A Very Disturbing Sign of the Times

Sunday, April 29, 2012

I played three years of high school football back in the early 1970s for a small private school called Onslow Academy in Jacksonville, N.C.

In order to get to two of our Eastern Independent Conference rivals, our team bus used to have to take U.S. 70 through Smithfield. I remember that vividly because just on the outskirts of the west side of Smithfield was a billboard that featured a white knight on a bucking stallion welcoming visitors to the town, inviting them to join and support the Klan in their fight against communism and integration, and proudly declaring: "This is Klan Country."

I hated that sign. It made me embarrassed for my state, for my race, and for living in the South. It said ignorance and intolerance live here. For people of color, it was an unnecessary reminder that it is easier to change a law than a heart, and that for as long as the people responsible for that sign drew breath, they would always be second-class in their eyes. It was a sign of defiance in a changing time, an ineffectual bulwark against the tide of history.

The impact of signs was brought home to me again recently. I got a call one evening about 10 days ago from a friend of mine from church who said that he had witnessed someone stealing "Vote Against Amendment One" signs on Morganton Road.

Stealing political yard signs is nothing new. I was a volunteer for the Obama campaign in 2008, and our signs were either prized possessions or prime targets, depending on one's perspective. People were stealing them left and right.

Likewise, a local resident who feels strongly about this issue bought and distributed 250 of the Carolina blue "Vote Against" signs. By last Friday, all but 26 of them were missing. It speaks to the worst of human nature. But sadly, it's to be expected.

Still, there's something a little different about these signs because they're not about candidates. The effects of the amendment they address will have a much more direct impact on people's lives, gay and straight, than the election of any one particular candidate. As I drove down Morganton Road the morning after my friend called and the familiar signs were gone, I was filled with an anxiety that I never felt when candidate signs went missing.

The stealing of the signs sends a very inhospitable message in an area that depends in large part upon its hospitality. It makes us look narrow-minded, backward and mean-spirited.

Serious action by the local authorities might go a long way toward countering that perception.

Last Sunday, another friend of mine at church explained what it meant to him, personally, as a gay man. It says to gay people that they don't deserve equal protection under the law and that they are unworthy of the 1,300 rights and protections afforded to heterosexual couples when they marry.

It says that gay people are not welcome here and that as long as the people stealing the signs draw breath, he would always be a second-class citizen in their eyes.

The most disturbing part of what the friend who called me witnessed was that the people he saw stealing the signs were not alone. They had two younger people, presumably their children, with them.

They were in effect teaching their children, by example, that not only was it acceptable to discriminate against people who are different from you, but it is equally acceptable to commit petty larceny to deny them their First Amendment rights. It is an example so gravely misguided as to border on child abuse.

That billboard in Smithfield no longer stands. In time, the fear that gave rise to Amendment One will, like that sign, be regarded as a unfortunate example of the ignorance and intolerance of the past - one last attempt to deny people their dignity in support of a dated and misguided sense of propriety.

The signs say we should be and will be better than that.

Kevin Smith lives in Aberdeen. Contact him at kevinasmith@gmx.com.

More like this story

nothingspecial 1 year ago

Whoever removed signs are criminals, not representative of either party.

It is disturbing and wrong but not seeing the need to over dramatize it as was done in the article.

Seeing way too much drama and histrionics over this whole topic the past month.

Bentpan 1 year ago

I suppose Mr. Smith has failed to see just as many pro Amendment 1 signs have disappeared, and yet again The Pilot sees it as appropriate to allow one of its' staff to label those that disagree as Ignorant and likens them to Child abusers and Klansmen. Do you really believe this to be an acceptable way to treat your readership, your advertisers, your nieghbors.

emb6683 1 year ago

Please send a link to the 1300 rights and protections that I have as half of a heterosexual married couple. I'm positive that my wife is withholding some of them from me.

JustThinking 1 year ago

To everyone that wishes for NC to become a pro-gay marriage state, YOU are INFRINGING on MY RIGHTS to live in a state that recognizes ONLY man and woman can marry. I have a HUMAN RIGHT to LIVE and raise my children in a STATE that does NOT ALLOW gays to "marry"!!! Can everyone that is FOR the Amendment take this stand?

Courseaire 1 year ago

I was JustThinking that people that do not believe all citizens are entitled to the same rights and freedoms granted by the Constitution regardless of your position in life are INFRINGING on MY RIGHTS to live in this Country.

jgc 1 year ago

JustThinking, would you feel the same way if one of your children came "out of the closet"? Don't say "can't happen to my kids"---- ask VP Dick Cheney and his wife Lynn. So tell me, if one of your kids was gay, would you have the same post I'm responding too?

geoffcutler 1 year ago

Kevin, what gets me about your latest is, the connection you are drawing between a day gone by, certainly an ugly part of our history, but one that's now been corrected, and stealing amendment one signs. I don't know, just asking, are we sure these signs are being stolen? Are they being stolen on both sides? Regardless, the ease with which you are able to connect America's faults of history and today is just dirty somehow. It seeks to see the worst in us instead of the best. The amendment one issue, same-sex marriage is an unsettled issue. People have a right to be uncomfortable with the idea. Their opinions are due the same respect we give to... the EPA when they would save a salamander over the livelihood of American farmers. It's just sad that you stoop to equate KKK signs with today's legitimate national dialog about gay marriage.

GoldenDreams 1 year ago

Kevin, you are right about the signs. When I drive up and down Rt. 211 from Seven Lakes to Pinehurst and return, I haven't seen one "Vote No" sign anywhere. Yet, they were there previously. Whoever is stealing them must be highly insecure and worried about the vote. How sad to resort to such childish means.

reformgov1 1 year ago

What a political, one sided view. In this neighborhood, the "FOR" sign was stolen and a light blue "Against" sign was put in it's place. Thankfully; that childish act convinced many that those fighting against this amendment are not worth supporting.

"DON'T PAY FOR PARTNERS" is a political slogan I recently saw that sums it up. We pay enough taxes and I simply don't want my money paying for something else that I don't support. Not to mention the other reasons this amendment should pass.

fugitiveguy 1 year ago

I have a hard time anyone is going to make up their mind based on these signs.

reformgov1 1 year ago

I have hard time understanding why you posted your statement without proofreading first.

It's the arrogant "act" to replace one sign with theirs, to commit a misdemeanor and steal private property. That "act" convinced some not to support a group with such bad character. It also helps that we know who did it…..at least in this neighborhood.

Hembloche 1 year ago

so reform, you'll just support the other side with equally bad character? there are morons on each side that have done the exact same thing. what a ridiculous argument.

MikeNC 1 year ago

Kevin Smith...."The stealing of the signs sends a very inhospitable message in an area that depends in large part upon its hospitality. It makes us look narrow-minded, backward and mean-spirited."

Could be the same mean spirited folks who stole, defaced or broke apart and left the rubble right there on all The George Bush signs a few years ago. The same type folks reappeared for another round with the McCain / Palin signs....Mike

teufelhunden 1 year ago

Yeah, those signs are all pretty disturbing, IMHO. ;-)

foregolf 1 year ago

Reformgov1- You state that you do not want your money paying for something else that you don't support. Please explain how you would be paying for others rights? Through your taxes, maybe? If that is your stand, how about all of the tax money that is being paid by the homosexual community? I did not realize that they were looking for some sort of handout from you. Just basic human rights to enjoy the benefits of a loving committed relationship (marriage), the same as everyone else. If people feel that their marriage would not be as "sacred" if homosexuals were allowed to be married, they already have a problem in their marriage.

Bflat 1 year ago

As to the placement of the signs being taken: 1) was it violating a sign ordinance as to placement, 2) was it illegally in the street or highway right of way, 3) was it placed on private property without the property owner permission?

Perhaps the person placing the signs could check with the Town or County, Highway dept or property owner to see if there is a stash of signs that were removed. If town or county or highway dept, they may give back the signs. If signs were on private property, the property owner might not return the signs.

geoffcutler 1 year ago

" If people feel that their marriage would not be as "sacred" if homosexuals were allowed to be married, they already have a problem in their marriage." foregolf

Hmm...interesting...and as good an argument as I've heard yet on the subject of same-sex marriage.

threeputt 1 year ago

Thanks you for your concern - I can tell you with certainty that the signs were placed in compliance with all state, county and municipal regulations because I placed them personally. Not only that - but I paid for them. The signs were removed without persmission and stolen.

AM910 1 year ago

So let me get this straight, signs are being stolen by those who think the Amendment is a good Christian thing to support. Isn't that a sin? Why would you want to go to visit Satan over a sign?

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