Wantage, NJ – A sign that quotes Adolf Hitler is causing a mild stir among motorists along county Route 565, especially because it was created by a member of the township Board of Education.
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The sign is located about 30 miles east of Dingmans Ferry.
It’s on property partly owned by Ray Delbury quotes the infamous dictator on one side and Jesus on the other, prompting officials and private citizens to air their concerns.
One side of the sign reads, “Give me your childs mind and I will … A. Hitler.” The other side says, “If you love me teach my children,” and on the next line, “Jesus.”
Wantage School Board President Tom Card said the sign is on private property and he has not spoken to Delbury about it.
“It’s disturbing to see someone to put up a sign about Adolf Hitler, but again, it’s his property and he can put anything he wants up there,” Card said.
And he has. Before the presidential election, Delbury’s sign, in block letters, read, “Give AlQaeda (sic) a chance; Vote 4 Barack Hussein Obama.”
Delbury referred all questions about his sign to his attorney, Don Hogan.
Hogan said his client is exercising his First Amendment rights and that these are strictly personal messages issued by Delbury, and not in connection with the school board. The sign, located south of Sussex Borough, is on property owned by a limited liability company in which Delbury has a stake, according to Hogan.
The Hitler quote, he said, is commonly studied in scholarly circles and refers to the idea that schools can be used to control young people’s minds.
Delbury was censured by the state last year for taking photographs of open windows in the middle school and maxi pads in the board office bathroom, going through documents on an employee’s desk while the employee was not present, and posting confidential information in an online forum.
The censure prohibits Delbury from speaking on behalf of the school board and from speaking to members of the press without consent from the board president.
His sign has prompted numerous calls of complaint to the New Jersey Herald office and other locales.
An anonymous call to the Sussex County Jewish Center in Newton prompted officials to refer the matter to state police.
“It’s definitely inappropriate,” center President Rob Richman said. “There are plenty of people, of better standing in the world, who you can quote to get your point across.”
A sergeant at the state police barracks in Frankford said Friday he was unaware of any complaints about the sign.
From NJ… But my garbage cans have to be kept far back off the street so as not to offend anyone…
maybe no-one here gets it! he is trying to offend people, but not how you think. what he is saying is that the indoctrination of the young to liberlism is akin to hitler and his hitler youth. the fact that a clearer majority of young voters voted for obama, without any real knowledge on him, his past, and his personal views is clear to this scary indoctrination. i agree with this sign, and i think more people should put them up all over the place. sometimes shock value is needed.
You are all mixed up! Hate is hate and it should not be tolerated!!!!!!
#7 , this isn’t hate. this are senseless and weird quotes from senseless and weird men. i don’t see how this is offensive.
#2, the “gentlemen”‘s club sign is much more offensive because it
1) goes against my religious beliefs
2) degrades women
#1 garbage analogy is perfect! Smell or not – the law says you must be considerate of not offending the PUBLIC in numerous ways. By way of extremely loud music at any hour of the day, after hours loud partying, indecent exposure, offensive displays – such as garbage cans, litter, unkempt lawns etc.
Accordingly the sign is a public nuisance and should be removed!
Having said that, I hear what #6 is saying: the shock value/attention getting design of the sign – and yes its underlying message (if that’s indeed what the owner meant to convey) is worthy of contemplation!
However – if the message is lost on the target audience because (brilliant as it may be) they cannot get beyond feelings of resentment – then it accomplishes nothing of the positive impact its displayer intended! That is sad! Perhaps he should try to modify the medium so everyone can get the message?
Maybe he can have the sign read something like: ” Give me your child’s mind and I will . .. A. Hitler knew what he was doing! Beware the indoctrination of our youth!”
Have a great day everyone!