Butler County residents say hateful billboard has no place in community
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — An electronic billboard in Butler County is upsetting a lot of people.
The billboard along Route 422 in Summit Township features a swastika. People who live in the area say this type of hate and negativity isn't welcome in their community, and they're working to do something about it.
"To me, what's on the sign is just not acceptable, it's hate speech," Heidi Priest said.
The billboard is privately owned and sits on private property. Some people who live in the area said it doesn't represent their community, but they do believe it does represent the need for a deeper conversation.
"I think our community, and patriots in our community, have a responsibility to stand up against hate speech and hateful rhetoric and tell people that it is not acceptable," said Elizabeth Short of the YWCA Butler.
This particular billboard is new, but the controversial content it's displaying is not, which is something that is concerning to organizations actively working to fight hate. KDKA-TV is not showing the image widely considered a hate symbol.
"The impact of that symbol, it really traumatizes not only Jewish people but all minorities," said Sara Scheinbach of the Anti-Defamation League. "That symbol says we do not want Jewish people or minorities in the world."
What's on display and the messages aren't illegal. Because of that, according to the county commission, there's nothing it can do. However, those condemning the billboard say they're now motivated to do what they can to prevent another injection of unnecessary hate.
"Hate infects all of society whether you identify as Jewish or not," Scheinbach said. "This is a hateful symbol and even normalizing a symbol like this, it affects everyone in a community."
And that plan for prevention is already in motion. A meeting to talk about what can be done to eliminate hate speech in the Butler community and beyond was held Wednesday night.
Dozens of people, including clergy members and advocacy groups, discussed how to counter the messages on the billboard.
"The messaging that we all saw on the billboard, that is an affront to personal dignity to those in our community," Short said during the meeting.
