Community members divided over messages on neighbor’s campaign sign in East Naples

A neighbor’s political sign is getting a lot of attention in an East Naples neighborhood. It supports the Trump-Pence campaign and some of the signage says, “Liberals are criminals.”

Neighbors we spoke to are split on their views toward the sign and its messages.

“My first reaction was horror,” Luann Moskowitz said.

“I was glad to see it,” Ralph Carter said. “I think it’s great.”

It’s not a typical Trump-Pence campaign sign. It attacks liberals, calls Democrats Communists and says, “I was trained to kill commi’s.”

Luann and Ron Moskowitz live a few minutes away from where the sign is in front of a home. As Democrats, they’re shocked.

“Do what you wanna do. Say what you wanna do, but don’t — I’m getting emotional — don’t threaten people’s lives,” Luann said.

Kathy Andrews agrees. After seeing the signs on her drive down Lakewood Boulevard, she called the sheriff’s office.

“So disturbing. It’s one thing to have Trump-Pence on there. That’s fine. It’s America. We all have that right,” Andrews said. “But to put all the other stuff out there … that’s just dangerous.”

But others don’t see any issue with the neighbor displaying the sign.

“How could that be a threat to anybody?” Ralph Carter said.

Carter walks by the home with the campaign signs twice a day. He thinks the sign’s language is an exaggeration.

“I guess he wanted to get attention, and so he made it there, and he gets attention,” Carter said.

Collier County Sheriff’s Office says it has received three calls about the signs, but they don’t violate state statues. Collier County code enforcement gave the homeowner a seven-day warning because sign’s size breaks code. If they don’t take it down, they could be fined.

Carol Rodvik stopped by to try to thank the sign’s owner for supporting the president. She says she doesn’t totally agree with the sign, but supports the owner’s right to have it.

“If that’s his opinion he’s entitled to that,” Rodvik said. “This is free speech.”