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Edited on Sun Sep-12-04 09:28 AM by ih8thegop
http://www.mlive.com/elections/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1094984665118870.xmlStephen Sampson admits his homemade yard signs were fighting words for Republicans.
One said "Freedom of Speech is Dead in the Republican Party." The other: "Vote Republican. It's easier than thinking."
But when those signs, along with a Kerry/Edwards sign, recently were stolen from his front yard, Sampson felt as if his freedom of speech was violated.
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The retiree is among dozens of Kerry supporters who had their signs stolen in this particularly intense presidential campaign.
The West Michigan Kerry/Edwards headquarters in Grand Rapids is keeping a rolling tab of reported thefts: 120 so far.
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The trend is an aggravation to local Kerry officials, who distributed what they said was a record 12,000 yard signs this year around Kent County and are trying to replace the stolen ones as quickly as they can.
"Signs are dropping as fast as we can put them up," said John Otterbacher, spokesman for the Kerry/Edwards West Michigan campaign. "We're not going to be intimidated ... and hopefully, (Democrats) won't respond in kind to this low-road tactic."
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The Kent County Republican Party, which began to distribute Bush/Cheney signs after the GOP convention two weeks ago, has not received any complaints of stolen signs, a party official said.
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(One resident) said he would be ready for another theft attempt. His new sign is attached to a fishing line with cans on it.
Kennedy hopes if the sign is taken, the cans will wake up his dog, who will bark and wake him up in time to take a photo of the offender.
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