Controversial Billboard Sparks Debate in Maryland

A controversial billboard in Huntington, Calvert County, Maryland, depicts President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris surrounded by feces with the message, “DON’T BLAME TRUMP! YOU ARE STUCK WITH THESE TWO (expletive) HEADS!!!” While some critics of Biden support the billboard, many residents find it offensive.

Jeanette Flaim, chair of the Calvert County Democratic Central Committee, is working to have it removed, stating, “It’s just vulgar. Children see it every day on their way to school, and parents shouldn’t have to explain that kind of language to them.”

Removing the billboard is difficult due to the 2015 Reed v. Town of Gilbert Supreme Court Decision, which protects such messages as free speech. Buddy Hance, president of the Board of County Commissioners, said, “As a county government, there’s little we can do about the language on a legal sign. Free speech is a fundamental right.”

Flaim argues the explicit imagery is inappropriate for public display, especially where children can see it. The person responsible for the billboard has not responded to requests for comment.