To the editor:

Didn’t like my lawn sign, huh? Or, did you like it so much you decided to steal it last Sunday night? I’m guessing the former.

Slinking around in the dark stealing and vandalizing political yard signs will not help your candidate, not even a little. Nor will it hurt mine. You just wasted your time. The sign you stole was a very modest one compared to the billboard-sized signs I increasingly see around town. My small sign simply identified me as a Veteran who supports Joe Biden for President. It can be easily replaced so no big deal.

What does bother me, however, is that you also took the American flag that was attached to it. Maybe you wanted the flag so you can display it next 4th of July, or when you attend the annual Memorial or Veteran day programs. Oh, I see, you have better things to do than go to patriotic events. Maybe you just threw the flag away. I suspect you might have because stealing or vandalizing political signs indicates you don’t have much understanding of what our flag represents.

Are you aware of all the Americans who have bled and died for our flag since 1777? Perhaps you have a father, grandfather, aunt or uncle who did? Are you aware that the American flag symbolizes all the freedoms we enjoy, or do you simply take them for granted? Among them is the freedom to express our opinions without fear of retaliation and to vote for whoever we want. It was Mark Twain, I believe, who said difference of opinion is what makes horse races.

We were taught as kids that voting is our greatest right and privilege. It is also the final authority in deciding winners and losers. Whether in contests for student council, homecoming queen and king, city council, football All Americans, or Congress, our winners are determined by who receives the most votes, not by the size or number of lawn signs. This upcoming Presidential election is setting up to be the one of the most important in our nation’s history. When all the votes are counted and the winner is announced, let’s hope that for the sake of our country whoever loses will accept the outcome and not claim they were somehow cheated.

That is how we have always done it in America. It is what truly makes America great. Voting matters, stealing or vandalizing lawn signs accomplishes nothing. In the meantime, if you happen to have my flag, please treat it with the respect it deserves. And make sure you vote!

Tom Conroy

New Ulm