Election years always seem to bring out the worst in people. The last few elections in particular have been exceptionally charged with polarity. Perhaps the shock comes from my age and the fact that this year is only the third presidential election I can honestly recall with any clarity, but people seem angrier than ever. This anger often leads to irrational behavior on both sides. Friends will engage in heated debates, often calling the very nature of their relationship into question. A person's common sense is almost summarily ignored during the progressively increasing amount of time known as a presidential campaign season.

Everyone is guilty of this. Heinous acts are committed on both sides of the debate. However, it does seem like one group, in particular, plays to a more juvenile and all too disgraceful manner of trying to convince people of the folly of their political ways. I am speaking, of course, about liberals.

Just recently, I returned from a vacation with my girlfriend and her family in Las Vegas. Naturally, a good time was had by all. We took in a show, did some gambling, enjoyed some fine dining, and generally enjoyed ourselves. Once we returned home, however, our moods changed slightly. My girlfriend and her family are very political and staunchly Republican. Their front yard is adorned with various signs for conservative candidates for office and propositions backed by conservatives. Yes, they had a McCain/Palin sign there too. It was a rather unique sign that was purchased with the family's own money. Sadly, this sign was now gone.

Not only was their McCain/Palin sign gone, but so was every other McCain/Palin sign on their entire street. The neighborhood in which they live is a very conservative one and had many yards with McCain/Palin signs. This is not the first time the issue of stolen yard signs has been addressed. Indeed, a quick Google search revealed it is fairly common. Other, more infantile actions have also been reported. Fox News reported on a man who had dog poop thrown in the bed of his truck because of the large McCain sign on his truck. When the man and his family confronted the culprit, all he could say to explain himself was that he "hates McCain."

I do not understand these type of tactics. Liberals are supposed to be the bastions of acceptance and tolerance. They are supposed to respect the views of others and welcome diversity. They, ostensibly, defend free speech and the unhindered flow of ideas. Those who pay attention know this to be almost universally false. Liberals welcome debate, as long as the debate is orchestrated according to their demands. They welcome free speech, as long as no one is offended. They are beholden not to the Constitution or the American people, but to the radical special interest groups that regularly fill their coffers. They would rather stifle debate and admonish nay-sayers than to encourage true dialogue and bi-partisan agreement.

I know that some Obama signs have been stolen. I know that there are some on the conservative side who have acted childishly towards Obama supporters. But the point I am trying to make is that there is simply a difference in mentality for most liberals. There is no decency. There is no respect. Those in the liberal mainstays like California, New York, and New England believe themselves to be far better educated and, thus, know better for the country than the vast, unwashed masses of the red states. They can't respect us because they truly believe they are better than us. We just don't know. We do not understand. They have to save us from ourselves.

The troubling thing about this mentality and these tactics are that they aren't just the tactics of the liberal elite, they are the the brick and mortar that any true liberal uses to establish a foundation upon which to view the world. This is the problem. You with your yard signs and bumper stickers just don't understand the implications of your associations. Therefore, the compassionate, understanding, tolerant liberals have a duty to protect you from yourself and remove the offending material. It isn't really your fault. After all, you are a Republican.