Controversy over man's firewood for sale sign

A controversy is brewing in Noblesville, Indiana, over a sign that which states, "I love Mexican people but they do not belong in the U.S. No Mexicans on my property. C. J. Spence." The sign is advertising firewood for sale. Some people are calling it racist.



"I thought I need to send them a message," said Spence. Spence's neighbours and drivers in the area don't think the sign is welcoming. "Our Mexican-American family that have lived in our house for 30 years. I have to drive by this - my kids have to drive by this every day," said Syreeta Bravo.

"This is ridiculous. How do you explain that to your kids? You don't, you can't." Driver Kari Bundy said that the sign "just promotes hate. It says it's okay to say things like this and be hateful to other people." But Spence says the sign does have its fans. "Lots of people say, 'C.J., I like your sign'," he said. Despite the opposition, Spence says the sign is staying put.


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"It's not coming down. It's not coming down," he said. He points to three things - a Mexican leaf cleaning crew dumped all their leaves on his property and twice, he says he's caught what he calls "Mexicans" fishing in his yard. Indiana Law Professor Robert A. Katz is a First Amendment expert. He doesn't think the sign constitutes hate speech, but instead is just a citizen spouting off.