POLITICAL YARD SIGNS

From the New York Times editorial board:

In recent years, however, a growing number of towns and counties have passed laws trying to ban residents from placing political signs on their lawns — signs promoting political candidates or, say, expressing opposition to the war in Iraq.

Some local officials say the bans stem from complaints that the signs are an eyesore, but what they really are is an infringement of free speech, and more and more angry citizens are going to court to defend their constitutional rights. Some civil libertarians hope that a recent lawsuit in the northern New Jersey town of Hawthorne will shift the momentum their way.

Click here for more.

Okay, that's cool. An ACLU lawsuit is just what I was looking for to clarify exactly what my rights are on this issue.

You see, while blogging is fun, and I have no doubt that a few people actually read what I have to say here from time to time, I often kick myself for not participating more effectively in our grand marketplace of ideas. Indeed, I believe it is the responsibility of every American citizen to shoot his mouth off about his civic beliefs. Blogging is one way to do that, but like I said, who's really reading Real Art? Of course, I'm involved with a left leaning theater group in New Orleans, but, as with blogging, who really goes to the theater? Same with my little politically oriented acoustic set I do for open mike nights.

I've become very fascinated lately with the idea of freeway blogging as a way to subversively reach a mass audience. And because my little apartment balcony is in full sight of the parking lot of Grace King High School here in Metairie, as well as the fact that one of my major pet issues is how American education serves to totally fuck up the American democratic spirit, I've been toying with the idea of putting up a poster saying something like "EDUCATION=THOUGHT CONTROL" just to see what happens.

But I don't want to get kicked out of my apartment for doing my civic duty.

That's why I'll know for sure what I can and cannot do legally once this lawsuit in New Jersey runs its course. I mean, I'm certain that I have the right to express myself this way, but rights and the law are often miles apart, and this disparity usually favors those in power. Like landlords.

Anyway, go, go, go ACLU!!!

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