To the Editor,
It’s a catchy little phrase easily remembered, especially by our children – “Just say no to Sleepy Joe and the Ho.”
I recently saw this sign in a Peterson [Minn.] yard. Dig deeper into the meaning of the misogynistic word “ho,” and it’s also racist. It doesn’t matter what your political affiliation; this is abusive and wrong.
Putting up a political sign is your First Amendment right. However, our country also rightly has laws against defamation and libel, defined as “the publication of writing, pictures… or any other medium that exposes a person to public hatred, shame, disgrace, or ridicule.” (www.gallaudet.edu)
I’m saddened this promotion of hate has entered our community. It’s not the way we treat our fellow human beings and a vile use of our cherished freedom of speech.
Margo Aakre
Rushford, Minn.
Rock/Cow says
It has been my experience that the people that complain about free speech are the same people that do not tolerate a difference of opinion. The Democratic party is a good example. If you are a parent and want to express your concerns about what is being taught in the school, you suddenly are shunned or are labelled a domestic terrorist. But if you are a looter (peaceful protester), you are just expressing your 1st amendment right to assemble. If a person has a difference of opinion from mine, that is fine. I can live with that. But if you disagree with a member of the Democratic party/liberal, then you are domestic terrorist or a racist. It is hard to have a discussion with someone like that. As Tim Waltz states, that anyone that lives in outstate MN, is either a cow or a rock. How condescending of a comment is that? He needs to go back to being a teacher. He certainly cannot run a state.
Aaron Bishop says
Greetings Rock/Cow,
You said, “As Tim Waltz states, that anyone that lives in outstate MN, is either a cow or a rock. How condescending of a comment is that”
Perhaps you have not seen the Post Bulletin report on this yet, but the 9 second “rocks and cows” video is only 9 seconds for a reason.
“You see those maps. Red and blue and there’s all that red across there. And Democrats go into depression over it. It’s mostly rocks and cows that are in that red area,” Walz said. Walz goes on to say, “It’s mostly rocks and cows that are in that red area because of demographics. I’m a geographer. But it doesn’t change the fact that moving toward an urban population left a lot of areas where they were wondering, ‘Where was the person speaking for them?'”
…[T}he video is taken out of context and cuts off just as the Mankato Democrat is making his main point — that people in Greater Minnesota feel like they aren’t being heard.
Source: https://www.postbulletin.com/newsmd/political-notebook-its-election-time-again-in-10-local-districts?fbclid=IwAR0xMUHfbVg633Mma1z6_U66xWoTBLAF7VfUZBGKb3iO1wwwTeFKlqI_6NA
Ken says
Where were these people whenTrump was president?
Beth Eiken-Adams says
Well said. I might add that this is unpatriotic, unchristian, and pathetic as well. Shame on them and anyone that supports such behavior. It casts a dark shadow upon the town.
Ruth Nordby Winona, MN says
I agree that those words aren’t appropriate for a yard sign. It’s not only offensive, but as you stated, not anything you would want to have to explain to your children because they read it and didn’t know what it meant. I’m surprised the city hasn’t said something to the property owner. Peterson is a beautiful city, with many tourists coming through town, especially in the summer months. Tourism involves people of all political stripes and morals. I would think the city would want to represent the small town friendly atmosphere, not give them the impression that people in town consider it fine to call women (in this case the first woman vice president) hoes. It shows hatred, and yes, it is just plain sad.