Ricardy Anderson verbally assaulted while campaigning for re-election
Fairfax County School Board member Ricardy Anderson (Mason) says she was verbally assaulted while campaigning for re-election.
“Someone who clearly did not want me to spread my message and engage Mason residents about the political process called the police on me – for canvassing,” she says. It was a scary situation that could have escalated dangerously.
Anderson had just pulled into a townhouse community on Meeting House Road in Lincolnia with plans to canvass voters when a large man approached her on the sidewalk and started screaming at her. He said she wasn’t allowed to park there, that she was trespassing, and that soliciting wasn’t allowed.
As she walked around searching for another place to park, the man continued “screaming and hollering,” followed her around, and called the police. Anderson never even knocked on his door. She told him, “I just want to do my civic duty and engage in canvassing.”
A resident let her stand on the stoop while she waited for the police to come. Meanwhile, she called Rachel Rifkind, chair of the Mason District Democratic Committee, and Mason Supervisor Penny Gross.
Rifkind came to offer support, and when the police showed up, Gross was still on the phone and heard the commotion.
The police officer spoke to the man and defused the situation. The officer confirmed that candidates are allowed to canvass and that canvassing is not soliciting. Gross and Rifkind suggested Anderson leave for her own safety.
“I was torn between going home to my children or continuing my political activity,” Anderson says.
She believes the harassment was racially motivated. “As a Black woman, I was worried. Black people have been attacked for much less.” Nevertheless, she continued her efforts to meet voters.
Anderson says she is seeing a lot more hostility since the last time she campaigned for the school board. “That’s the tenor of the times. Instead of civil discourse, people have become more personally hostile and aggressive.”
Five of Anderson’s campaign signs throughout Mason District have been removed in recent days. They had been put up by close friends, so it’s not a case of people changing their minds, she says. A large magnet on her car was stolen, and another time, a man screamed at her to get off his property.
She says these things didn’t happen four years ago.
“Efforts to shut me down have been intentional,” but the recent incident in Lincolnia “was the most challenging ordeal yet,” Anderson says. “However, we will not be silenced or intimidated.”
This incident is all around sad. It’s fine if you don’t like canvassers; it’s your right to ignore them and not answer the door. But to follow Ms. Anderson around, harass her, and then call the police is awful. Would the perpetrator have responded differently if the canvasser was a white man? At least Ms. Anderson sounds like she was trying to connect to people in this era of disconnection and let them know her stances on the issues.
I chase off all interlopers. Some jerk from a survey company trying to get people to let them monitor TV use for a fee was knocking on doors. I chased him off. He was white, btw. It doesn’t matter who they are. Knocking on doors interrupts us, sets our bieds and cats off and is annoying as hell. We already have to ignore dozens of unwanrted phone calls from fraudsters despite using nomorobo, why should we have to try to ignore strangers bothering us at home?
“…a large man approached her on the sidewalk and started screaming at her. He said she wasn’t allowed to park there, that she was trespassing, and that soliciting wasn’t allowed.
As she walked around searching for another place to park, the man continued “screaming and hollering,” followed her around, and called the police. Anderson never even knocked on his door. She told him, “I just want to do my civic duty and engage in canvassing.”
A resident let her stand on the stoop while she waited for the police to come. Meanwhile, she called Rachel Rifkind, chair of the Mason District Democratic Committee, and Mason Supervisor Penny Gross.
Rifkind came to offer support, and when the police showed up, Gross was still on the phone and heard the commotion.”
If you chase people off the way this guy does, you have a problem. I don’t like people knocking on my door, either, but it’s not illegal. I’m also tired of having to ignore them, but getting aggressive and confrontational about it simply isn’t civil or responsible behavior. I hope you can do better than the snarling brutes we hear so much about these days.
The answer is yes, as a white male republican and candidate for HD 15 I have had interactions about soliciting and told to “not hang my trash” on doors. This is of course unfortunate, but the coarsening of the discourse happens on both sides of the aisle. I wish Ms. Anderson nothing but safety on the campaign trail, and I’m glad she has a media outlet to raise awareness on how candidates are treated.
Ms. Anderson is welcome at my house.
Ms. Ricardy Anderson is not a stranger, she is an elected official. I likely don’t agree with all the decisions she has made as a member of the School Board, but I respect her, and the office to which she has been elected.
I generally don’t answer the door to my residence when someone unexpectedly rings the doorbell. But because of what has happened here I would make sure to open my front door to speak with Ms. Anderson, thank her for her service, and respectfully listen to her explain why I should support her re-election.
The uncivil behavior reported on in this article is not the way.
I meant to submit my comment separately, because I tend to be wordy. To be clear, I agree with Maribeth, 100%.
This article illustrates one of the biggest differences between Anderson and Kristin Ball, for Ricardy Anderson the school board is purely a political position for Kristin Ball it’s about the kids, teachers, and community. Ball has stated she doesn’t view the school board as a political position that’s why this long-time Democrat will be voting for her, and I’ve never voted for a Republican before. When I was researching the stances of the school board candidates I came across this article and found it insightful: https://patch.com/virginia/fallschurch/2023-candidate-profile-kristin-ball-mason-seat-school-board
It’s unfortunate that Ms. Anderson felt she was verbally assaulted, nobody deserves that.
Ball accepted the Republican nomination, so she’s running as the representative of a political party. Indeed, she has appeared multiple times with the other Republican nominees. Your gaslighting raises the concern that she is trying to get the position without disclosing who her associates are.
https://wtop.com/national/2023/07/parental-rights-group-moms-for-liberty-plans-nationwide-strategy-for-school-board-races-in-2024/
So we now need to add no canvassing to our no trespassing signs in addition to no soliciting? We live in a townhouse neighborhood and none of us want strangers knocking at our doors or parking in our scarce parking spots when theybhave not been specifically invited to visit someone. Every spot requires a permit. If canvassing is not considered trespassing or soliciting then any jerk can come in abd knock on doors, interrupting us and putting us at risk. Canvas in a parking lot where there are a lot of people around but don’t come knocking on our doors or accosting us where we live.
It’s tough, I watch hard for the parking to avoid what few spots people have and in townhome communities sometimes parking blocks away. I know from researching Canvassing is not Soliciting, but I don’t even hang door knockers if I see No Solicitating -figure if People want to be left alone, leave them be.
Luckily haven’t hit issues that often a few “interesting” comments here and there, but screaming and following a lady like that is just beyond Comprehension to me.
I hate door knockers as much as anyone but, anyone claiming that a knock on their door is “being accosted” is preposterous.
Next week we gonna read that Athena shot a delivery driver who mistakenly walked up her driveway because she was ‘scared for her life.”
I feel badly for Ms Anderson also. Although, my position regarding anyone; the signs, no soliciting, etc.. definitely pertains to “canvasing”. I do not care what the dictionary reads. I live in a lovely community, we have no soliciting, no trespassing signs they are there for a reason and it means everyone. What is happening in OUR World today ALL need to be sooo careful. In fact, I think Ms Anderson is looking for trouble knocking on anyone’s door, in this day and age. I would have done just about the same as the earlier gentleman. In fact, I believe legally if signs are posted on private property, the police normally cannot waiver what is written for the private property. Police do not come on private property even to enforce vehicle’s registration, etc. out of date–because it is private property.
Okay, who let Trump out of mar a largo? Seriously… the description of what happened and the demeanor of the individual involved fits Trump to a T. A big baby bully.
As someone who has been extremely critical of Ricardy on this blog before, I feel the need to speak out and say this is not OK – not at all. Even if you somehow think canvassing and soliciting is the same thing (it isn’t), it is absolutely no excuse for the behavior that was displayed here.
Beyond what Ricardy said about the racial component of this – which I do not doubt – there is a scary lack of civility from people on the right. Remember when John McCain took the microphone from audience members who personally demeaned then-candidate Obama? It feels like such a foreign thing for anyone in today’s republican party to do.
I may have had my issues with the way things went in the past with Ricardy, but one thing is for sure. I’m on team Ricardy now, and if people have differences of political opinion, they need to deal with it the way our civilized society works: make convincing arguments and win votes at the ballot box.
Anyone who comes to my door, uninvited gets a cold reaction. Anyone who parks in my spot is getting towed. That being said I think this incident went on too long.
Democrat mantra: Never let an opportunity go to waste to proclaim racial oppression. I knew I’d find Trump blamed within 5 comments. Wasn’t disappointed
Right, because people on the the left have never been rude.
I’d bet you a $1000 that the dude was a Trumpie.
We get it. Trump tells you it’s ok to be the horrible people you’ve always wanted to be.
And this and any of you defending the actions of the Kevin is the result.
You’re absolutely right Joe. It’s well know that Lincolnia is “MAGA Country” filled with racist White Supremacists.
As a Liberal, not a Progressive, I am well aware there are people who claim they are kind, caring, democracy protectors who are vile racists when they let their guard down; when they think they can safely show their true selves.
Acting self-righteous and publicly virtue signaling is a sickness, and is not limited to supporters of the Right or the Left.
To claim otherwise is ignorant.
Totally agree Dan-some people are very limited-can’t see/hear/read; limited knowledge, in turn blame anything on Donald. Like anyone else on my property; that I did not recognize; I would ask if they needed guidance and let them know about or show them the signs. I didn’t know what Ms Anderson looked like until this article’s picture. I would have questioned her also. On the other side any “canvasser” is taking a risk; who knows what type of an individual is going to answer the door.
Would you have shouted, harassed, and called the police on her?
Legally, canvassing is not soliciting. She has the right to canvass and you have the right not to answer your door. You don’t have the right to verbally assault or harass or threaten her.
There is no indication that she was rude to anyone. It seems to me that some of these commenters are the rude ones.
I am saddened to hear about this threatening event Dr. Anderson experienced. Everyone deserves respect and fair regard — no matter who you are! Our elections at every level are so essential —now more than ever! Dr Anderson you are welcome at my door any day and I appreciate your interest in connecting with voters, sharing your ideas and especially being open to hearing from community members. Stay strong and stay safe!
An angry white guy calling the police on a black woman who isn’t doing anything illegal? Haven’t read about this ever happening before.
Angry commenters who generally hate the government and government power mad at that same government for not exercising that power to punish a minority for engaging in legal behavior. Haven’t read about this ever before either.
No, this isn’t about rage, race, entitlement, and privilege. Of course not.
So sad. We have lost all civility. I tend to think our country, our world, would be a better place if everyone just treated everyone else like they would want to be treated. We seem to have forgotten that. The man did not have to agree with her, but why could he not have spoken to her like he would like to be spoken to? It just makes me very sad that we seem to have lost the ability to just have a conversation even with those we do not agree with.
Maria went from “RESIST!” to “COMPLY!” awfully fast.
A person can’t even do their public duty. Too many thin skinned people with no real value trying to make someone else’s life miserable. Don’t you have something more important to do?
Worth it to read short article. “I have spread my dreams under your feet” by William Butler Yeats..