ‘armed’ group). I could hardly disagree with a politician more on the issues, but Liz Cheney is a profile in courage.
They support a President who thought that the branches of government were there to serve him. Who pilfered files that contain sensitive material, when he left office… to what end? They support a President whose words were vile and divisive and appealed to the irrational fears of his supporters, rather than their hopes.
I guess what I don’t understand about Republicans at this point is, if you don’t care about any of the above – at least don’t care enough to not continue affiliating yourself with that party – what is more important to you than these things?
Is having your taxes cut by a dollar really worth selling out the Constitution and the Democracy? Is that all that you care about?
I always thought that if a party lost elections, they needed to adjust their positions (or improve messaging their positions) to better attract more voters. But Trump and the Republican Party of today have decided that if people won’t support your positions in large numbers, you should manipulate the process (SCOTUS manipulation, making it harder for people to vote, attempts to change how elections are certified). If you can keep power by attempting to erode the democracy, that seems to be fine with “Trump people.”
(Not to get to granular in the issues, but “Trump people” also support a guy who downplayed the seriousness of a pandemic that has killed one million Americans because he didn’t want to look bad. They also support a guy who illegally withheld military aid to Ukraine in an effort to get dirt on a political opponent. As the world tries to support Ukraine, does anyone think Trump would have done anything but praise Putin’s invasion of that sovereign nation if he was still in office? Does anyone think any of Trump’s supporters would have, in that circumstance, wanted to have offered up the slightest support of Ukraine?)
I’m not being “divisive,” I am recognizing who is happy to destroy the best values of our country in order to keep power for who-knows-what end.
Your comment must have taken a while to compose and type, and I and other readers thank you for it. You provided readers with a lot of info on politics I get from YouTube since I choose not to subscribe to cable. I am always upset at the way each side attacks the other and wish more people were willing to sit down and talk things out in a more respectful way. Voters would certainly have different opinions of the candidates.
So well said!!!
Your turn the other cheek mentality does not work with people who believe violence solves everything and either your for trump or your against us
If your reply is directed to me, I do not understand how you believe I am for violence. I voted for Trump in his first bid as Presidency but not when he ran for re-election. Based on his first term’s performance I went with Biden instead. It would be much more beneficial if both parties would simply state what they believe in and how their plans would benefit all Americans. Instead, it seems each party wants to make voters think the other party is not to be trusted. I wish honesty and fair play were used in elections but that seems impossible.
The jump to put a label on “these people” – ANY people, just proves the writer’s point (sadly). There are problems on both sides. As a person who grew up in Westport, just be happy you don’t live in Fairfield. The snakiness and vitriol between the parties is beyond out of control. We have a Charter Revision on the ballot in November and the advisors who have been working with the town to get this done (people who do these charter revisions for a living) have said they have NEVER seen anything like it. Fairfield is broken. I would give anything to secede Southport to Westport. Any ideas on how to do that?
It’s easy! Just change the charter.
He he. You have no idea…..
Jan, I live in Greens Farms – maybe Greens Farms and Southport can unite and form a new town! We can invite Greenfield Hills to be part of it, too! South Greenfield Farms! or Greensport Hills?
I’m in! I’d go for ANY name – even leaving it Greens Farms (I lived there growing up). Oh if only….
Thank you, Dan, for posting this in this person’s stead. There’s a loss of a “live and let live” generosity that I believe is so damaging to neighborliness, kindness, and shared humanity. We’re all 100% entitled to our opinions and our votes (particularly on our own property), but when people feel the need to insult or threaten another’s perspective is when democracy is truly at risk.
I agree with the phrase to live and let live. Each person is entitled to their opinion and should allow others their opinions. A neighbor of mine and I visit each other and enjoy discussions on a lot of different subjects. We don’t always agree with each other but we never argue either. We learn from each other’s opinions and feel enriched by them. May whoever put up that sign learn a lesson from it.
I know the family whose sign was defaced. I went to Staples with the wife who wrote Dan the message.
Sadly, I agree with her, Dan and most of the commenters. But this type of anonymous action seems to me the norm for cowardly behavior: the KKK, mass rallies, secret Assassinations and the like.
The deeply terrifying nature of this type of behavior, for me, is that while it has been with us since Cain and Abel, it has received a much greater public acceptance and seemingly broader reach since the infamous escalator ride in 2015.
Joey Kaempfer
A great place to start restoring civility to our country is by electing candidates who seek to unify people and make our society stronger. This rather than divide our country to make themselves more powerful. That goes for both parties at all levels of government.
Let’s be serious and not create a false equivalence. Only one party, this current Republican Party fails to hold accountable politicians that incited a mob to attack our Capitol and lies about the 2020 election, seeking to achieve with a mob what they could not in court, as our Constitution requires. If we truly want civility, then we need to support it when it counts. Elect leaders who reflect the civility we want to see and who respect our laws and the Constitution people sacrificed their lives to create and protect for over 200 years.
When political rallies start with hate speech against our fellow Americans, the media, long serving public officials from both parties overseeing our elections fairly, or that incite violence against anyone, check your commitment to civility and vote accordingly. Or take a look in the mirror and see hypocrisy in action.
We can disagree on many issues. That’s Democracy. But hate speech like that shown in today’s post is beneath all of us. Let’s hold both parties to a higher standard and not look the other way when “our side” puts forward candidates who lie and incite violence.
I so agree. I love the idea of the “forward” party which is a fairly new initiative. See what they are about here: https://www.forwardparty.com I know it’s a long shot to think they could actually become a force, but gee wouldn’t it be great. I do think we are hurt by just having 2 parties, which I think many people don’t completely relate to (on either side).
I’m fine with two parties, at least as long as both parties agree on a few basic principals:
1. Accepting election results, no matter which party wins.
2. Accepting and supporting the peaceful transfer of power
3. Valuing voting as a core concept of American representative democracy and working to make voting easier and more accessible.
Unfortunately, the Republican party is operating under new management and has cast aside their allegiance to these core concepts. Their goal is to win and obtain power at any and at all costs, no matter the cost. Just this week the Republican governor in Florida arrested and jailed people for voting. Voting! Republicans candidates for office in Florida, Texas, Georgia, Arizona and many other states have refused to say whether or not they will accept the election results if they do not win. Please resist the temptation to assert that “both sides” are the problem our country. No, it is one side and one side only that is actively working to dismantle the democracy we all cherish.
Will,
Did Trump win the election? Why did he lie to millions of people and say he won? Why did he lie to judges? Why did he ask Mike Pence to do something? Why did he ask Brad Refensperger to find him votes? Why did he lie about voter fraud? Why did he incite the January 6th insurrection, want to join in himself, and gleefully watch if all on TV, not stop it, and call the insurrectionists “patriots”? Did Biden or Obama do any of those things? Nope! Trump and his GOP sycophants literally support lies and the attack on our very Democracy! I want that taught in our schools to our children! I am a teacher telling you that this aml MUST be taught in our schools,even if these facts piss off people who voted for the fraud.
Let me get this straight. Dozens of republican candidates refuse to say whether they will accept elections results if they do not win, the governor of Florida is arresting and jailing voters, and 70% of republicans say the 2020 election was stolen, without a shred of evidence. You didn’t dispute these facts because you couldn’t. So your only remaining move was to attack me. I’d say it is you Will, that is behaving divisively.
The truth about Trump and Trumpism is all factual based.
I’ll extend basic civility to Republicans when they extend basic civility to people of color who want to vote, to women who want to control their bodies, to people of the same sex who want to marry, to people who want their children to attend a public high school instead of a nineteenth-century nunnery. I will never be polite to hypocritical barbarians who celebrate cruelty and power over basic human compassion.
I feel like this is all new content, especially the nunnery stuff. I’ll try harder to meet your needs for fresh, crisp observations. Like yours.
I too know and are a friend of the family who were just basically expressing a thought, a belief if you will. The sign illegally posted on their property to counter that belief was neither a thought or a belief— but an assault plain and simple. Being a proud transplanted son of the South Bronx with the upcoming election around the corner we have to gird ourselves I fear for more assaults from the right wing-nuts among us.
First- this is awful and a violation of your property and so much more- I’m so sorry this ugliness has come to your beautiful sign and thank you for writing this letter.
ok- I want to be clear on something – as an art director for over 20 years in advertising – branding – expertise in the design, the use of marks… the content and use of this sticker is straight-up racism. It’s not a beacon for political discussion- make no mistake- it’s an act of racism and the 2022 racist playbook has cloaking racist messaging behind political messaging at the top of the list. These people feel they can hide comfortably behind their hate vandalism if it has a politician’s name on it and they’re voicing their ‘political opinion.’
They can’t. Vandalizing for hate with ANY graphics- politician’s names- a personal attack phrase, is simply replacing racial slurs and/or white supremacy symbols for the same effect. Weaponizing new words is just as bad as using the ‘old ones.’ A culture of online trolls and a former administration that has greenlit bigots have expanded the racists’ toolbox with familiar graphics (american flags) and current politician’s names to achieve the same racist objective we’ve seen throughout our dark history with this: To threaten – to terrorize – and to spread hate.
It’s the how- To deface anything that’s memorializing equal rights in any way is simply racist. That’s the messaging- that’s their purpose. Perhaps this racist will think twice before vandalizing and trying to terrorize again – especially since we have so so so many cameras in town. Because when they are caught- and they will be – they will have their hood taken off, and they will have to very publicly face charges for the hate crime that they’ve committed. 0 tolerance.
I don’t think very highly of President Biden. Having said that, I believe stickers such as the one placed on someones lawn sign are disgusting. We should all be entitled to our own opinions and have the ability to discuss alternate points of view openly and honestly.
I know how you feel. People walked onto our property and ripped up our Trump sign and then our Trump Pence sign! I wondered how someone could just walk onto someone’s property and destroy something because they didn’t agree and felt like it. I grew up in Westport too. I don’t remember politics being an issue to this degree in the 70’s and 80’s. The culture of the country has been changing for 35 years. I was taught manners in Church, parents and Girl Scouts. We should all debate and the media & big tech companies should allow BOTH SIDES to be heard.
Diana,
Does Donald J Trump respect people? Persoanlly, I like to know what kind of a neighbor would support such a disrespectful human being.
Too bad your side has such a limited vocabulary that “f&$K is the only word you know to describe your view. Your side defaces and storms the capital and maims people protecting our democracy. And without a doubt they are “Trump people” refusing common sense time and time again. I was a Republican at one time.. now it would be the worst association I could think of. To the bleeding hearts out there.., “ I don’t suffer fools”
Corporate elites? What an absurd take. But I think you are just trolling anyway.
Why did this trespasser make racial injustice political ? I also grew up in Westport and moved to a place where racism was alive and well and where republicans were the majority. I am glad to be back and surrounded by people who take a stand for what they believe is just. Westport is a rare community ….. it is scary out there. I have to agree with Tom Prince.
Will, I think your comment hinting that the owners of the Black Lives Matter sign actually may have put the Biden sign up themselves is totally tasteless, rude and inflammatory! If you have any proof, please share it with us.
He’s not hinting, he’s accusing, and he’s a right wing whacko. His only goal is to foment division. A pointless existence devoted to a pointless future.
Werner, It’s a Tucker Carlson tactic that he uses on Fox.
Your appreciated reply echoed my own thoughts. Don’t accuse when there isno proof. Innuendos are just hot air.
I think I see that sticker on Tucker Carlson’s forehead.
When and why did this country become so hateful? There was always opposition, but not to the extent that you find now, with people flinging despicable lies at each other and calling for the execution of those who don’t want what they want. Will it ever be possible to get back on the right track again?
Not if Trump and Trumpism is not shut down. I do not have to ne tolerant of that kind of hated for people and Democracy and will fight against it. Hatred and intolerance of hate is not hate. Eli Wisel and MLK taught us all NOT to be silent!
Biden calling out white supremacist Trumpism was the best move of his presidency. We will tolerate the hatred and divisiveness of Trump or Trumpism. It is literally intolerable. Calling out the hatred and division is not and should never be divisive!
It is impossible for anyone with a scintilla of objectivity to look at Hillary, Trump and Biden and not ask the question: “Is this the best we can do?” Each of them have obsessively focused their efforts on self service to the exclusion of public service.
Let’s agree to do better next time around and maybe agree to avoid yard signs.
Eric, I want some of what you are smoking
President Biden honorably served his country in congress for 36 years, humbly commuting there by train, along other regular folks going to work. Then, he served his country for eight years as Vice President and has served as President so far for two years. God willing, he will complete four years as President in 2024 and if he wants, four more if he chooses to run and the good lord allows.
How dare you smear his dedication to a life in public service to the disgraced, twice impeached and likely soon to be criminally indicted ex-president.
To answer your question, we’d be lucky indeed to find another American able to match his accomplishments and the quality of his character. 81 million Americans agreed enough to cast their precious votes for him.
Russ, you channel Greta Thunberg so unabashedly, how dare you. Biden’s career; academically, professionally and politically is a personally crafted testimony to short cuts, greased palms and skipped steps. Try, for once on this blog, to leave the sanctimony in the bathroom stall.
Ed, Zelensky knows who’s President!
Joe has no idea he is president? That is all ya got? Fox news and the clown show talking points? I think we should all be frightened of a man who wants to destroy our Democracy and rule of law for white people, and knows exactly what he is doing and who he is brainwashing in a cult!
I do not watch the View. I READ and LEARN as opposed to the EX president 45 who was glued to his beloved Fox news and parroted Sean Hannity.
Ed, Saying that Biden has no idea he’s President doesn’t help in the goal of being civil. Biden has been in a federal office for 50 years, and has an enormous amount of experience that goes back to the Nixon administration. Ed, he knows he’s the President and he knows who he beat to become the President! You have to be better than this, right?
The Republican hate machine has spread lies about Joe Biden since he declared his candidacy. “He’s 78, therefore he has dementia,” conveniently omitting that Trump is only four years younger; “He stumbles over words, proving that he doesn’t have all his marbles,” ignoring the fact that he’s been a life-long stutterer, which he’s mostly overcome; “He and Jill had an affair while she was still married,” ignoring the fact that Joe was a widower, Jill had been separated from her husband for some time, and that Trump has been a life-long philanderer and womanizer.
They have spread these lies through their radio and TV commentators and their followers spread them even further. They have convinced so many uninformed people that these lies are the truth. I find it frightening that our democracy is threatened by these actions, because if the Republicans gain the Senate and House, we’re liable to lose it.
What scares me most are all the Trump Cult annointed candidate signs I see all over Westport! It scares me as a: woman, a mom, a citizen, a resident of Westport, and a Jew.
We have:
Alma Arelli signs all over- her husband harrasses and intimidates people and student journalists at school board meetings.
Leora Levy- a Trump annointed candidate who flat out lies about Blumenthal and just makes things up. Wants an abortion ban.
Bob and Laura signs are all over houses that have Trump signs up as if he is still president.
Come on Westport! This is scary! Signs can not win! Your votes against Trump Cultism will.
Stephanie look at most of the comments in this thread. Talk about hatred. You Liberals talk out of both sides of your mouth.
Just because myself and others don’t agree with your political views doesn’t mean they belong to a cult.
Will you be ok in November. I’m sure we can get you emotional support if needed.
Ok Jeff. I’ll take you up on it. You assert that “you liberals talk out of both sides of your mouth”. Give 06880 readers a single, verifiable example of what it is that you are talking about.
Intolerance of a bully, a divider, a liar, a cheater, a con man, a cult leader, a gaslighter, a misogynist, a bigot and an anti- semiite traitor to our very Democracy, is not hatred. It is patriotism.
Hey, Jeff – are you okay with the attack on the home of the Speaker of the House?
Pelosi’s husband was attacked today and had to go to the hospital. Any ideas who might have done it?
Well, it is now reported that he shouted, “where is Nancy” before attacking Paul Pelosi. But, you know, both parties are the same.
This country is in a desperate situation. Republicans need to wake up and stop this violent rhetoric before we all lose. This is so disturbing just HATE and VIOLENCE and Fox News.
Last year, David DePape, the attacker, posted links on his Facebook page to multiple videos produced by My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell falsely alleging that the 2020 election was stolen.