Roadside Political Signs

What a beautiful time of year! Clear blue skies, cool weather, and....road-side political signs everywhere. I hate them. They mess up the beauty of God's creation. They're nothing more than garbage thrown fromt he window of a moving vehicle. However, they can be useful.

I was thinking of ways to advertise my upcoming Yard Sale and thought that maybe I'd be doing a community service by removing, oh say....4 or 5 signs. Then I had a question. Is removing said signs illegal? I wasn't sure because most of them are placed on public property, right? So, technically, I'm cleaning trash off public property by removing these eyesores? Especially if there's like 12 signs for the same candidate on the same intersection corner?

Well, just to make sure, I phoned the local Sheriff's office. Now, I don't know about the rest of the country or even the rest of our lovely state, but this is what the detective I spoke to told me.

Detective: How can I help you?

Me: (little giggle) I have a silly question and I apologize for wasting your time with this one but I just wanted to get a clear answer in order to act with a clear conscience.

Detective: Mmm Hmmm

Me: You know these political signs on the side of the road? Everywhere I look I see them. There are even those that look like they've been run over. Is it okay if I stop and grab 4 or 5 of them to relabel for a Yard Sale? I just wanted to make sure.

Detective: Your answer to that question is No. By taking those signs, even if an election is over, you are committing the act of theft. The signs are bought and paid for by the candidate and it is their responsiblity to pick them up when the election is over. I suggest you place a phone call to each candidate whose name you see on the sign and ask their permission to retrieve a couple of those signs. If permission is given, then it's okay. Otherwise, it's theft.

Me: Okay, thank you.

I hung up and thought about the issue for a few minutes. If I stop and pick up one or two signs on a country road who would really know? Answer: Me and God. If I hadn't phone the sheriff's office and asked my question, would my taking a sign or two be a sin? Which leads to another question, if I do something that is a sin, but I don't know that it's a sin, is it still a sin? Answer: I believe so, because eventually I would find out that the act is still a sin and I would be faced with the consequences and need to repent. Therefore, it is my conclusion that I need to be well informed before I make such a simple (or silly) decision as to whether or not my act would be breaking the law or commandments.

That being said, I'm now at home, typing on my bloggy thing, preparing to search for some cheap Yard Sale signs that I won't have to staple gun to a light pole. It's also a plus if they're in good enough shape to hang on to until my next Yard Sale so I won't have to deal with this issue again!

Now I have come to the end of my dilemma for the day and will no longer bore you all with this issue. I'm off to do some sign hunting via the informational highway!