Support the candidate of your choice as long it is my candidate

Bear with me from the usual departure from the format.
I will return later with reviewing the tape of the Seahawk loss and bullpen notes......

Over the last few days,I have discovered that cowardice of some right wingers here in Hagerstown continues and I find it tremendously ironic that so many on the right scream about loving a country with free speech,but only if it agrees with their views.

In the 2004 Presidential election,I was a brand new home owner and felt some pride in finally being able to put a sign of my candidate of choice in the front yard as so many others around the country are able to do..
Of course,since I am not a member of the mindless party that is beholden to gun owners and radical religious nuts,so it was Kerry-Edwards.
I began to receive mail(actual paper mail,not email) telling me what a horrible person that I was for supporting a man that kills children etc and that the nut writing this trash felt awful that he had to "pass my sign going to and from work".
I was "going to hell" for supporting the candidate of my choosing.
Of course what it really was about was this.
I live on a main thoroughfare in Hagerstown and near a red light.
My house is pretty strategically placed for prime visibility and if my family was not putting a Bush-Cheney sign in their yard,then only no sign at all would be acceptable to these weasels....

I told this story to the volunteers at the Democratic headquarters that I was prepping for this years hate mail,but this years story has been different.
On Saturday,I was sitting on the couch watching the Ohio State game by myself,when a pounding noise came from the front door,the type of knock that usually comes from someone that knows you and needs you to get to the door quickly.
I was met by a fellow with two grocery bags in his hand that looked at me with a stunned look like he didn't expect to be greeted by a mean looking guy that outweighs some NFL linemen.
This fellow looked down (never looking at me directly) and offered this gem "I just wanted to thank you for giving your vote to Osama Bin Ladin".
Now it is was my turn to be stunned.
It lasted for about 4 seconds.
"Get your ass off my porch NOW"!
As this man that fancied himself a right wing tough guy slunk away without a word,I told him "The next time I see you around here,you will be bounced off the property".
This morning,I looked as I came home from work,our sign was gone.
No other vandalism fortunately,but none the less.
Our right as a citizen was disregarded by a member of the party that claims to love liberty so much.
On this street,only one other house had a Obama/Biden sign compared to about 6-8 McCain/Palin signs and that family still had their sign.

Later today,I will return to the Democratic headquarters and another sign will go into the yard.
I don't back down from the gutless.
Please come back tonight and attempt to take it.
Tonight,my "friend"-I will be waiting.

To any readers from the Washington County GOP,I would have welcomed a swap of thoughts with your guerrilla member,but I don't even give a second thought to those that offer such talks as their entry to a discussion.
I cannot think that this type of tactics would swing any voter to your side and if anything it just boosts their determination against the status quo.
This type of behavior whether endorsed or not reflects poorly on your party,your volunteers and your candidates.
I am a Democrat,but often times I have voted for Republicans.
I have voted in five elections for Govenor of Maryland and have cast my vote for Republicans in four of them.
I have never voted for Barbara Mikulski for Senator(far too liberal for my tastes) and until the recent election of Ben Cardin,I had never voted Democratic for Maryland's other Senate seat (Same for Paul Sarbanes) either.
When you use these tactics for someone that considers himself a moderate Democrat,you make no friends,only adversaries.
Think about that,GOP.
You hurt yourself nationally, in Maryland and even in Washington County with these types of vandalism and cost yourselves votes in elections other than Presidential.
Hope it was worth it for one sign and one person,whether you sent these clowns out or not.

Back later with lighter reading on the Seahawks loss,a new hiring for the Pirates and more on the injury to Bobby Holik.