“Sign, sign, everywhere a sign.” That’s what the old song says. “Blockin’ out the scenery. Breakin’ my mind. Do this, don’t do that. Can’t you read the sign?”
It’s a classic that put a relatively unknown Canadian band on the map back in 1971. The song describes four instances of encountering signs that cause anger or concern. Whether it’s a notice that “long-haired freaky people need not apply” or being told to leave a restaurant because you don’t meet its dress code or have a membership card, both of which are displayed on a sign— the song is a greater parable about how the posting of signs can serve as a metaphor for conformity.
I’m not sure we have a conformity problem in this country, though I do agree messages like “keep off the grass,” “no skateboards on the parking lot” and “no pets allowed” do abound.
I do think signs can get out of hand, though— particularly political yard signs.
Texas is overrun with them this time of year. We just got over a sign-filled primary election. Of which, some of the losers— and few of the winners— have yet to collect all their signs.
And we have rolled over to a local election cycle in which a new batch of signs have taken their place.
“Sign, sign, everywhere a sign.”
We can’t escape them. It all begs the question, do these signs really work?
A 2015 study at Columbia University found that political signs can in fact make a difference. According to the study’s lead researcher Donald Green, “somewhere between 1 and 2 percentage points on average,” can be changed in the election outcome. “Hardly earth shattering, but not nothing, either,” Green told NPR. In races that are especially close, they might just be the deciding factor. And, Lord knows, every race— it seems— has been close lately.
Our country, our state, our county and our cities are more divided now than ever and the margin of those divisions are as narrow as ever.
“What’s primarily at stake when it comes to signs is name recognition — especially for many local races that don’t generate a lot of attention, according to Cindy Kam, a professor at Vanderbilt University,” NPR reported.
Back in 2011, Kam co-authored a study in which yard signs for a fictitious county council candidate — “Ben Griffin” — were placed on lawns on a well-trafficked street near a school.
A survey was mailed out a few days later by the local PTA asking respondents to list their choices for the county’s at-large council seats. Five real candidates were listed along with the fake Griffin and another made-up name. Nearly 25% of respondents listed the fictional Ben Griffin among their top three picks.
But that was 2011 which seems like a lifetime ago in this day and age of social media. I wonder if these results would replicate themselves today. Social media has compounded the increasing political division in this country and in our communities.
Everyone has taken a side. I’m afraid the over-abundance of political signs has just become a physical manifestation of that division. I walked into the office Monday morning and said to the staff, “The yard signs are out and battle lines are drawn” in reference to our upcoming local elections. It was an off-the-cuff comment, but it took me aback as soon as it came out of my mouth. The battle lines are drawn and folks in the community are choosing sides by planting a sign in their yard.
And that’s okay, I just hope we are all able to work together when it’s all said and done. The dust will settle, aldermen will be sworn-in and— no matter who they are— we will be expected to work together for the benefit of our community. I hope we can do that. I hope having a yard sign for the loser in your yard will not hamper your voice being heard later down the road.
Admittedly, I’ve posted a few political signs in my yard over the years, but I’m rethinking it. I’m not sure it does any good. I tend to believe discourse and the civil exchange of ideas is the best way to achieve a political means and, therefore a consensus— not sniping on social media and an over-abundance of political yard signs.
The News-Record is committed to delivering just that over the course of the upcoming local election cycle. Keep an eye here for information about and comments from each of our local candidates.
