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Anti-war sign hid antisemitic message in Dunwoody
A yard sign has ignited fierce controversy in a metro Atlanta community. That sign, in front of a home near Dunwoody High School, had an antisemitic slur scribbled all over it.
DUNWOODY, Ga. - A front yard sign featuring an anti-Jewish slur came down in one Dunwoody neighborhood after a neighbor confronted the resident who lived there.
The sign, located in front of a home near Dunwoody High School, had an antisemitic slur beginning with a 'k' handwritten inside the lettering.
"As soon as I saw it, I was outraged," said Lydia Singleton-Wells, a Dunwoody resident who ended up showing up to the house after seeing it on Facebook.
Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch condemned the sign in a post on the platform, but noted that the city's hands were tied due to constitutional protections.
"The U.S. Constitution protects most forms of speech, including hate and offensive words," Deutsch wrote. "We cannot have the sign removed."
When FOX 5 visited the home on Wednesday evening, a man emerged from the home but declined to say anything.
Shortly after, Singleton-Wells showed up and a small crowd began to gather.
"I called a friend and said, 'Hey, can you bring me a poster board? I'm just going to stand in front of this sign and block it and just hold a sign that says, 'Hate Has No Home Here,'" Singleton-Wells recalled.
She stood in protest until a woman from the house came outside, leading to an unexpected turn of events.
"I was able to have a really thoughtful conversation with her, and she was extremely cordial and kind," Singleton-Wells said.
During their conversation, the woman expressed her concerns about the killing of innocent civilians in Palestine. Singleton-Wells listened but emphasized that hate is not the solution, whether in Dunwoody or anywhere else in the world.
"I asked her, 'Hey, do you mind if I take the sign?' And she said yes. So, that was just the best outcome that we could've had," Singleton-Wells shared.
By the end of the encounter, both women were in tears and shared a hug. Singleton-Wells took the sign home with her.
"We're so stuck behind screens, I think sometimes we have lost the art of engaging with each other face-to-face," Singleton-Wells reflected.
Mayor Deutsch later updated her Facebook post, thanking Singleton-Wells for her actions.
"Building bridges is harder than fences but infinitely more rewarding," the mayor wrote.
Singleton-Wells said she and the resident have plans to meet again in the coming days.