Whether it’s defacing a school or campaign sign, political vandalism isn’t free speech

The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is absolutely right: The recent desecration of Ascension Catholic School in Overland Park was an “overt act of hatred and incivility.”

Yard signs on church grounds have repeatedly been stolen or defaced, according to church officials.

We reject all acts of violence, vandalism and theft. Spray painting church property and the recent tagging of campaign signs belonging to a candidate for the Jackson County Legislature with a hateful anti-gay slur doesn’t achieve any worthwhile outcome.

And the silliness of stealing campaign signs touting one candidate or cause over another must end as well.

Laws exist to deter such actions, but police have more pressing needs than to look into acts of pure pettiness and meanness.

Residents on both sides of the state line must continue to reject hate speech or intolerance. But over the weekend, our fraying norms of civility didn’t stop someone from vandalizing Ascension. “My body my choice,” a vandal wrote in bright red paint.

The distasteful words that followed were reprehensible.

“F--- your dirty $,” the vandal continued. A woman was seen running away from the scene, according to Overland Park police. She left a parting gift by splattering a statue of the Virgin Mary with red paint. As of Wednesday, no one had been arrested, police said.

Ascension Catholic School is part of the Church of the Ascension, which has been actively promoting the Value Them Both constitutional amendment on the Aug. 2 ballot in Kansas. If passed, the amendment would allow state lawmakers to further restrict access to abortion or ban the procedure outright.

No matter your political beliefs or standing, it’s unacceptable to vandalize property to get your point across.

Protesting is an effective tool to bring attention to important matters, anti-violence advocates say. Peaceful demonstrations build consensus and a wider audience, advocates contend. And they’re right.

Allan Katz is founder of American Public Square at Jewell, a nonprofit devoted to promoting civil discourse among folks with different viewpoints and beliefs. Free speech, Katz noted, is not unrestricted.

“Yes, you can express yourself and stand outside a church and demonstrate or picket a candidate or a cause,” he said. “But there are lines you cannot cross.”

Whoever vandalized Ascension Catholic School crossed those lines and must face legal consequences for their actions. As does the perpetrator responsible for the homophobic slur that appeared on a campaign banner promoting Justice Horn for Jackson County Legislature.

Horn, the only openly gay candidate in the race, is seeking to represent the 1st District.

“You destroy your own message,” Katz noted. “No one is talking about the message. They are talking about the action.”

Going forward, we all have to be mindful of respecting each other’s differences. Most of us have strong feelings on social and cultural issues that could manifest itself politically, Katz said.

Dissent is allowed. Dialogue and respect is crucial. But communication has to be open and honest to be effective.

“Convincing someone to accept your point of view is to get someone to understand your perspective and why you believe what you believe,” Katz said. “People can disagree with a degree of civility and still respect the other person. There is space for difference of opinion.”

People believe in what they believe. Vandalizing someone’s property isn’t going to get them to change their viewpoints.

Over the past week, we have seen the further erosion of civil discourse play out before our very eyes. The criminal acts must stop.