Fear and 'Egging' in North Raleigh

This is a cautionary tale about stereotypes and jumping to negative conclusions. And the primary culprit in this tale is ... me.

I hosted our precinct meeting earlier this week at my home -- cocooned off a safe suburban cul-de-sac in North Raleigh.

I would call the meeting a success: 16 people, enthusiasm about holding a meet 'n greet this Fall, lots of volunteering, constructive suggestions, thoughtful questions, and good cooperation from Taylor, the local Obama field organizer.

The trouble started when Taylor knocked on our door after the meeting to report his car windshield had been 'egged'. ( see above). Plus somehow an apple had been smashed and added to the mix. The eggs looked brown and fresh. We helped him clean enough off to drive to a car wash, but I was perplexed and embarrassed. We've lived here 11 years and have had zero problems, He had a Obama sign on his car. Could this be have been politically-motivated?

The plot darkened the next evening when our neighbors down the street with an Obama sign in their front yard reported they returned home to find their door 'egged" as well.

Immediately I jumped to conclusions:
"Those %(@&%$ right-wingers! They are starting early with their dirty campaign tricks. We are in for it this season. I had just put out my Obama sign. How long before it would be vandalized? stolen? How soon before our house would be 'egged'. "
I had envisioned Obama signs sprouting throughout the neighborhood. Wouldn't folks be afraid now? Heck. Now, even I was bit nervous now..

A friend suggested it should be reported to the police. "We need to establish a pattern of political mischief"

I was full of conspiracy theories and righteous indignation.

The next day more of the story emerged. It seems that the same night our Obamaite neighbors were egged, so were my next door neighbors -- good, solid Republicans. They made a subtle inquiry to other neighbors with previously well-behaved, but now energetic, pre-adolescent boys. Seems they live next door to a woman who keeps New Hampshire chickens. And that breed lays .. what else? Brown eggs.

Any way, the boys owned up to the pranks and the father (yes, a Republican) was red-faced and made the kids apologize and clean up the mess. Everyone said "no big deal."

So, the mystery was solved, the neighbors (Democrats and Republicans alike) all behaved like good neighbors should, and no harm done.

Except, I learned a lesson about my own biases. And the sad thing was: those biases grabbed hold so easily.