‘America: Love or Leave it’ sign at Virginia church

A church sign in Appomattox is drawing both support and criticism on social media and beyond.

Those traveling down this stretch of Red House Road drive right past this Friendship Baptist Church sign that reads, “America: Love it or Leave It.”

“Since we’ve had favorable comments on it, I thought I’d just leave it a while,” said Pastor E. W. Lucas, Friendship Baptist Church.

Pastor E. W. Lucas and his wife shared how he has put up signs since he started Friendship Baptist Church in 1979. “I thought I was going to make some remarks regarding the situation in Washington. It just came to me… ‘America, I love it. If you don’t love it, leave it.'" pic.twitter.com/xVEarle6Bd

— Valencia E. Jones (@vjreports3) July 17, 2019

Pastor E. W. Lucas and his wife shared how he has put up signs since he started the church in 1979.

“I thought I was going to make some remarks regarding the situation in Washington,” said Lucas.

Then he had a revelation.

“It just came to me. I just said, ‘America, I love it. If you don’t love it, leave it,” said Lucas.

Not everyone loves the ‘being told to leave’ part.

Hundreds of people have expressed their support and opposition to it on social media pointing to decisions made under President Donald Trump’s Administration.

Some people are on the fence about how they feel with the sign.

“It’s up to each individual person,” said William Thompson, Appomattox Resident. “Ultimately, if we have problems, we should try to fix it.”

They say it’s time to focus on solutions.

“Support is the biggest thing we need. Support and fix,” said Thompson.

Lucas says despite the challenges in this country, people should be grateful.

“People that feel hard about our president and want to down the president and down the country and everything, they ought to go over there and live in these other countries for a little while,” said Pastor E. W. Lucas, Friendship Baptist Church.

He says his pastoral duties take priority over any potential backlash.

“Preachers, by and large, today, are afraid they’re gonna hurt somebody’s feelings, and when I get in the pulpit, I’m afraid I won’t hurt somebody’s feelings,” said Lucas.