If you have to drive through Butler County, Pennsylvania, make sure to keep your eyes glued to the road. Look up, and you might fall victim to its repugnant, electronic billboard that displays alternating white supremacist messages such as an enormous swastika, or "GOD OVER GOVERNMENT," or "WHITES ARE UNDER ATTACK, STOP IT NOW!!" – and more (see video below).
The billboard (and its hate-signs) "along Route 422 in Summit Township" (an hour out of Pittsburgh) is privately owned, on private property, and thus perfectly legal in the "State of Independence." So, according to its county commission, there's nothing that can be done. But some folks in the community are fighting to prevent such hate-speech on billboards in the future.
From CBS:
…However, those condemning the billboard say they're now motivated to do what they can to prevent another injection of unnecessary hate. …
And that plan for prevention is already in motion. A meeting to talk about what can be done to eliminate hate speech in the Butler community and beyond was held Wednesday night.
Dozens of people, including clergy members and advocacy groups, discussed how to counter the messages on the billboard.
[UPDATE: 10:33am — From WTAE/ABC4:
The billboard, paid for by local business owner John Placek, shows comments on political stances and beliefs as well as messages regarding race. …
Placek spent $150,000 on the electronic billboard, and he has four more in Worthington.
"I put my money where my mouth is. I am not making any money. I am spending money," Placek said.
Placek said even though some community members want the billboard taken down, don't count on it.
"Absolutely not. Never going to happen," Placek said.
Front page thumbnail image: Henryk Sadura / shutterstock.com
