Salisbury Auto Shop Owner Defends Controversial Signs
SALISBURY (CBS) - If Rob Roy wants to start a conversation, he has figured out how to do so with some controversial political signs he displays outside his Salisbury auto body shop. "Sometimes it's just a statement. You never know which one is going to be next until you see one floating around the internet," said Roy.
But one sign in particular has sparked some of the biggest debate along busy Main Street, which refers to Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and a derogatory word for women. They are words some in the town consider too offensive.
"A lot of people are seeing that and the country is divided now," said a Salisbury resident identifying himself as Bob. "Half the people driving by just don't want to see it anymore."
Roy took the sign down Wednesday saying it wasn't because of pressure but time for a change considering he has 19 different signs he has rotated over the last few years. He says he meant no malice but calls it satire.
He replaced it with a Confederate flag which customer James Winders liked enough to take a selfie. "I don't want history to be erased. Over one million died so people could be free in this country," he said.
Roy has support in the neighborhood including Kevin Porter who says it's all about free speech. "I think it's making people laugh. It's just showing where he stands, that's all," said Porter.
But Catriona Maylor finds it offensive. "Everything, everything about it, it's an eyesore."
What Roy has gotten is attention and believes there are highly charged views on both sides of the political aisle. "Everybody has seen nastiness on the left," Roy said. "I put up a sign, $100 sign that melted 10 million snowflakes."
This sign he admits may have crossed the line, but whatever their politics he says it has people talking.