OLD LYME — Less than 24 hours after they were put up along a busy street in Old Lyme, two large signs promoting Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Stefanowski were defaced with red graffiti, according to property owner J. David Kelsey.
Kelsey, who co-founded the Old Lyme-based real estate private-equity investment company Hamilton Point Investments LLC, is a Republican currently serving as chairman of the town’s Board of Finance. Kelsey also funded the launch in 2019 of the CTExaminer, and in February he contributed $500,000 to the launch of a Super PAC that is supporting Stefanowski’s campaign.
He said the signs were installed on his land around 2 p.m. Saturday and on Sunday were found defaced.
“It’s a little disappointing,” Kelsey said. He added …
Read the full article, titled, Political Signs Reportedly Defaced In Old Lyme, which was written by Christine Stuart and published Oct. 2, on CTNewsJunkie.com, at this link. Both CTNewsJunkie.com and LymeLine.com are members of the national organization LION (Local Independent Online News) Publishers.
Doesn’t he (Kelsey) know that political signs are never welcome in Old Lyme? Thank goodness. No wonder someone expressed their displeasure – at the insensitive resident who posted them!
You completely missed the point lady….. Basler hit the nail on the head!
This is the first I heard of this. Would you be expressing a personal preference or Is there some sort of law against signage?
Whatever, I don’t believe anyone has the right to deface property belonging to someone else. In addition, when it comes to political signs, defacing them just brings attention to the person or party that the vandal was protesting…pretty stupid.
We live in an extremely privileged community. It is a sad commentary that whoever did this doesn’t understand how fortunate she/he is to live here and chooses destruction as a means of communication.
Certainly not by the wonderful democrats in Old Lyme. This would be a good time for those who regularly post pro democrat positions to condemn this. Or stay silent and therefore endorse this behavior.
Both the RTC and DTC Chairs have responded to the incident in this article: https://lymeline.com/2022/10/old-lyme-dtc-rtc-chairs-respond-to-defacement-of-stefanowski-signs/
Hmmm,don’t wish to annoy reader Sloan Danenhower,but why do political campaign signs need to be put up at all?Why do I need to know who you intend to vote for?I doubt you care who my choice is.Political campaign signs are a primitive form of social expression and are a worse sight than graffiti sprayed on the side of a subway car.How about exerting the same sort of zeal by planting a tree or a rock garden?Something pleasing to the eye and far less confrontational than campaign signs.
Hearing more input about town regarding this incident,there is a possible solution.For the peace and happiness of our town,the local Republican Party must all step forward and denounce Donald Trump and his policies.Whether in Old Lyme or on a national level,Donald’s thoughts and urges must be resisted and stopped.He and his ideas are a cancer on our society.
I totally agree, Mr. Wilder. My family members were Republicans. They would be shocked to see what has happened to their preferred political party. The lack of courage to speak out and condemn the lies about election fraud when 60 court cases have found no basis in fact, is appalling.
I am not a member of either major political party because, like our first President, I believe that unity not division is necessary for democracy to survive. As President Washington said in 1799 with regard to political parties “It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection.”
His prediction was profound yet the finger-pointing continues with the local signage issue as well as with local elected officials refusing to denounce the lies and attempted insurrection of 2021.
President Trump should not have joined Stacey Abrams, Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and other democrats over the past ten years in denying election results; however, your fixation on this issue doesn’t lower the temperature in the room. Using your logic, local democrat candidates should defend the horrible policies and results of President Biden. Notice that I referred to him as President Biden, not Joe or Brandon. All our Presidents deserve respect regardless of their abilities, conduct, and results even President Biden who many consider the worst President in the last 50 years.
I accept your passive-aggressive comment, Mr. Basler. It was a wise decision not to take on President Washington but rather to turn your focus into a partisan nag. You have offered up a perfect example of what President Washington warned us against doing 223 years ago.
My comment was a reply to Mr Wilder’s posting which is why I addressed items he cited. Be grateful that we live in a country where people can have different views. But the facts are the facts as far as those who claimed election fraud.