ICOSA
Free Expression Does Not Include Vandalism
RECEIVED Thu., June 24, 2004
Louis,
I was at the new Work Source Job Center yesterday looking for work. I parked my car some distance away taking advantage of passive exercise. When I returned, the three bumper stickers on my car had been defaced. My "Keep Abortion Legal" was scratched over, my "Any One but Bush in 2004" had been scratched out and rewritten to read "Everybody for Bush in 2004," and my "Republican't" had the "t" marked through after attempting to cut then tear the letter off.
Now I am all for free expression and a difference of opinion, but to take the time obviously needed to damage and alter the message of these bumper stickers took real effort. The work force parking lot is used by out of work Austinites. My take is that some Republican is pissed off about the poor economy and directed his anger in the Democratic direction.
The only thing I regret, I did not have my Human Rights Campaign sticker or a sticker indicating that I am Jewish on the car, or perhaps a rainbow flag showing gay pride. Had it been defaced, I would have filed a hate crime report with APD.
I was at the new Work Source Job Center yesterday looking for work. I parked my car some distance away taking advantage of passive exercise. When I returned, the three bumper stickers on my car had been defaced. My "Keep Abortion Legal" was scratched over, my "Any One but Bush in 2004" had been scratched out and rewritten to read "Everybody for Bush in 2004," and my "Republican't" had the "t" marked through after attempting to cut then tear the letter off.
Now I am all for free expression and a difference of opinion, but to take the time obviously needed to damage and alter the message of these bumper stickers took real effort. The work force parking lot is used by out of work Austinites. My take is that some Republican is pissed off about the poor economy and directed his anger in the Democratic direction.
The only thing I regret, I did not have my Human Rights Campaign sticker or a sticker indicating that I am Jewish on the car, or perhaps a rainbow flag showing gay pride. Had it been defaced, I would have filed a hate crime report with APD.
Mary Jo Osgood