\n<\/span>Billboard in Harrison causing controversy<\/strong>
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\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Linda Russell<\/span><\/a>, lrussell@ky3.com<\/span><\/a> POSTED: 06:07 PM CDT Oct 16, 2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 UPDATED: 06:12 PM CDT Oct 16, 2013<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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billboard-in-harrison-causing- controversy\/-\/21048998\/ 22476382\/-\/nllhpbz\/-\/index. html<\/span><\/a> ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net\/safe_image.php?d=AQCo7Pho85AW8Jjy&w=154&h=154&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ky3.com%2Fimage%2Fview%2F-%2F21870658%2FhighRes%2F2%2F-%2F3obnkwz%2F-%2FKY3-Logo-jpg.jpg\")
<\/span><\/a> Billboard in Harrison causing controversy<\/span><\/a> KY3 News, Weather, and Sports in the Ozarks | KY3.com<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/p>\n
Video: Billboard causing controversy in Harrison<\/span>
\nHARRISON, Ark.– –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 An eye catching billboard is causing controversy in Harrison.\u00a0 Many believe it carries a racist message.\u00a0 But the person responsible says that wasn’t the intent; it’s a political statement about free speech.
\nThe billboard went up on Harrison’s Highway 62\/65 bypass Tuesday, and by Wednesday morning, several viewers had contacted the KY3 newsroom, concerned about the message. …\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/a><\/b>
\nThe billboard reads “Anti-Racist is a Code Word for Anti-White,” in plain black and yellow, no other information. For many, the first impression was outrage.\u00a0 “It really made me mad.\u00a0 It just kind of bothers me.\u00a0 Everything about the sign was screaming out racism, and that’s something I’ve been trying to stand against for years,” says David Stewart, a college student in Harrison.
\nWith the Ku Klux Klan claiming Harrison as home, a racist image is something the community has been trying hard to fight, and with a task force on race relations, they believe Harrison is making strides.
\n“Then you drive through and you see something like this up, and it undercuts the huge amounts of effort and work the community has focused on in the last few years to really step away from that image,” says Layne Ragsdale of the Harrison Task Force on Race Relations.
\nThe local resident responsible for the sign released this statement through the sign company explaining their intent:\u00a0\u00a0 “Often white people are called racist for opposing the President’s policies. On the other hand a non-white person was never called racist for opposing President Bush’s policies. There is a double-standard in this country regarding differences of opinion. Those differences of opinion do not make a person racist. The first amendment right to freedom of speech is for everyone. That is the point of the message.”
\nThe owner of Harrison Sign, who leased out the billboard, is a minority, and says he does not believe the man is racist.
\nRagsdale doesn’t see a political statement in the words.\u00a0 “I really don’t.\u00a0 To me, it’s very clear that it’s the idea, you shouldn’t speak against racist, that being racist is okay,” Ragsdale says.
\n“Silence isn’t going to help the cause.\u00a0 You have to stand for what you believe in, and I believe that the sign should be removed or something should be done about it,” says Stewart. Harrison Sign Company says the client leased the billboard on a one year contract.\u00a0\u00a0 The advertiser whose billboard was above the controversial one asked that theirs be relocated, and that was quickly done.\u00a0 Harrison Sign Company says someone else has now leased that space, saying they plan to leave it blank<\/span><\/p>\ny Not Do This in Your Community?
\n<\/span>Billboard in Harrison causing controversy<\/strong>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Linda Russell<\/span><\/a>, lrussell@ky3.com<\/span><\/a> POSTED: 06:07 PM CDT Oct 16, 2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 UPDATED: 06:12 PM CDT Oct 16, 2013<\/p>\n- \n
- http:\/\/www.ky3.com\/news\/local\/
billboard-in-harrison-causing- controversy\/-\/21048998\/ 22476382\/-\/nllhpbz\/-\/index. html<\/span><\/a> <\/span><\/a> Billboard in Harrison causing controversy<\/span><\/a> KY3 News, Weather, and Sports in the Ozarks | KY3.com<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\nVideo: Billboard causing controversy in Harrison<\/span>
\nHARRISON, Ark.– –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 An eye catching billboard is causing controversy in Harrison.\u00a0 Many believe it carries a racist message.\u00a0 But the person responsible says that wasn’t the intent; it’s a political statement about free speech.
\nThe billboard went up on Harrison’s Highway 62\/65 bypass Tuesday, and by Wednesday morning, several viewers had contacted the KY3 newsroom, concerned about the message. …\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/a><\/b>
\nThe billboard reads “Anti-Racist is a Code Word for Anti-White,” in plain black and yellow, no other information. For many, the first impression was outrage.\u00a0 “It really made me mad.\u00a0 It just kind of bothers me.\u00a0 Everything about the sign was screaming out racism, and that’s something I’ve been trying to stand against for years,” says David Stewart, a college student in Harrison.
\nWith the Ku Klux Klan claiming Harrison as home, a racist image is something the community has been trying hard to fight, and with a task force on race relations, they believe Harrison is making strides.
\n“Then you drive through and you see something like this up, and it undercuts the huge amounts of effort and work the community has focused on in the last few years to really step away from that image,” says Layne Ragsdale of the Harrison Task Force on Race Relations.
\nThe local resident responsible for the sign released this statement through the sign company explaining their intent:\u00a0\u00a0 “Often white people are called racist for opposing the President’s policies. On the other hand a non-white person was never called racist for opposing President Bush’s policies. There is a double-standard in this country regarding differences of opinion. Those differences of opinion do not make a person racist. The first amendment right to freedom of speech is for everyone. That is the point of the message.”
\nThe owner of Harrison Sign, who leased out the billboard, is a minority, and says he does not believe the man is racist.
\nRagsdale doesn’t see a political statement in the words.\u00a0 “I really don’t.\u00a0 To me, it’s very clear that it’s the idea, you shouldn’t speak against racist, that being racist is okay,” Ragsdale says.
\n“Silence isn’t going to help the cause.\u00a0 You have to stand for what you believe in, and I believe that the sign should be removed or something should be done about it,” says Stewart. Harrison Sign Company says the client leased the billboard on a one year contract.\u00a0\u00a0 The advertiser whose billboard was above the controversial one asked that theirs be relocated, and that was quickly done.\u00a0 Harrison Sign Company says someone else has now leased that space, saying they plan to leave it blank<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Why Not Do This in Your Community? Billboard in Harrison causing controversy \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Linda Russell, lrussell@ky3.com POSTED: 06:07 PM CDT Oct 16, 2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 UPDATED: 06:12 PM CDT Oct 16, 2013 http:\/\/www.ky3.com\/news\/local\/billboard-in-harrison-causing-controversy\/-\/21048998\/22476382\/-\/nllhpbz\/-\/index.html Billboard in Harrison causing controversy KY3 News, … Continue reading
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