That new billboard in Worthington, Armstrong County, welcoming people “no matter” what you look like, who you love, what your religion is or where you’re from?
It wasn’t welcome to everyone.
At least a few people reportedly objected to the message that the Armstrong Democratic Committee paid to erect on a billboard there to counter a landowner’s own billboard messages that are well documented as being considered “racist, homophobic, anti-Semitic and hateful,” said the committee, and that recently were replicated in Butler County.
So the committee raised money to put up its own message on a billboard across Route 422 that was supposed to stay up for at least a month. Donors ranged from locals to residents of other states who wanted to spread a more positive and inclusive message.
The billboard went up on Saturday, Feb. 4, and by that Monday morning, committee members were hearing from a representative of the company — Huntington Billboards of Greenville, Ohio — that the landowner was getting hassled by some neighbors.
Melanie Bowser, the committee vice chair who had spearheaded the billboard project, says that the company’s territory manager told her that the landowner reported receiving death threats over the billboard’s placement.
She checked with Pennsylvania State Police, who had no record of anything like that.
But nonetheless, the billboard company took down the sign on Sunday, Feb. 12. Chuck Pascal, the committee chair, says a Huntington general manager told him that a contract provision allows the company to remove a billboard that is “objectionable or that attracts negative publicity or controversy from the community.”
Pascal finds that answer objectionable and calls the reported death threats “just another red herring and outright lie. Huntington Billboards is complicit in bigotry and intolerance.”
The Union Progress’ calls to both of the committee’s Huntington contacts were not returned, nor were multiple messages left at the company’s headquarters on Monday afternoon.
The billboard’s message was:
“No matter
“What you look like
“Who you love
“What your religion
“Where you’re from
“You’ve got a friend in Armstrong County.”
In a news release about the takedown, Pascal said, “I’m not sure in which universe the message on the billboard is objectionable.”
Bowser says, “I guess it depends on where you’re coming from.”
She says that many local residents were the strongest supporters of the welcoming billboard. They were told they’ll get a full refund — a bit more than $1,100 for printing and the first month’s rent. “Incidentally, we started fundraising for this project on Jan. 14 and have raised, to date, almost $6,000, so people were very motivated to make this thing happen and sustain it for as long as possible.”
The billboard being taken down is “sad,” but, “It’s not a reflection of the entire community.”
In fact, she’s hoping they find another billboard where they can place the message, which is on a folded-up 12-by-24-foot piece of blue vinyl now at her house.
“I don’t know what the hell I’m going to do with it,” says Pascal. “I don’t know what to make of this story other than the fact that it’s absurd.”
It’s not over. Later this week, he says, they plan to publish the same message on two electronic billboards the committee has rented from another company in other spots in the county — West Kittanning and Manor Township.
And Bowser says, “We’re going to get some yard signs made up, too” that people will be welcome to put up on their own property.
“Regardless of the loud bigotry of a small minority, and the irresponsible and unprofessional actions of Huntington, there is no safe harbor in Armstrong County for hate and extremism,” Pascal says. “The vast majority here want Armstrong County to be a place where all people can live with safety and dignity.”
Bob, a feature writer and editor at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, is currently on strike and serving as interim editor of the Pittsburgh Union Progress. Contact him at bbatz@unionprogress.com.
