Mount Vernon Democrats:
It has happened again. Last night - the same day that George Allen's supporters gang tackled a constituent trying to ask George Allen questions, two men and a pickup truck attempted to steal what was left of Wendel Allen's sign for the fifth time.
It's time to take action.
The Mount Vernon District Democratic Committee is organizing a group of sign protection volunteers to camp out and protect Wendel Allen's sign and his right to Freedom of Speech until Election Day. Volunteers will be armed with a camera and a flashlight, and if anyone is caught, the charges will be prosecuted for destruction of property.
Wendel Allen is a Missouri-native who moved to Northern Virginia in 1941 to work with Harry Truman retired in the late 1970s after a career with the Secret Service. In 1993, he became impressed with George Allen who was then running for Governor against Attorney General Mary Sue Terry. He was so impressed, he became a delegate to the Republican Party of VirginiaGÇÖs Convention. Wendel Allen, who considered himself a Republican, also voted in the Republican primaries in 1989, 1996, and 1998. However, Wendel Allen felt that after George Allen was elected, he forgot about Wendel Allen and others who gave hours to get him there.
This and George Allen's bullying this summer drove him to change his mind about George Allen. In September, Wendel Allen went to Webb for Senate Headquarters, obtained a small yard sign, and put it in a tree in his back yard facing Mount Memorial Highway. Days later, it was ripped down so he went back to Webb Headquarters and obtained another sign. It was ripped down again.
In October, Wendel Allen obtained a 4 foot by 4 foot Webb for Senate sign. Local volunteers glued it on to a plywood backing to deter vandals. One week later, it was removed. A neighbor saw men with a ladder and a pickup truck removing it from the scene.
Next, Wendel Allen put a fourth sign up. This time he put Christmas lights and a spotlight on the sign to deter vandals and put a sign above it that stated GÇ£Pro-Senator Allen THUGS have STOLEN a WEBB Sign from this Location 3 TIMES!GÇ¥
The local papers, the Mount Vernon Gazette Packet and the Mount Vernon Voice ran stories on the sign issue and the following week after VDOT tried to remove the sign:
There's another story in tomorrow's Mount Vernon Gazette and Mount Vernon Voice and it has also been covered by Raising Kaine here:
Wendel Allen negotiated an agreement with VDOT to permit him to keep the sign up. Days later, his sign was defaced by a vandal drew a penis on the sign the day before the Washington Post ran a story about sexual content in some of Jim WebbGÇÖs fiction novels. Two days later, sometime after 1:00 a.m. in the morning on October 29, 2006, the Jim Webb sign was torn down again, the Christmas lights wires clipped, and the little sign about the thefts remained.
Last night, we discussed putting the sign back up, but decided to avoid doing that on Halloween night. It was a good thing, because at 12:20 a.m. they came back to get the little sign in a pickup truck. Wendel Allen's son chased them away.
I ask you this.
Can we expect anything less from a man who in 1994 told his supporters "let's enjoy knocking their soft teeth down their whiny throats?"
Can we expect anything less from a man who bullied an Webb campaign worker with racial epithets in an all-white public event?
Are we surprised his supporters think that it is appropriate to gang tackle dissenters?
Can we expect anything less when the President and Vice President label dissent as unpatriotic and encouragement to terrorists?
Given this and even after two stories detailing this behavior in the local papers, are we surprised this his supporters think it is appropriate to muzzle an eighty-eight year-old retiree who served his country for over three decades in the Secret Service? It is precisely George Allen's, and George Bush's attitudes and behavior which encourages this type of behavior. We don't stand for it in general, and we won't put up with it in Virginia, in Mount Vernon, or even one mile from George Allen's house or the home of our Founding Father, George Washington and two miles from the home of George Mason. Picking on this man like this is despicable.
I don't know whether Wendel Allen even considers himself a Democrat and I really don't care. Even citizen has a fundamental right to express their political views. Wendel Allen and his son are being politically intimidated and it is time for us to act. Our Constitution gives all of us a First Amendment right to express our political views no matter what precinct we live in, not matter how many prominent Republicans live nearby, whether our neighbors like our views or not, and Wendel Allen has taken great pains to be able to express his views. Over $200 of materials have been lost and countless volunteer hours wasted trying to give someone the right to express their views.
Anyone interesting in taking a stand against political intimidation and helping to guaranty Wendel Allen his right to Freedom of Speech should volunteer for a two hour shift to stand guard over his sign and send an email to Ellen Phillips who is coordinating sign watchers at:
webbsign@cox.net
Mount Vernon State Delegate Kris Amundsen feels strongly about this and has volunteered to take the first shift. Let's all follow her lead.
Scott Surovell
Chair, Mount Vernon District Democratic Committee
It's almost like these jerks are taking it as a dare on how frequently they can rip down a sign.
We need to stake this out and catch them in the act.
Slimeball, sleaze, and threats. That's how these scum operate.
These guys have also been out stealing signs from people again....one man in Hollin Hall precinct had his sign removed last night and replaced with an Allen sign.
Pathetic losers.
If there is a neighborhood watch in the area, it would be good to work with them. Be sure to have a fully charged video cam and a cell phone set to call the local police.
Do not touch the perpetrators! Call the police!