Yard display causes controversy in East Texas neighborhood
In the pictures, the scarecrow is in a white hooded sheet, and another picture shows the figure holding a confederate flag.
ANDERSON COUNTY, TX (KLTV) - A yard display that caused controversy in one East Texas city has now been taken down, but people are still talking about it.
Pictures were posted on Facebook last week of what appears to be a “racist scarecrow," in a yard located near FM 3328 in Anderson County.
Residents in the area say they’re shocked at the display’s apparent racism in 2018.
In the pictures, the scarecrow is in a white hooded sheet, and another picture shows the figure holding a confederate flag. Yet another shows a white cross with a circle around it, a symbol in a prominent racist group.
Within hours, the initial post about the allegedly racist symbols lit up with comments from all over East Texas; comments like, “This is awful. Ignorance abounds. So shameful,” but some see it differently.
“As terrible as it is, it should not be ignored. This is an opportunity to talk to the children, explain what hate is, and how wrong it is.”
Palestine City Councilman Mitchell Jordan says he’s having to explain to his children that there are still people who look down on them because of the color of their skin.
“These are people who hate you because of who you are.”
The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office says there is nothing illegal about what this man has done, saying it is freedom of speech, freedom of expression.
“But when it gets ugly, it offends people. That’s not freedom, that’s just being mean.”
As of Monday afternoon, the figure had been taken down.
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