In the next several weeks, folks in the West End of Winnipeg will be voting for a new mayor for the city, a new MLA for the province, and a new MP for federal parliament.
We’re already being bombarded with wild promises, claims and contradictions. People will be knocking at your door, phoning you during supper, and regularly dropping a variety of propaganda in your mailboxes.
But one of the things that bugs me most during elections is the sign war.
When I ran for provincial office, I had no problem knocking on doors, delivering information, or standing on my accomplishments in the community. I discovered, however, that I had a problem with election signs.
Sign democracy is frustrating. The aggressive posting of signs seems to fuel the assumption that the person who posts the most signs wins the election. And it leads to all kind of other problems.
There’s the sign pressure. Some workers pressure immigrants to accept signs on their lawn, despite the fact they may not speak the language, let alone follow the issues. Some workers intimidate or guilt others into accepting signs because if the candidate wins and they rejected his sign, it may be held against them.
There’s the sign vandalism. It’s painfully obvious that the selective destruction, defacing or removal of signs is not just a random act of God or strong and picky wind.
There’s the sign silliness. Hundreds of signs will get posted on boulevards and vacant buildings. Does that indicate voter support or desperation for name recognition? Signs on rental properties are puzzling. Do they indicate the political preference of the tenants or the landlords? Workers compare signs. “My sign is bigger than your sign.” “My sign is prettier than your sign.”
Some sign postings reflect the Pavlovian response of partisan voters. These folk post signs endorsing people they wouldn’t accept as personal babysitters, financial planners or friends. They don’t even examine the candidate or check out the competition. When questioned, they respond, “If they’ve got the party logo, that’s good enough for me!”
I was driving down Ellice with one of my sons during a recent civic election campaign. He inquired why there were so many signs up with people’s names on them. I took the opportunity to explain to him about elections.
He asked me who I was voting for, and I gave him a name and some reasons.
He continued looking out the window silently as we drove down the street. After while, he looked at me sadly and commented, “But dad, the other guy is going to win.”
I wondered if his pronouncement was due to a previously undiscovered prophetic gifting or newfound political awareness. I asked, “How do you know who’s going to win?”
He responded, “I’m counting signs, and that guy has the most signs on this street. So he wins, right?”
Election signage highlights part of what’s wrong with our election process. It’s more about popularity, personality and propaganda when it should be about ability, accomplishments, and an articulation of vision.
Many people hate parts of the process, but remain afraid to alter their participation for fear of losing votes and perhaps letting down supporters who don’t want to risk losing.
I have a dream.
I dream of an election in which candidates will not be judged by the color of their signs but by the content of their character. A dream in which the lips of politicians no longer drip with obfuscation and contradiction, but actually exhibit the virtues they attempt to engineer in others.
I have a dream that even in this city of “muddy waters” the inner-city and the suburbs can bless and protect each other. A dream that taxpayers and taxpayees will display increasing respect for each other in a day of decreasing resources. A dream that unions and employers will demonstrate solidarity in the pursuit of corporate and community progress rather than purely personal profit.
I have a dream in which candidates don’t sell “cooked books” door-to-door, but actually address the concerns of people on the street.
Some people tell me I should stop dreaming. I think I know where they’re coming from. Perhaps my dream is about as elusive as the noble dream articulated by one of my heroes. But I feel it’s important not to abandon our dreams. It’s the daily pursuit of these dreams that drives much of the best efforts on behalf of our community.
As I consider the candidates and go to the polls, I’ll be guided by those dreams along with the real-life accomplishments and platforms of the candidates – not their signs.
Rev. Harry Lehotsky
514 Maryland Street
Winnipeg, Mb R3G 1M5
(204) 775-4929
lehotsky@escape.ca