Trading Honesty and Integrity for Nothing... Stealing Political Yard Signs?

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A long time ago, when I was a kid, one of my scout masters was talking to us about shoplifting (more than likely because one of us got caught, but I digress), he asked us what honesty and integrity meant to us. Of course, we gave him the "sunday school" answers... "oh, it means everything"... or, "what good is someone who can't be trusted", or other answers common to 13 year old boys when talking to adults using situations as "object lessons". As a teenager, the lesson was pretty lost on me... but it did stay tucked somewhere in my memory until it dared venture out again. Again was after High School, when I was a little more interested in what honesty, integrity and name meant to me. I think about that question a lot nowadays, and have passed the lesson on to my kids (who fortunately had much more integrity in their teen years as their old man did in his)... but they were (and still are) every bit as political as I am. This will be 3 of my kids' first presidential election. They are pretty excited about finally getting to participate. My youngest son is a George Bush supporter from way back. 8 years ago, his Elementary School did one of those "mock" election activities, to help kids learn about how elections work. Jared was the only kid in the school who actually campaigned for a candidate. While the other classes count turned out to be basically a reflection of how the parents of the kids in the class voted, most of Jared's class voted for Bush. (he was pretty persuasive even for a 10 year old). This year, while he's been excited about participating for real finally, he's been a bit disappointed in the choices. I mean, his mom and I had Reagan to vote for our first time. His oldest brother got to vote for Bush...and the fact he got to do it against Kerry made it seem even more exciting. But after the good candidates started falling by the wayside in the Republican primary, he started wondering how he was going to keep up his excitement. He found a way to express his support for the Republican party, even if he didn't like who the nominee was.... He had kept our "Bush/Cheney" Yard Sign from 4 years ago. He put it out front for all to see. It actually lasted longer than we expected. There is a coffee house around the corner that is a favorite among the more left leaning residents of Sheboygan. We knew the lefties wouldn't put up with a Bush/Cheney sign for long... it did last about a month though, so I'll give them credit for their restraint, even if it was temporary. ;~D When he came home from work the other night, he noticed a bare spot in the grass where his sign used to be. At first he suspected his sister pulling a prank (which she isn't above mind you). He confronted her, but soon realized that it was just wishful thinking... the sign had been stolen. That go me thinking about my old scout master and his question again. Every election year people put out signs backing or slamming one candidate or the other. Every year these signs get stolen, destroyed, defaced, spindled or otherwise messed with. It makes me wonder about the honesty and integrity of some people. I mean, if you are going to trade them for something, make it something worth.. well... something. To trade them for nothing is just pathetic and sad. ;~D