Billboard advertising white supremacist group to remain in Sumter

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Mon, Jan. 05, 2004

Billboard advertising white supremacist group to remain in Sumter
Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. - A billboard advertising a white supremacist group continues to stand along Florida's Turnpike in Sumter County despite residents' complaints and the removal of similar signs elsewhere in the state.

With a plain black lettering and big block letters, the sign appears to mimic the style of the "Got Milk?" advertising campaign, and reads in part: "WHO RULE$ AMERIKA?" The sign gives the Internet address of the National Alliance, a neo-Nazi group based in West Virginia.

"Obviously we don't want people associating Sumter County with this group. I'd be a fool if I wasn't concerned," said Benny Strickland, chairman of the Sumter County Board of Commissioners. "But I don't think we have the power to do anything."

National Alliance billboards were removed in Old Town last April and in Tampa in 2001 after advertising companies found out that the group advocates an all-white, non-Jewish society.

But Jerry Sullivan, president of Micanopy-based Sunshine Outdoor Inc. that put up the sign about 35 miles from Orlando in August, said he had no intention of taking down the sign as long as it is paid for.

"It's free speech. Do you know what free speech is?" he said, adding "I don't believe in Nazis, but no, it don't bother me none. There's no law against it."
(snip/...)

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/breaking_news/7635205.htm

[w13rd0]

1. I've met several people in NatAll, and not a one of them could be...

...considered "evidence" of "white superiority", rather most of them just seem to be simple minded fucknuts who need to find an excuse for why they are such friggin losers.

[DoNotRefill]

2. Free speech....

is for everybody, not just people with ideologies we approve of.

There's pretty much a constitutional right to make an ass out of yourself as long as you do it in a legal manner, and these people seem to be doing just that.

While their whole bit is repulsive in the extreme, the "cure" would be worse than the problem. Once you get into the whole "this evil speech is forbidden", you end up with local people making the call as to what the community standards are. This leads to places with powerful fundie christian populations telling everybody what they can and can't say.

The rights the most off-the-wall extremists have are the same exact rights the rest of us have. Giving up our rights to go after "bad people" because they offend us is a crock....just look at the Patriot Act as an example.

[Flubadubya]

3. They won't hesitate to do it either...

An e-mail came throught the workplace not long ago that said something to this effect:

"Eighty-six percent of Americans believe in God, the remaining 14% are keeping us from having prayer in schools, 10 commandments in public buildings, etc. It's time for us to tell them to sit down and shut up."

I politely replied to the senders reminding them that the freedom of speech amendment was to protect the minority and that 14% have the right to have their say. They were not pleased with my response, to say the least.

These are nice little common folks going about their daily business, but they are ready to trample the constitution. This really is scary.

[Skip Intro]

4. Yep (n/t)

[onehandle]

5. I've seen it...

Goes well with the many, many pro-life billboards along there.

Terrorists of a feather....

[ClintonTyree]

6. There should be a ...............

"free speech zone" far away from the Turnpike fro signs like these. I'm sure Bush would agree. Seriously, Florida is the land of crazies. There is a John Birch Society billboard not 10 miles form my home on Rt.27 South, proclaiming the United Nations intent to confiscate all of the good 'Murkins guns. :eyes: Florida is a scarey state to live in.

[Just Me]

10. I'll assume it is set upon private (not state) property,...

,...and I have seen some pretty obscene signs here and there, too. One was of a little boy peeing on the French flag and beside him read "Nuke 'Em" with a mushroom could below. Pretty sick stuff, here and there.

[htuttle]

7. It's an important aid to travellers

It's probably good that out of towners are warned ahead of time that Sumter Country, FL is one fucked up place to be.

Better to skip that exit on the freeway, and take a different one.

[Just Me]

8. Hate speech makes the issue of free speech

a bit sticky. But, I suppose that, if we are to retain what freedom of speech we do have,...so long as death and violence are not involved, we will have to tolerate hate speech without having to support it, and we should certainly feel compelled to freely speak in opposition to it.

[Maeve]

9. this was written back in 1940 by an Englishman

Who settled in Florida. He puts the words in the mouth of a sheriff talking about some Nazis:

"Son..it's always been a policy of the law in this country to let bad little boys alone when they want to play. We let these bunches o' tin soldiers march an' drill around in our peaceful country, and wave their swastikas, an' heil Hitler an' make the goddamdest dirty cracks about democracy, on account of it's the policy of democracy to let everybody shout his own opinions, even when it's his opinion that nobody who don't agree with him ought to be allowed even to whisper what he thinks. We let 'em tear hell out o' the Constitootion on account of the Constitootion says anybody can tear anything out of it he wants to. We let 'em use all the freedom that the founders of this country gave their lives to give us, to try an' take that freedom away. We're so plumb scared of getting' accused o' being' the same as they are that we even let 'em train an' arm a private army to put over their ideas, rather 'n give 'em the chance to say we denied 'em the liberty they want to take away from us. That's why we're the greatest country in the world, an' everybody else laughs 'emselves sick lookin' at us."

There was a moment's silence before Simon could say, evenly enough: "I hope nobody can ever lick your screwy country...."

From the Saint in Miami by Leslie Charteris

[Wwagsthedog]

11. Florida isn't the only "crazy" state

I have seen the KKK openly recruit by setting up in rest areas along a Texas state highway to distribute their literature. And yes, there were people pulled off the road to talk to them. Even though their efforts were well known to locals, nothing about the KKK made it to area newspapers.

[schultzee]

15. Most of the south, and I live there, is fundi crazy, and Tx is worse

than most of them. I have lived in Texas, Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana, and Texas was the worse. Remember those neanderthrals who dragged that black man to death in Texas?

[DoNotRefill]

18. Sorry...it ain't an exclusively Southern phenomena

There are crazies everywhere.

Remember Skokie? How about the JDL's bomb plot? How about the Militia of Montana, whose state slogan is "Welcome to Montana, where the cows are sane, it's the people who are mad"?

There are plenty of crazies everywhere, it just SEEMS like they're all in the South. Don't believe the hype.

[nibbana]

12. Call the Simon Wiesenthal Center

Contact the Center’s Communications Department, 310-553-9036.
Or e-mail.. [e-mail]

nib

[newyawker99]

19. Hi nibbana!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[expatriot]

13. how about a little "constructive vandalism"

just spray spraypaint over their address.

[schultzee]

14. KKK Votes G.O.P so whats new about republicans?

[submerged99]

16. Osama Bin Laden is a freedom fighter

Do you think that those defenders of free speech would be singing the same tune if a billboard was erected with a photo of the collapsing WTC Buildings with the slogan"Osama Bin Laden is a freedom fighter!"? Free speech is judged by it's political acceptance. Promoting white supremacy is perfectly okay for free speech absolutists..but how would they react to a politically incorrect message that praises Osama Bin Laden?

BTW, I'm not saying that osama deserves praise but am using it to make a point.

[bspence]

17. "It don't bother me none"

No kidding.

Anyway, it IS free speech. I support their right to put it up, even if I strongly disagree with what they're saying.

[Unforgiven]

20. Only In

Jebworld.(Formerly Florida)

[Kelvin Mace]

21. Okay, I', in favor of Free Speech...

But how come when folks want to put up billboards in a similar vein, critical of the Fuhrer, all of a sudden, these same sign companies have standards to uphold?

David Allen
Publisher, CEO, Janitor
Plan Nine Publishing
http://www.plan9.org