There’s been a lot of talk recently about the need to have civil conversations about politics.
To lower the temperature.
To listen to those who disagree with us, and not just yell back and forth.
Yesterday on social media, a resident posted this photo of a sign across from his Maple Avenue North home.
It’s around the corner from Long Lots Elementary School.
And, he says, this is not the first time. Other signs there included profanity, and comparisons of political opponents to animals.
“Several families said that their children have come home repeating the words on the signs, and invoked this as giving them permission to speak likewise,” he says.
There are exactly 7 weeks until Election Day.
Support the candidate of your choice. Offer solid reasons why. Rebut opponents with calm reasons and actual facts.
And for the sake of our kids: Be the adults in the room.
PS: If you comment on this story, please keep it civil, clean, and on point. And of course, use your full, real name.
Is any of the reprehensible signs aimed at trump/Vance or is it just the vile MAGAS showing their colors?
Its obvious the people who live there have some mental issues if they think this is OK. If i was a betting person i would bet that this person will cross the line in the future. Just hope their stopped before they hurt someone. Keep a close watch on these confused individuals
Westport is not insulated from the teachings and practices of Trump. Cult members live here and adore the violent nature of his rhetoric. My opinion is that the best we can do to maintain decency is to vote donate and volunteer to elect democrats all around the USA. I ask everyone to donate today
if the sign upsets you now is the time to do something. The sign should be a wake up call to anyone who wants to live in a civil society with decency at its core. Donate
There is so much anger in that house it is frightening .
In the meantime, Springfield Ohio medical centers, civic building and schools have been SHUT DOWN due to bomb threats. All because some creepy guys said the good Haitian citizens there (immigrants, not white people) are eating pets.
I would ask the person who posted this absurd sign what trump’s policies are?
The owner of the sign knows Trumps policies. Everyone knows them. Your question is sincere and legitimate in my view. The hate and disrespect by such voters are all over the USA. In order to achieve a Democratic victory action must be taken. Donate
Dan, This photo looks odd to my old eyes. The sign appears to be superimposed on the yard as I can’t see any attachment to the ground. Never thought I’d be wishing for a doctored photo! Or perhaps my denial of our new reality is affecting my vision…
I agree with Catherine. I clicked on the image to see the larger version. As a design professional who works with Photoshop, this looks questionable.
we don’t need a forensic examination of the sign. We know what the stakes are. Action must be taken. In nearly 2 months from today the USA may be run by an autocrat dictator wanna be. Focus on the consequences of the election choice. The clock is running out. Do something today. Donate today
Sadly Kevin I live next door to this person/ persons this is not doctored. I am fearful and disgusted that I see this and many more on the property EVERYDAY. This is a school zone and many walk their children to school. Please Westport can we be better than this? How can we allow such disgusting language on our front yards. Whether that language was for Trump, Harris or any other person it’s completely unacceptable
Emily, If you live next door in the house on the corner of Maple Avenue and Hunt Club Lane, I can give you a wealth of information about your property including home movies from 80 years ago.
Emily, My uncle built 58 North Maple Avenue in 1946, and I actually stopped at the house about a month ago and talked to the owner. My uncle, who built the house in 1946, bought a Bell and Howell home movie camera in 1941, and I have the camera in the original box it came in. I’d love to meet up the next time I’m in Westport. I have movie clips back to 1942 and photos going back to 1924.
Jack I live on Maple Avenue, and we have lived here 27 plus years very peacefully. This whole thing is so upsetting to our neighborhood. I am all for freedom of speech but when disgusting and vicious language is being displayed it makes you feel unsafe in your own home. Reach out next time you visit Westport!!
Emily, This is my 5th comment, so it has to be my last. If you want, ask Dan for my e-mail address. Send me a quick email and we’ll connect. Sorry that this is so upsetting to you! I wish I could help. Jack Backiel
It is not doctored. Take a ride over. There are more signs like that and more.
We can’t legislate fear, ignorance or bigotry out of existence. Sad.
The sign is real. The residents do not delicately place any of their signs of which there are numerous including suggesting that those who support Harris/Walz are (1) for drug cartels(2) for human trafficking and (3) a derogatory term for once supporting Biden in addition to several flags, a “honk for Trump “ sign and an upside down American flag. Do you want to live on Maple Avenue North? I thought “hate has no home in Westport?”
file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/12/02/6545F762-8B9E-488F-80CA-2828CD0C0401/IMG_7409.HEIC
More signs. Not doctored.
no one can open it. Try a pdf or jpg file.
These people are unhinged. All the more reason to defeat Trump/Vance and send this MAGA cult back under their rocks. The best some people here can do in defense of this disgusting display, seen by school children, is question its reality. Wake up! If you support Trump that’s your team, not ours. The hate and mental imbalance that creates signs like this is here and everywhere else. They used to have some shame to keep it under wraps. Let’s restore that shame and show a better example. Donate, vote, help get people to legally register and vote in other states!
In this country, everyone is allowed to support whatever candidate they want, including making public displays of your support for your chosen candidate. However, your rights to do so do not include making inflammatory and slanderous displays that are clearly outside the line of civil discourse. Our first amendment does not protect slander and this sign should be immediately taken down. Westport, you’re only a sign or two away from becoming the next target. Just ask Springfield, Ohio.
Wouldn’t that be considered hate speech? Libel? And if so is it permissible?
Smells of total desperation- they have to lie, threaten voters and law abiding innocent public servants to win. The violence will follow, as it always does with the orange baby.
Recall, on Monday, May 13, RTM Rep and Deputy Moderator Karpf declared absolute fear for her children “walking home alone past tall plants.”
What’s next from the Long Lots family? “Gardeners for Harris/Walz?” 😵💫
Actually, “Gardeners for Harris/Walz” is a great idea. I am going to get that sign made. Who wants one?
The person who probably put up that sign is close to 90 years old. As a matter of fact, the person’s mother came to the United States ,from Europe, with one of my grandmothers, about 110 or 120 years ago. Personally, I would not put up a sign like that, and maybe someone can convince the person to remove it. That’s basically all I have to say.
Jack: the Westport police have asked them to remove similar signs that are a nuisance, ie “honk for trump” to no avail. It is not the 90 year old resident (although as the landowner he is equally responsible), it is his niece and nephew. I personally observed them putting the signs up. I’m all for the First Amendment but as noted above, there are limits. This is a disgrace to Westport as a community and tone deaf to the rules of civility and civil discourse.
Carole, I know the nephew, although I haven’t seen him in 20 plus years since my father’s funeral. Definitely the sign should not be visible to grammar school students!
The purposeful use of the sexual violence issue as a tool to generate poorly focused outrage badly damages and complicates efforts to have difficult conversations that bring about actual change.
1. Changing the compliance monitoring surrounding SOR
2. Plea bargaining reform.
3. Unresolved disclosure tracking.
4. Mandatory minimums and statute of limitations reform.
It is likely that some kid somewhere in Westport is struggling with sexual violence and I doubt that any lawn sign changes anything for that kid.
Ironic to see a Trump sign put out by people who live off of government handouts in the form of special tax rates on “agricultural” property (they pay ~$8k/year on 6.5 acres in the heart of Westport worth millions of dollars) that does not actually appear to be used for any legitimate agricultural purpose. Shouldn’t the town be checking up on that?
The larger point – if you hate your neighbors and town so much that you enjoy giving them the proverbial middle finger: move. I think the feeling is mutual.
From the Vision Government Solutions website – https://gis.vgsi.com/westportct/Search.aspx
It shows two separate properties – 42 Maple North and 46 Maple North.
46 consists of 3.7 acres of farmland appraised at $634,920 but assessed at $4,900
42 consists of 1 acre residential and 2.1 acres of farmland appraised at $1,111,790 but assessed at $473,800
Click on the field card (red rectangle on upper right of each, then look for the land line valuation section)
Sadly there is a rising culture in our country that promotes distrusting and hating the “other.” It is fueled at the top by a candidate for President. His bandwagon of followers include the racist, the sexist, the antisemite or Islamophobe, the homophobe, or the anti immigrant (legal or otherwise) who promote treating the “other” with disdain, hateful language or false accusations (eating pets, being rapists or criminals, controlling media or banks, grooming children or just being un-American or not American enough) and threaten the fabric of our civil society including promoting and backing the attack on the seat of our government and the threatening to hang our then vice president!
The current attitude by this political candidate and his followers that there can only be one true and acceptable outcome to the next election or there will be a blood bath- regardless of red state or blue state court decisions- goes against 248 years of US history and is frankly what is unAmerican in our country!
Bottom line- the way I read that sign- that home owner has declared to the Westport community that they are “obviously” pedophiles no matter who they vote for. And in our country they have the right to declare they are pedophiles and inform us who they are voting for- be it for Harris/Walz or as I suspect it would be for Trump/Vance!
But maybe they should put the sign in their backyard where only their kids can see it and not our kids.
if Jenn Tooker had any courage she would speak out against such signs and speech. I have asked her over 25 times if she supports Trump. No answer.
At a minimum, if she cared at all about the climate of our community, she would do something instead of turning a blind eye. What if she lived across the street from these disgusting signs?
of course she supports Trump or she would denounce the sign and the candidate.eserseurseourse
it’s no one’s business who she supports.
Not true. She is the top elected Republican in Westport. We deserve to know if she is supporting her party’s candidate.
it’s still not your business
Why would the residents of that house admit to being pedophiles?!?
😏
There’s abs nothing funny about human sex trafficking of anyone and esp not of children, and that is certainly enabled, incentivized really, by Kamala Harris’ No Border No ID border policies. Nothing funny, nor ‘smile & a wink’ funny about that.
Oh dear … I can see how my comment could be misinterpreted.
I simply meant if you see a sign in front of a house that says, for example, Dance Instructors for Candidate John Doe … you assume that the residents are dance instructors showing their support.
So I was commenting on how their sign was a poor choice for more than the obvious reasons. The face is a wry one of irony.
Nothing funny meant.
The sign is brash but policies – Kamala Harris no border, no documentation ! – border polices require a strong and if need be brash abrasive ‘stop sign’, Kamala Harris No Border No I’D border polices are EXACTLY what human traffickers need for their human sex trafficking, human trafficking for slave labor to be as successful as it’s now become IN USA for the cartels and whoever they’re ‘paying’ on the USA side. Trump Vance w/ Kennedy Gabbard do not support that.
I tried to diagram this sentence so I could understand your point of view, but I was unsuccessful.
Oh My, if your reading comprehension skills get that stuck that easily … I know I shouldn’t be ‘so judge’y but … if you’re going to read and comment on my posts you’re going to need to ‘raise your level’
The sign is uncivil, deliberately inflammatory and propgates one of Trump’s most despicable lies. That said, your statement above is an incomprehensible word salad.
I’ll bet dollars to donuts that you are unwilling to state whether or not the 2020 election. It’s yes or no Susan. Will you answer the question?
Edit: I’ll bet you are unwilling to state whether or not the 2020 election was stolen.
The sign is “brash?!” The sign is disgusting. And so are the people who put this in front of children. Apologies and rationalizations not withstanding. Stand up for decent and civility, not hate speech. Nobody in the Harris/Walz campaign is advocating child abuse. This sign IS child abuse.
Just stop!
Kamala Harris No Border No ID border policies do de facto advocate for, & blatantly incentivize human sex trafficking and human trafficking for slave labor particularly of children because they’re more vulnerable, obv, to coercion to being bullied, subjugated esp because English is not their 1st language and may not be a language they know at all!
Every bit of Kamala Harris’ border policies and practices blatantly incentivizes, enables, provides a clear and sturdy ‘you can’t touch the cartels’ human traffickers’ path for human sex trafficking and human trafficking for slave labor into and around 🇺🇸.
Kamala Harris No Border No ID Border Policies are bad for 🇺🇸 People and our legit guests & for these UnDocumented Migrants who only because of her No ID Policies are extremely vulnerable to gross exploitation.
Also, Years fr now – and it won’t be too many years – 🇺🇸 will be accused by these UnDocumented Migrants of allowing them to be human trafficked into and around 🇺🇸 and The 🇺🇸 People will again be paying them for Kamala Harris No Border No ID border policies.
If they don’t mean what the sign says- shouldn’t the sign read- “Pedophiles for Trump/Vance” live here? Why would they put up a sign that is a lie. You are the first to admit they have no intention of voting for Harris/Walz. So it is safe to assume the people who live in that house are both liars and pedophiles!!
There was comprehensive, bipartisan bill to address immigration but as you know, felon Trump sent out the bat signal to crush it. Convict Trump had 4 years in office, constantly blathering about how he was going to build a wall and Mexico was going to pay for it, remember? But no such was built and Mexico didn’t pay one dime.
Any other nonsense you’d like to spew? BTW, still waiting for you tell 06880 readers if the 2020 election was stolen.
Interestingly, a “famous” AMERICAN has just been charged with sex trafficking. I do not understand how all crimes here are blamed on migrants, most of whom are seeking a way to sustain their own lives peaceably.
Feel free to identify yourself one of these day, coward.
I am the person who posted the photo on social media. I have witnessed pre-elementary school children accompanied by the parents asking to explain obscene signs. Neighbors have had children repeat the vulgarities and when confronted by their parents have pointed to the signs as giving them allowance to speak that way. Our local elected officials need to address the tenor of our political discourse and provide clear leadership. The dehumanization of fellow Westport residents that results from comparing those who don’t share your political beliefs to animals legitimizes a permission structure that leads to vigilante justice and violence. The first amendment might protect their right to place these signs but it should not prevent community outrage. At the very least our children and young adults should have appropriate modeling of how to stand up to bullies.
I truly doubt children too young to be warned about pedophiles are old enough to care or even notice what a sign says unless it’s got cartoons or ice cream and candy designs on it.
Clever, maybe manipulative is more accurate, of you to use the ‘but the children’ excuse.
When people like this use these reasonings to stick up for Kamala Harris I actually feel badly for her.
My sentiments arise from a well founded outrage regarding behaviors that are antithetical to my faith and values. My concern is not limited to children. Indiscriminately labeling supporters of Kamala Harris as pedophiles is vile and lends legitimacy to similar behavior across all groups. Should candidates for Staples class president use similar language about their opponents. You are attempting to be an apologist for language and actions that needs to be loudly called out whenever it surfaces. The time when normalization of this miscreant behavior should be over.
Perhaps the Library’s initiative on Common Ground could help: https://westportlibrary.org/event/common-ground-initiative-senator-roy-blunt-on-civil-discourse/. Or perhaps the Library’s upcoming event titled “Civil Discourse to Resolve Complex Disputes could help: https://westportlibrary.org/event/civil-discourse-to-resolve-complex-disputes-a-common-ground-conversation/. We have initiatives here in town. We need to have people want to participate.
Civil discourse is for civilized people. People supporting racist candidates and a racist party follow different rules.
although I don’t approve of this sign, I don’t blame all republicans for this. I I I I don’t know the reason why they put this sign up. There is too much hate in this world on all sides. We can have our political differences but let’s stop the hate.
What do expect from people who put full size flags on their cars, cars which are plastered with ignorant stickers and pictures of their leader. These people do not have a position on policy – they just want to share their anger and blame others for the failures in their lives. They are weird and sad,
It does seem the sign displayers are describing themselves as the pedophiles which is probably inadvertent(?) Nevertheless the Harris/Walz team is definitely the side more sympathetic to sexual perversions of all kinds. Having said that, is it worse to be called a pedophile (a mental disorder) or Hitler to whom Trump is routinely compared as being as bad or worse than.
It is a disgusting lie to suggest that one of our two major political parties is sympathetic to sexual perversions. That said, it is the MAGA party that is obsessed with what other people do in the privacy of their own homes. Their non stop fetish with controlling women’s bodies is only one example of that.
The focus should shift from Democrats versus Republicans to the language we use around our children and in our community. This isn’t about Trump or Harris; it’s about maintaining human civility and treating one another with courtesy and kindness. Personally, I feel unsafe living next to individuals who believe such language is acceptable.
As a Jewish parent of an LGBTQ child, I’m concerned about the messages conveyed by yard signs. Westport, we can do better than to tolerate this kind of hate in our community.
Hey Blaikie, you *have* to tolerate it… because of the 1st Amendment. Don’t like the Constitution? Feel free to leave the United States; the country where my ancestors fought for the freedom of speech. I take it yours didn’t serve in the Revolution?
Victoria, please take your antisemitism elsewhere. I am a proud Jew and your assumption that my neighbor has no relatives that have served in the armed forces due to her heritage is despicable. Thanks for letting all of us know exactly where you stand. You know nothing about Emily’s ancestry. Your comment is an excellent example of the intolerance reflected in my neighbor’s sign that has infected our nation, including Westport.
So I guess we’ve got at least one white supremacist living in Westport…good to know.
I at least take solace in the fact that while people like Victoria and the Wylie clan (klan?) cling to the feats of ancestors long ago that they had absolutely nothing to do with, their side has clearly lost here in Westport, and thankfully we’re moving further and further away every day.
Hey Wylie, my wife’s ancestors may not have fought in the revolutionary war but my late father-in-law was a well-decorated WWII veteran who saw combat in the ETO. I believe that counts as defending the Constitution. Also, nobody here is advocating for anything other than a civil discourse. Would you like to be woken up at all hours of the night by cars honking in front of your house for no reason? Do you work from home? would you like your days to be interrupted by that as well? The guy has an absolute right to have as many ‘TRUMP’ signs as he wants on his property. We are objecting to the nuisance of the noise and the objectionable language on the signs that are in a residential area in a school zone. It’s really that simple.
Hey Wylie,
That’s quite a response to what I’m reading as a neighbor commenting on a community’s need to do better. Your kneejerk reaction — feel free to leave the US — is trite and really unintelligent. If you don’t think the nation as a whole should take note of the climate and the decline of civilized society, perhaps it’s you who should leave. Or at least hide out in your bunker with your DAR kin.
As Vance blames the “left” for the guns aimed twice at Trump, it is wise to remember that BOTH shooters” are REPUBLICANS, the most recent of whom said HE VOTED FOR TRUMP in 2016….
He is an independent voter but has Harris stickers on his car
There is no question that the media has played a large part in the division in this country. I am not sure this is news, Professor. It is hype to get attention and comments. We are ALL Americans and all of us are immigrants. There is no place for HATE in this country but seemingly, those who seek power and elected office, are playing us like a well tuned violin. United we stand, divided we will NOT continue to be the greatest country in the world.
64 comments on this..5 on the school threat one. Get your priorities straight.
My understanding is this all started from an 88 year old man who painted a sign with the words Honk For Trump on it and planted it in full view of the road, the result was neighbors passing motorist and pranksters honking upset the across the street neighbors who obviously do not support Former president Trump initiating a call to the Westport Police (come on?) This unnecessarily has resulted in a legal appearance in court, this escalation by said neighbors not being neighborly enough to talk it out to an agreement is part of the story that has been missed by this blog this is the tragedy we are all living in where only half the story is told to slant our reaction to the outcome
Supporters sympathetic to the senior citizen have posted the signs in retaliation to the impending legal action
We now live in a world where we put a coexist sticker on our car but refuse to do it
Proof is in the words (some) of the people who have commented in this blog with the level of hate and stereotyping equally offensive as the signs posted name calling is not what intellectual people do
Michael – the part of the story that has been missed in this blog is a previous attempt to come to a neighborly agreement. This was dismissed out of hand by the 88 year old homeowner. Following this there was a request by Westport police to consider the impact of the sign on his neighbors which was also refused. I am not the only neighbor who has complained to him or the police. His age is irrelevant to the incessant noise engendered by his quite unneighborly sign. The honking starts as early as 6 am. This is not a partisan issue no matter how much you would like it to be. Read the publicly filed complaint, as you are an attorney you should be easily able to obtain online access. Litigation was not the first resort. Posting a sign calling neighbors assholes for voting for Biden does not lend itself to neighborly resolution of disputes. You were correct that half the story was not told but the half missing does not paint my neighbor in a favorable light. Have your facts straight.
If you don’t like Trump, don’t be like him. VOTE BLUE!!
Michael, while you presented some facts, there are several important details that are overlooked. Numerous neighbors have approached them on various occasions, requesting that they remove their disturbing signs. In fact, one neighbor specifically asked for the signs to be taken down because they frightened her children, yet the request was denied. It’s crucial to get the facts straight. As one of their neighbors, I value freedom of speech, but this crosses a line. The language on these signs is offensive and unacceptable. We all want to live in harmony in the neighborhood, but they seem intent on being unneighborly just to keep their signs up. For the record it’s not just the neighbors across the street it’s many of us who live on the street and the surrounding area.
This sign is at the Stahursy property. He is an elderly man, a farmer. He is possibly demented. I am not excusing him, just defining who he is.
I don’t think he’s demented. It takes a clear mind to create those signs and use such offensive language. He’s been asked to take them down, but he refuses. I never imagined I would feel scared living next door to these people.
Come off ledge Emily. We’re here for you.
When I drive around Westport, I see a lot of lawn signs that say Harris/Walz or Trump/Vance. There are lawn signs in support of Israel. There are local candidate signs. All express first amendment rights. None request honking. None have language that would be offensive to school kids or adults.
This neighbor is not being neighborly! He is creating a nuisance to express his opinion and insisting it is his right to infringe on the neighbors’ rights to a quiet decent neighborhood.
If it was a sign with honk for the KKK, honk for Fascism, Honk for Russia, honk to wake up your neighbors, honk to create a disturbance, come pain you drums in our garage after midnight- wouldn’t we all object to the right of a neighbor to take away our right to a peaceful and civil neighborhood!!
This is just about a bad neighbor living in the neighborhood- too old to realize he has become the neighborhood’s pain in the neck! This is about a guy who thinks he is just standing up to his basic American right to be a pain in the neck!!
Whoever he is, whatever his local ancestry, whatever his politics- I am glad he doesn’t live in our neighborhood.
He resides there, is the landowner and is responsible for each and every sign on his property. He well knows the signs are there because he is out there mowing his lawn regularly or getting his mail. As I stated earlier, many of the signs were put up by his niece and nephew that I personally witnessed. As the landowner, he is responsible for such activity whether he is 88, 90 or 21. He is not blind and he certainly is not deaf. I invite anyone to spend some time in our neighborhood and then reflect upon what a small fraction of commenters here have written.
The thing I don’t understand is …. are these people really OUTING themselves. The sign sounds like they are the pedophiles ????????
I’m sorry the neighbors have to put up with this nonsense. There must be some way to resolve it. There is a mention that the police were called – perhaps because of the disturbance caused by cars honking? It does seem that that kind of sign could require a police permit, since it would cause noise that is not consistent with a residential neighborhood. Or now that there are new signs visible from the street that are inappropriate in a school zone – I would think the police should get involved.
Has anyone contacted the district 7 RTM members to see if they can resolve this? Maybe there is quality of life legislation that protects neighborhoods from a property owner like this. If not, maybe there needs to be. We need to show our support for these neighbors – this could happen to any of us.
If the neighbors decide to get a permit to protest the signs, count me in.
This type of rhetoric on a sign certainly should qualify for “hate speech” and thus not protected by the first amendment and banned by an appropriate ordinance or state law. Where is the city attorney?
Like the moron with the golf cart (whatever happened with that guy?), there is this peculiar desire from some of the Trumpers to be as obnoxious as possible in putting their views in the faces of local residents. It couldn’t show more of a complete lack of class or civility. Does that help garner votes? Does it help draw people to his farmstand?
My sympathies with the neighbors. I hope none of them have been trying to sell their house the last four years, because this knucklehead is not helping the property value.
so, Kamala has no real plan, WaltZ singed a bill saying 10 year olds can change their sexual identity without their parents consent. Socialism at its best
It’s spelled “Walz.” He signed a bill; he didn’t “sing” a bill. And then there’s the patent wackadoodlishness of your post. Great effort all around.
it’s true none the less
I’m sure you think it is. Read a book. Think critically. Spit out the Kool-Aid.
Read this sign again … it says “We are pedophiles and we support Harris and Walz”.