“It’s Just Vulgar”: How a Fiery Political Billboard Ignited a Small-Town Free Speech Showdown in Maryland
(Editor’s Note: This story originally made headlines in May 2021 and is being republished as part of our continuing coverage on local political discourse and First Amendment battles.)
For commuters traveling along Route 4 near Bowie Shop Road in Huntingtown, Maryland, the daily drive through Calvert County is usually defined by quiet suburban scenery.
That changed abruptly when a towering political billboard turned the busy intersection into ground zero for a fierce debate over free speech, public decency, and what children should be exposed to on their morning ride to school.
The provocative display pulled no punches. It featured cartoon caricatures of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris depicted inside piles of feces, accompanied by bold lettering that read:
“DON’T BLAME TRUMP! YOU ARE STUCK WITH THESE TWO (expletive) HEADS!!!”
The explicit artwork immediately raised eyebrows, divided neighbors, and left local officials scrambling to figure out where political expression ends and public nuisance begins.
“Kids Are Riding By Every Day”
While political signage is a common sight in southern Maryland, critics argue that this particular display crossed a clear line from aggressive commentary into outright vulgarity.
Leading the pushback was Jeanette Flaim, chair of the Calvert County Democratic Central Committee. For Flaim, the issue wasn’t the political stance of the sign, but the profanity greeting families on their daily routines:
"It’s just vulgar. Kids are going to school, and they’re going by it every day, and parents are driving their kids. We just don't think kids should have to see that or parents should have to explain that."
— Jeanette Flaim, Calvert County Democratic Central Committee Chair
Flaim emphasized that local residents were accustomed to robust political debate in that exact spot. Pro-Trump and anti-Biden billboards had occupied the location for years without drawing formal complaints.
“We have not complained about any other signs,” Flaim explained. “It’s this sign we think is, again, damaging to all of us—everybody in Calvert. The GOP, the Independents, everybody.”
The Constitutional Handcuffs on Local Government
Despite growing outrage from local parents and community leaders, county officials quickly found their hands tied by federal law.
When Calvert County Commissioners reviewed their legal options, they encountered a formidable legal roadblock: the landmark 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Reed v. Town of Gilbert. The ruling severely restricts the ability of local governments to regulate the content or wording of signs displayed on private property, making content-based censorship nearly impossible for municipal boards.
Buddy Hance, president of the Board of County Commissioners, acknowledged the frustration of residents while delivering a sobering reality check on constitutional protections:
-
Legal Limitations: Local government cannot legally alter or remove language on an otherwise lawful sign structure based on its message.
-
The First Amendment Reality: The American legal framework protects speech even when it is offensive, coarse, or deeply unpopular.
-
Official Stance: Elected leaders must uphold constitutional rights regardless of personal agreement with the content.
“There is nothing that we as county government can do for language that’s on a legal sign,” Hance stated. “You know this country was built on the foundation of free speech, and sometimes we like what that free speech says and sometimes we don’t.”
The Power of Public Pressure
With legal avenues blocked by constitutional protections, opponents shifted their strategy from government regulation to community action.
Realizing that county code enforcement could not intervene, Flaim and concerned citizens began rallying a public pressure campaign. The goal was to appeal directly to the landowner and community sensibilities, urging them to voluntarily remove or alter the explicit imagery.
At the time of reporting, the individual or group responsible for funding and erecting the controversial billboard had not come forward or responded to requests for comment.
For the residents of Calvert County, the roadside display remains a glaring symbol of a national dilemma: how a small community balances the fundamental right to free expression against the collective desire for civil, public decency.