When speaking with the reporter for this article, I explained that there had been a lot of vandalism before the 2004 presidential election. People with Kerry/Edwards stickers had their decals ripped off, their cars keyed—and in one case, even spray-painted. I had to replace the Kerry/Edwards sign in my own yard four times because of theft. Notes received from others on our website confirmed that this sort of thing was not uncommon for those of us in the minority in many red states.
When I made the “windshield/baseball bat” comment, I was exaggerating to make a point: that the Dot exists for many of us as a way to express ourselves while still being somewhat under the radar—and therefore “safe.” I did not mean to paint all red-state Republicans with the same extremist brush—or to reflect badly on my own beloved home state. In that crystal-clear 20/20 hindsight, I realize I shouldn’t have said it. And I hate that it was the only quote on that subject which was used. To our many reasonable Republican friends, family and co-workers who may have been offended by the comment, I hope you’ll accept my sincerest apologies. — JB
