The continuous campaign goes local

Pioneer Press Fri, 16 Nov 2007 22:09:55 -0700
Hastings man's political lawn sign challenges city code

On Wednesday, a windstorm accomplished what Hastings City Hall could not - it knocked down Chris Chandler's lawn sign.Chandler isn't fazed. His civil disobedience may help knock down sign ordinances across the metro.

Chandler, by his own description, is one of Texas U.S. Rep. Ron Paul's biggest fans. In August, he attached a prominent "Ron Paul - Hope For America" campaign sign to the chain-link fence fronting his yard, letting the world know of his enthusiasm for the GOP's lesser-known anti-war presidential candidate.

In October, city officials told him to take it down. He refused.

Instead, he posted a smaller, handmade sign next to the vinyl one.

His candidate is, after all, a Libertarian-Constitutionalist. Chandler figured he would channel his hero and press for a stricter reading of his First Amendment rights to free speech.

"They put a restriction on a political sign, saying it could only be put up for 100 days before the election, and 10 days after," Chandler said. "I said that's a form of censorship. You don't tell people when they can put up a real estate sign."

[[keywords: Legal;Elections;Metro;]]