Owner Believes Lexus Vandalized Due To McCain Sticker

The Tampa Tribune ^ | October 18, 2008 | DAVE NICHOLSON

[nickcarraway]

Frank Armstrong was preparing to go for a jog this morning when he noticed his Lexus – adorned with a McCain-Palin sticker - had been vandalized with obscenities and a burned American flag.

Armstrong discovered the damage to his 2006 Lexus about 8:30 a.m. at his Sand Key condominium at 1400 Gulf Blvd. Clearwater police and Armstrong said someone etched obscenities and "KKK" into the paint, burned several areas of the car with cigarettes, set the flag on fire on his hood and may have urinated on the vehicle. Officers and Armstrong think the car was singled out because of its political stickers, including one reading "Nobama."

"This is definitely a hate crime," said Armstrong, a 41-year-old physician.

Police estimated damage at $4,500. Police classified the incident as "criminal mischief/hate crime" and said it appeared "to be politically/racially motivated because the victim affixed a bumper sticker supporting the McCain campaign as well as an anti-Obama bumper sticker."

[nickcarraway]

A Republican driving a Lexus??

[Don Corleone]

If you don’t think that there’ll be conflict after this election you are just in from Pluto.

[massgopguy]

One of the people that goes to BC Football games with us had his car “keyed” out in North Hampton MA aka “Toleranceville, because of his Bush-Cheney sign.

[VeniVidiVici]

I’ve been thinking about putting a NOBAMA sticker on my car. And then sit outside with a shotgun at night.

With rock salt, of course :)

[demsux]

I took the McCain sticker off of my 02 Z-28, cause cars were getting keyed around here if they had McCain stickers.

Obama Supporters = Thugs

[Aria]

I drive a Lexus with a McCain Palin sticker and I’m real careful where I park.

[blf1776]

I hope they do a DNA test on the pee.

[FrPR]

I live in DC and - sorry to say - I wouldn’t put any Republican stickers on my car or signs outside my house. There’s only one sticker I’ve felt comfortable keeping on my car. It’s from Protestwarrior and says:

Except for ending Slavery, Nazism, Fascism and Communism
WAR HAS NEVER SOLVED ANYTHING !

[webschooner]

If you drove around here for a day or two and took a survey of bumper stickers, you would conclude that Bammy would take this state in a landslide, as there are almost no McCain/Palin bumper stickers.

However, I guarantee you that this state will be firmly in the McCain column on Nov 5 (I live in Arizona).

I think the word is out here that the piece-loving Obummer supporters might take a piece out of your car if you display a McCain sticker so folks are just waiting until election day to show their political stripes.

[Aria]

Maybe we Republicans should riot if this lying marxist steals the election - that’d surprise everyone.

[xsrdx]

etched obscenities and "KKK" into the paint, burned several areas of the car with cigarettes, set the flag on fire on his hood and may have urinated on the vehicle.

Pretty well describes the day to day behavior of the Obama constituency.

[divine_moment_of_facts]

A Republican driving a Lexus??

Yes, it's a great car.. My old '93 Lex has been passed down 3 times and is still on the road going strong.. I'm so disappointed with the Cadillac SRX! It feels cheap and the driver visibility is awful! I might go back to the Lexus if they're still making them the way they did in '93.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

You toucha my car, I breaka you face!....

[montag813]

Why is this the closest photo we can get? Can anyone find a better pic of the damage, preferably including a McCain sticker?

[Sooth2222]

I wouldn't chance ruining the paint on my car with any kind of bumper sticker, political or otherwise.

I have driven cars in the past where a bumper sticker, or even keying would actually improve the appearance, however.

[RetiredArmy]

What a surprise!!! OF COURSE IT WAS!! That is the reason I have not put anything on my car. I have yard signs and nearly every morning I have to go out and pick up beer bottles and beer cans that have been tossed from cars onto my yard. Didn't happen before the signs went up. So, the few scum around here that are support Senator Free Stuff Government Control are the ones throwing it out. In my travels around our area, I have see TWO Obama yard signs and hundreds for republican candidates.

[mesoman7]

“Maybe we Republicans should riot if this lying marxist steals the election - that’d surprise everyone.”

You mean the ones who own most of the firearms (and know how to use them), the majority of the current and former military members (including seasoned combat vets)? Nah, we wouldn’t stand a chance. /sarc

Kind of a “Little Bighorn” in reverse.

[Myrddin]

The passenger door of my 1974 Porsche 914 was keyed at 7:30 AM in a church parking lot. It had no bumper stickers. Just a little "class envy". The damage done to the Lexus is 50% more than I originally paid for the 914.

[Mr. Silverback]

Add my Sport Trac to the list...keyed just days after the Veteran for McCain sticker went on it.

[newzjunkey]

What do you have against high end Toyotas? It’s not as if Detroit puts out much of anything good.

[AmericaUnited]

He was driving a Lexan which proves he was being greedy and eating someones pie. He’s lucky he was not imprisoned for economic crimes...

[relictele]

When I was little I thought those cars were ‘illegal’ or at least spooky because they didn’t have any headlights - well, at least the headlights were just little oval reflectors.

I assumed the car couldn’t be driven at night. :)

[Bobkk47]

Magnetic bumper stickers work. Piss off the libs while you’re driving, then take it off when you get to your destination.

[Myrddin]

The headlights rotate up. On some of the fancier variants, there are fog lights in the front bumper. The mechanism requires a little maintenance on occasion. I had access to lots of good Porsche shops to keep the little car going in San Diego. It has been parked in my garage in Idaho since 2001. I don't have the time to play weekend mechanic.

[SuziQ]

may have urinated on the vehicle

Hope they have some good Forensics folks there. They could possibly get DNA off the car, identify the creep, and make him pay for the damages done, AND the cost of the rental of a car while the owner's car is out of commission getting fixed!

[taraytarah]

"This is definitely a hate crime," said Armstrong, a 41-year-old physician.

Good for him. Let them see this little term is reciprocal.

[Corin Stormhands]

bookmark

[weegee]

I would say it is a hate crime because the DNC brownshirt put KKK on his car.

If you look at the protected classes in our politically correct nation, it is perfectly legal to harass and discriminate in lodging and employment over someone’s politics. In 2004, there was a bed and breakfast inn that refused to lease a room to Bush voters. There has been at least one employer who purged his company of Republicans.

You cannot discriminate on the basis of age, sex, skin color, race, religion, or (now) sexual beliefs/fetishes. But you can still be discriminated against on the basis of your politics.

But the KKK was a racist symbol the vandal put on the man’s car, making it a hate crime.

[tioga]

I’ve been thinking about putting a NOBAMA sticker on my car. And then sit outside with a shotgun at night.

With rock salt, of course :)

of course ;^)

[Caipirabob]

We drive Lexus' with NRA Stickers and park anywhere. ; )

Seriously, it's fairly non-political and people don't tailgate like they used to before the stickers.

[oyez]

The Brown Shirts are at again.

These people will soon be fully employed by the Federal Government.

[Frank_2001]

Ending Communism, eh? Well, you might still get trouble from the Obamabots!;)

[Frank_2001]

Those stickers are good for hiding small rust spots;)

[Niuhuru]

"I live in DC and - sorry to say - I wouldn’t put any Republican stickers on my car or signs outside my house"

Because of being disowned by my family, I'm residing in a group home in the middle of the ghetto Pontiac, MI and I'm afraid of getting caught in the crossfire if McCain loses or he wins and I end up getting beaten up by some demented you-know-whos. I've noticed a lot of attitude in regards to a lot of blacks. Some are nice and friendly and I'm on good terms with many, but some of them are so frickin' snotty. Just today as I was waiting for a letter of reference to be written I noticed a black woman coming out of the break room. I said "oh you're a new volunteer" and she said "I'm the same one," as if I should have known how long she had been there. Small stuff, but ominous.

[Niuhuru]

By the Dept. Of Homeland Security.

[oyez]

In “A Clockwork Orange” the thugs became the police once the new administration took over.

Sounds like a plan to me.

[GOPJ]

"This is definitely a hate crime," said Armstrong, a 41-year-old physician.

He's right. It is a hate crime.

[meyer]

NOW, I want a McCain - Palin sign for the front yard. I'm ready to sit poised, waiting for the potential thug to try to mess with it. It's time to speak out en masse. Overwhelm the idiots, and confront them when they try to vandalize or perform hate crimes. Get in Their Faces