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An effigy of a soldier hanging from a house in Sacramento's Land Park neighborhood that sparked controversy over freedom of expression is now gone.
An unknown person tore down part of the camouflage soldier fatigues Wednesday morning, and later someone on a motorcycle took the rest of the political protest, according to neighbors. Throughout the day, people from outside the neighborhood drove by to see it or take it down themselves.
"I'm a huge military supporter and I've got some good friends over in Iraq right now," said Mike Coates, 25, of Fair Oaks. Coates heard about the issue on the radio and drove by Wednesday afternoon with a ladder in his pick-up truck to take down the effigy. It was already gone.
"I'm outraged," said neighbor Marque Cohen, who has contacted police and city officials to get the effigy and other signs and flags taken removed. "We have our men and women in uniform that are dying to protect our rights and I think it's a disgrace that somebody would be allowed to hang a U.S. soldier in effigy in front of their house."
The city code enforcement office and city attorney reviewed the case and found there was nothing to be done, according to City councilman Rob Fong.
Next-door neighbor Pete Miles said there was sure to be more signs of protest from the house's owners.
"To all of us the first amendment is one of our vital rights but there are other important things in life such as getting along with your neighbor," Miles said.
But other neighbors said they either agreed with or didn't mind the political protests.
People trespassing to take down the sign was more worrisome, said a neighbor named Ann, who declined to give her last name for fear of retribution.
She said her son is an Army convoy driver who recently returned from Iraq, fighting for "our ability to express ourselves without being intimidated or have someone come onto our property."
"I don't necessarily agree with everything he puts up there, but it's his right," she said.
A sign that accompanied the uniform saying "Your Tax Dollars At Work" remained, having fallen in a neatly kept flower bed. Iraqi and Palestinian flags remained hung from inside the windows.
For more details, see Thursday's Bee.
An unknown person tore down part of the camouflage soldier fatigues Wednesday morning, and later someone on a motorcycle took the rest of the political protest, according to neighbors. Throughout the day, people from outside the neighborhood drove by to see it or take it down themselves.
"I'm a huge military supporter and I've got some good friends over in Iraq right now," said Mike Coates, 25, of Fair Oaks. Coates heard about the issue on the radio and drove by Wednesday afternoon with a ladder in his pick-up truck to take down the effigy. It was already gone.
"I'm outraged," said neighbor Marque Cohen, who has contacted police and city officials to get the effigy and other signs and flags taken removed. "We have our men and women in uniform that are dying to protect our rights and I think it's a disgrace that somebody would be allowed to hang a U.S. soldier in effigy in front of their house."
The city code enforcement office and city attorney reviewed the case and found there was nothing to be done, according to City councilman Rob Fong.
Next-door neighbor Pete Miles said there was sure to be more signs of protest from the house's owners.
"To all of us the first amendment is one of our vital rights but there are other important things in life such as getting along with your neighbor," Miles said.
But other neighbors said they either agreed with or didn't mind the political protests.
People trespassing to take down the sign was more worrisome, said a neighbor named Ann, who declined to give her last name for fear of retribution.
She said her son is an Army convoy driver who recently returned from Iraq, fighting for "our ability to express ourselves without being intimidated or have someone come onto our property."
"I don't necessarily agree with everything he puts up there, but it's his right," she said.
A sign that accompanied the uniform saying "Your Tax Dollars At Work" remained, having fallen in a neatly kept flower bed. Iraqi and Palestinian flags remained hung from inside the windows.
For more details, see Thursday's Bee.
The odd thing is the house this happened at is a block away from my dad's house, and I drove by it by accident yesterday. It was a pretty big front window display....about a 4.5x3 flag. I can see why the neighbors were pissed off, but being pissed off doesn't give you the right to tresspass and vandalize a piece of controversial art. Especially the irony involved between the motivation of taking it down out of respect for the soldiers, and how that act of vandalism shows a lack of respect for freedom itself.
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