Police investigate disappearance of anti-gay, anti-abortion sign from billboard
52 replies, posted
[img]http://media.kentucky.com/smedia/2012/05/31/12/02/RszrK.AuSt.79.jpeg[/img]
[quote]Lexington police said Thursday they would investigate the disappearance of a controversial billboard message that denounced homosexuality and abortion.
The message on a billboard on New Circle Road near Leestown Road appeared last week and cited Bible passages beneath the statements "Homosexuality is an abomination" and "Abortion is murder."
The vinyl sign, which listed a phone number for Bluegrass Church of Christ in Scott County, was missing Thursday, leaving a blank billboard. Police contacted the church and took a theft report, spokeswoman Sherelle Roberts said.
"They told us that it indeed had been stolen," Roberts said. The sign was to have been up "for the course of a year, and so when it was gone after a week, it was suspicious."
Detectives will begin working on the case Friday, Roberts said. In addition to theft, potential charges could include criminal mischief.
Dan Moody, 72, a member of Bluegrass Church of Christ, said church officials were disappointed that the sign being stolen but "not necessarily surprised. But we're surprised they could get it so easily and so quickly.
"We're very disappointed with that and would like to get our sign back up and see if something can be done to prevent that from happening again."
In an interview with the Herald-Leader Thursday afternoon, Moody said that the church does not have a pastor but that male members rotate preaching and teaching. He said the 10-year-old congregation does not have its own building, meeting instead in members' homes or a motel. Moody would not say how many people are members of the church.
He said that the church spent $7,700 for the year's billboard rental and that it would cost about $700 to have the vinyl sign replaced. Moody wouldn't identify the company that rented the sign to the church because he didn't want the firm to be the target of harassment.
The church has paid for four other billboard messages along Interstate 75 in Georgia, he said; no vandalism was reported with those.
Moody said the church "fully intends" to replace the message.
Joshua Koch, president of the Kentucky Equality Federation, an organization that advocates for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and that has pushed for same-sex marriage in Kentucky, said Thursday that he was glad the message was removed.
"This whole incident has revealed the importance of bridging the gap between some portion of the Lexington religious community and the LGBT community," Koch said.
"Hopefully in the future that will not be a recurring issue. Honestly, Lexington is one of the friendlier cities in the region toward equality, and I certainly hope that trend continues."
Koch said in a statement last week that, although the federation respected the right to free speech, the billboard message subjected Lexington drivers "to an offensive and divisive message."
Although the message is gone from the billboard, a sign described as a replica has surfaced at a local bar and on social media sites.
On Thursday, a picture of a defaced version of the sign was posted on the Facebook page of Dronex Inc., which identifies itself as "a collective of creative dissidents working to challenge our visual landscapes to empower the people who occupy them." The sign appeared to have red devils painted over the original message.
Also, on Twitter, a user with the handle name @DronexInc sent a picture of that artwork at 9 p.m. Wednesday with the caption: "The devil will make work of idle hands."
The street artist who uses the identity of Dronex could not be reached for comment.
Andy Shea, the owner of Trust Lounge, said Thursday morning that a "replica of the billboard" had been displayed Wednesday night at the downtown Lexington bar. He said the piece was part of an "end of the world" theme party in which artists are invited to display their work.
Shea said the replica was part of a freedom-of-speech display.
Shea, who also is the general manager of the Lexington Legends, agreed to let the Herald-Leader see the artwork Thursday morning.
However, shortly after police announced it would investigate, Shea said the artwork resembling the billboard was no longer at the bar.
He said crews cleaned up after Wednesday's party, and all the artwork, including the replica, was removed.
About 15 people had posted on Dronex Inc.'s Facebook page, congratulating the artist for "getting the big story."
The controversial billboard message has been a topic of discussion on the Facebook page for nearly a week.
On Saturday, a user named Erik Roby posted a link to a WLEX-18 story about the billboard and said, "Think maybe a drone ought to deface this billboard and stand tall?"
On Sunday, Dronex Inc. posted a reply that said, "What billboard?"
On Thursday morning, Dronex Inc. posted: "Death from above / Love from below" — a post that had 22 likes by Thursday afternoon.
Under that post, a user named RustandBone Antiques posted: "Is the billboard for sale? Well done."
Moody, the church member, said threatening phone calls increased in the week that the sign was up. "Some are just real vulgar. Some ... say something like 'I've thought about finding out where you are and blowing this church up,'" he said.
But sometimes the phone calls from people who identify themselves as gay are "decent discussions," Moody said. "We're cordial with each other. Not agreeing but having a cordial discussion back and forth. Matter of fact, we've had calls from homosexuals saying, 'I didn't know that was in the Bible. I thank you for opening my eyes.' We've had that message more than once."
Read more here: [url]http://www.kentucky.com/2012/05/31/2207226/lexington-police-investigate-disappearance.html#storylink=cpy[/url][/quote]
Yeah, hurting a worthy cause by resorting to criminal action!
Ignorance and hate is a disgrace to society
J!NX 1187793:3
As a Brit, I fail to see how this was ever acceptable to be put up in the first place. The fuck is wrong with some of you Americans?!
[QUOTE=J!NX;36160177]Ignorance and hate is a disgrace to society
J!NX 1187793:3[/QUOTE]
Oh look I'm in the Bible!
Daniel Smith 4783093:7
[QUOTE=Moby-;36160196]As a Brit, I fail to see how this was ever acceptable to be put up in the first place. The fuck is wrong with some of you Americans?![/QUOTE]
1st amendment sometimes is taken too literally and people think it lets them be douchebags.
[QUOTE=Daniel Smith;36160210]Oh look I'm in the Bible!
Daniel Smith 4783093:7[/QUOTE]
You are? Cool, I'm in the facepunch bible.
I die first though.
[QUOTE=Moby-;36160196]As a Brit [...] The fuck is wrong with some of you Americans?![/QUOTE]
oh boy here we go
[QUOTE=J!NX;36160213]1st amendment sometimes is taken too literally and people think it lets them be douchebags.
the numbers where from facepunch thread:post :v:[/QUOTE]
It does let people be douchebags. That's the point of the first amendment, to say stuff other people don't like.
Ignoring the inevitable "My flag and landmass is better than your flag and landmass" debate, I'd love to see somebody rent out a billboard and plaster it with some of the more outdated, irrelevant and often ignored bible passages.
I can't think of any off the top of my head, although I'm sure some people know a few good ones.
[QUOTE=Moby-;36160196]As a Brit, I fail to see how this was ever acceptable to be put up in the first place. The fuck is wrong with some of you Americans?![/QUOTE]
We got this whole "free speech" thing, and we don't persecute people because of shit they say, no matter how stupid it is.
As much as I disagree with their hateful, ignorant message, I respect their right to have it and to let others know just how hateful and ignorant they are. Also, I know I'm in the wrong on this, but I'm totally glad that billboard sign thing got stolen.
[QUOTE=yawmwen;36160277]It does let people be douchebags. That's the point of the first amendment, to say stuff other people don't like.[/QUOTE]
It's hard to be a tolerant and understanding individual, especially when there's douchenozzles who thinks abortions and homosexuality is wrong, and also insists on vomiting their opinion on everybody else in any way possible..
[QUOTE=Trunk Monkay;36160291]We got this whole "free speech" thing, and we don't persecute people because of shit they say, no matter how stupid it is.[/QUOTE]
All hell breaks loose when a similar atheistic billboard pops up.
[QUOTE=AceOfDivine;36160332]All hell breaks loose when a similar atheistic billboard pops up.[/QUOTE]
Nah, not really. Drop the persecution complex please.
[editline]1st June 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=Van-man;36160327]It's hard to be a tolerant and understanding individual, especially when there's douchenozzles who thinks abortions and homosexuality is wrong, and also insists on vomiting their opinion on everybody else in any way possible..[/QUOTE]
Good thing people who put up these billboards are making our case for us anyways right?
[QUOTE=Daniel Smith;36160210]Oh look I'm in the Bible!
Daniel Smith 4783093:7[/QUOTE]
Thou shalt be as insane as humanly possible. Madman_Andre 1:11
[QUOTE=Moby-;36160196]As a Brit, I fail to see how this was ever acceptable to be put up in the first place. The fuck is wrong with some of you Americans?![/QUOTE]
Some of us believe in freedom of speech.
[QUOTE=Moby-;36160196]As a Brit, I fail to see how this was ever acceptable to be put up in the first place. The fuck is wrong with some of you Americans?![/QUOTE]
Freedom of speech goes both ways, no matter how much we dislike it.
[QUOTE=Archimedes;36160289]Ignoring the inevitable "My flag and landmass is better than your flag and landmass" debate, I'd love to see somebody rent out a billboard and plaster it with some of the more outdated, irrelevant and often ignored bible passages.
I can't think of any off the top of my head, although I'm sure some people know a few good ones.[/QUOTE]
"Shaving your face is a disgrace!
Leviticus 19:27
OvB Church of the lord"
*insert voltaire quote here*
[QUOTE=OvB;36160695]"Shaving your face is a disgrace!
Leviticus 19:27
OvB Church of the lord"[/QUOTE]
"Playing video games is terrorism, and should be punished by execution"
Romans 13:15
"Call the police"
9:11
"Bluegrass Church of Christ"
All I can picture is a bunch of hardcore Christians sitting around playing banjos and mandolins and singing about Jesus :v:
"Abortion is murder" sounds a bit anachronistic compared to other Bible quotes I've heard. Is that real?
[QUOTE=ewitwins;36160841]"Bluegrass Church of Christ"
All I can picture is a bunch of hardcore Christians sitting around playing banjos and mandolins and singing about Jesus :v:[/QUOTE]
You just pictured Kentucky correctly.
This state is a cesspool.
"Honestly, Lexington is one of the friendlier cities in the region toward equality"
Yeah right.
[QUOTE=ewitwins;36160841]"Bluegrass Church of Christ"
All I can picture is a bunch of hardcore Christians sitting around playing banjos and mandolins and singing about Jesus :v:[/QUOTE]
That would actually be a lot better than a bunch of hardcore christians sitting around buying anti-gay billboards.
Bluegrass is pretty cool music.
[QUOTE=Archimedes;36160289]Ignoring the inevitable "My flag and landmass is better than your flag and landmass" debate, I'd love to see somebody rent out a billboard and plaster it with some of the more outdated, irrelevant and often ignored bible passages.
I can't think of any off the top of my head, although I'm sure some people know a few good ones.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE] King James Version, Second Kings 2:23-24
23: And he [Elisha] went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up that way, there came forth little children of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; Go up, thou bald head.
24: And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood and tare forty and two children of them.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Mr. Smartass;36160626]Freedom of speech goes both ways, no matter how much we dislike it.[/QUOTE]
But along with that freedom we are also allowed to say when someone is full of shit
[QUOTE=Ekalektik_1;36160882]"Abortion is murder" sounds a bit anachronistic compared to other Bible quotes I've heard. Is that real?[/QUOTE]
That's a TLDR. Simple mortal peasants wouldn't understand the mythical rhetorical texts of the holy book.
[QUOTE=Moby-;36160196]As a Brit, I fail to see how this was ever acceptable to be put up in the first place. The fuck is wrong with some of you Americans?![/QUOTE]
as a Brit i fail to see why you should stick your nose in other people's business.
is it not acceptable unless accepted by a government or council?
[QUOTE=ewitwins;36160841]"Bluegrass Church of Christ"
All I can picture is a bunch of hardcore Christians sitting around playing banjos and mandolins and singing about Jesus :v:[/QUOTE]
HEY...
I play the banjo :C
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