ANDOVER – This letter is submitted in response to a letter published in the August Beacon in which the writer states that a certain lawn sign “… appears to call for the killing and dismembering of State Representative Andrus.”  The writer hints to the person who created the sign by identifying the road where it was placed. I never noticed the sign, but I guessed who the person might be. I was immediately fearful for her, considering an incident that occurred at the Fourth of July parade gathering when some random male got in the face of an older woman because she was holding a sign in favor of Women’s Reproductive Liberty. I asked around and was told that since the publication of the letter, someone did publicly post the name and address of the sign creator, which made me further concerned.

I found a photo of the “sign” on Louise Andrus’ official Facebook page! It was a display consisting of two signs: (1) “Live with [Name of Dem Candidate]” and (2) “Die with GOP–Louise Andrus,”  The “Live” sign showed a happy face and a checkbox; the “Die” sign was surrounded by Halloween decorations, consisting of some skeleton, arm and leg parts. Honestly, I’ve seen much more gore at Halloween time!

However, to my point: by referencing only one of the signs in her letter, without the other which added context and meaning, it was clear to me that the letter writer was, with purpose and intent, promoting a “violent and hateful” interpretation of the display to instigate violence and hate. 

The signs depicted in the photo and that were actually on display are easily interpreted as an artistic expression of “Live Free or Die!”  All one needs to do is research the voting record of most New Hampshire Republicans, including Louise Andrus, to understand that they do not stand for freedom, life and liberty (despite Representative Andrus’s constant claims to the contrary).  Or, maybe, they stand for “Freedom for me, but not for thee.”

Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, New Hampshire Republicans have desperately tried to take away a woman’s right to bodily autonomy and healthcare. They have voted against increasing the eligibility for free meals for students. They have voted against raising the minimum wage in New Hampshire. They have voted against permitting municipalities to expand housing in certain single-family residential zones. They have voted against any gun control, no matter how minimal.  These actions affect the quality of life and health of New Hampshire citizens.

 
Art is Expression!  Art can be interpreted in different ways, from benign to provocative. One of the purposes of art is to stimulate the senses; stimulate thought; maybe, to make you think in a different way.  But, when someone appears to knowingly, deliberately, purposely, and publicly misrepresent and misconstrue an artistic display, specifically to promote hate and violence against the artist, I agree, Ms. Baer, it “needs to stop”!

Thank you.

Marie Nardino
Andover