Ladies and gentlemen, you have a right to express yourself. You have a right to freedom of speech. You have a right to support any candidate you want. We live in the greatest country in the world and the 1st amendment of the U.S. Constitution gives you the right to express and support any cause or candidate you want.
However, your right to express yourself ends once you violate someone else’s right. You do not have the right to silence someone else’s speech. You do not have the right to steal someone else’s property. You do not have the right to steal someone else’s political sign. You may disagree with someone else’s sign. You may disagree with it vehemently. But you still have no right to take or deface someone else’s political sign.
Miami Springs resident, Noel Pereda, recently shared this video allegedly depicting two young ladies stealing a Trump sign from his lawn. To be very clear, it is illegal to steal someone else’s political sign. If you know the identity of the young ladies depicted below or see someone stealing or defacing a political sign, please contact the Miami Springs Police Department at 305.888.9711.
For most of my life, people respected and even welcomed opposing points of view. There was a respect and a normal expectation that we all have different points of view. We all have choices. We should welcome the free expression of those views. However, silencing opposing points of views is the kind of thing you see happening under totalitarian governments. We still live in a free society and even though we don’t always see eye to eye on every issue, we should all agree that every resident has a right to express themselves. We should also agree not to violate someone else’s property.
Of course, this isn’t the first person to steal a sign. Signs have been stolen before. Dare I say, there was a former Miami Springs Mayor who got into some hot water after he was caught removing signs right here in Miami Springs.
Here’s the quote from a 2011 article published by Theo Karantsalis in The Miami New Times:
Centorino’s public corruption unit last probed Garcia back in 2006, when as a councilman he was accused of removing campaign signs of an opponent to District 6 Commissioner Rebeca Sosa. Garcia had claimed he was enforcing a city code allowing only one sign per property, records show. Though prosecutors found he “contributed to an appearance of impropriety,” he was given a warning.
Here’s the point. Respect the property of other people just as you would want them to respect your property. Allow others to express themselves just as you want to be allowed to express yourself. Follow the Golden Rule.
And of course, go out and vote this November. Freedom isn’t free. Our right to vote has been paid with the blood, sacrifice, and lives of countless patriots.
God bless you all and God bless the United States of America.
Shameful! The lack of respect and tolerance towards others is a community in decline.
Maybe they are Trump supporters..and put the sign in their yard