Petty Theft and Vandalism

Over the course of the last couple of weeks some less-than-gifted individual with the emotional IQ of a self-indulgent, entitled toddler has stolen my “We support Israel” yard sign, stand and all. The original was up and unmolested for almost three years. The second one lasted about three days. And it was stolen in broad daylight, but after I closed the blinds and left my office (which is the front room in the house). This purposefully mentally handicapped person came onto my property and stole my belongings. And they did it because they clearly disagree with opinions I hold. Because this is very recent harassment, I think whoever did it is new to my neighborhood or newly emboldened by adults who think this sort of activity is justified and will “show me.”

Whatever, loser.

I really don’t care if you object to my politics. I don’t form and hold my political opinions for the purpose of soothing anyone’s feelings or for making you feel good about your own opinions. I hold the opinions I do because I’ve looked at as much available information as I can find, identified the holes in my own argument, and tried to fill those holes with, oh, I don’t know, information and facts. I made the decision to stick with that argument because, to me, it has fewer holes and makes more sense than other arguments people have screamed at me (because we all know that screaming insults at people is the best way to get them to see your side of the issue). All arguments have holes, the trick is acknowledging the holes and figuring out why your argument works best for you in spite of those holes.

If you engage in activities like stealing yard signs because you dislike the message on those signs, you are an emotional toddler. You have demonstrated you are incapable and/or unwilling to participate in an actual, fact-based discussion on the issue at hand. And “fact-based” would include facts you’d rather overlook or dismiss, and facts you’d rather replace with feeewings. In an actual discussion one can suggest that a particular fact has a smaller or greater impact on the issue, but it is disingenuous, at best, to claim the fact does not exist, or deny said fact simply because you have not seen anything about that fact.

When you try to remove an individual’s ability to voice an opinion, whether it’s by stealing a yard sign, drowning out speech with whistles or air horns, screaming obscenities into someone’s face, etc. you are engaging in the “heckler’s veto.” In other words, you have no rational counter-argument, you just don’t want to hear what the person has to say. More importantly, you don’t want anyone else to hear what is being said. You are removing agency from all those around you because you have decided you know what’s best for everyone and you’re going to make sure only your opinion/voice is heard.

In doing this you have shown the emotional IQ of a tantrum-throwing toddler. Scream incoherently until you get your way.

Rational adults do not engage in such behavior.

Stealing yard signs is not quite the own this person seems to think it is. My nickname is “Ornery Bitch” or “Ornery Professor” for a reason.

You have just declared war, and I am going to respond. My response will not be measured, it won’t be proportional, nor will it be understated. The thief will probably find it annoying as hell and that is my goal.

I have a full-size Israeli flag and more of the yard signs arriving in the next couple of days. I am fully prepared to replace that yard sign and its stand every hour if I have to. I won’t be intimidated, bullied, or frustrated to the point of giving up, by your petty theft and immature actions.

Challenge accepted, you slack-witted, feral idiot.

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