Recently, I made issue of political canvassers and how they choose to ignore residents’ requests to be left alone.
Yes, I am aware of the legal rights of political canvassers. However, the ruling only said that no law could be made that prevents canvassers as they were participating in the exercising of their rights to free speech. The ruling didn’t say that it was OK for people to ignore requests to be left alone.
Instead of getting on your high horse and thumping your chest about how your political canvassing is “protected speech,” try actually recognizing the fact that people may not care about it, as is their right to.
For all intents and purposes, your political canvassing IS soliciting. You are trying to convince me that your issue or candidate is the best and that I should vote for them. Essentially, you’re trying to “sell” your issue or candidate to me.
By ignoring my sign and the signs of countless others, you are disrespecting our privacy and us. I do not care about the troubles that modern campaigns have with voter outreach. You have to roll with it, just like us. When I have a sign on my door that says: “Do Not Disturb, Children Sleeping, No Soliciting,” I expect you to read it, understand it and move on.
You also have to understand that there are thousands of us who are day sleepers because of our jobs. Having worked these jobs, I truly understand how hard it is to actually sleep in the day without disruptions or distractions. When people have a sign up, they have it up for a reason; they are not trying to be rude; they just want to be left alone and they just want to sleep.
Matt Funicello
Saugus
