A "Black Rifles Matter" yard sign is drawing complaints from tourists in Maine passing through Boothbay Harbor, but Linc Sample says his message is about gun rights, not race.
According to Fox News, tourism-related businesses are receiving a ton of backlash after visitors spotted the large, hand-painted sign in Sample's yard.
Sample created the sign and told NECN he was inspired to erect it after reading a local ad in support of a ban on assault weapons.
“That’s really a trigger for me – the assault weapon ban,” Sample told NECN.
Sample said he used the slogan “Black Rifles Matter” to make an impact, Fox News noted. Sample said “flattered” is what members of the Black Lives Matter movement should be after he borrowed the phrase.
Boothbay Harbor officials said Sample is exercising his First Amendment right, and can continue to do so despite complaints from tourists and locals who want the sign taken down.
As Sample told CBS affiliate WGME, “There have been some people that have asked me to take the sign down and I don’t respond to that very well. It’s my property, it’s my sign. There’s been some talk that I have hurt tourism. I don’t believe that for a minute.”
Paul Mayor, who was visiting from Connecticut, is one person who wants to see the sign gone.
“People are ignorant. They shouldn’t be putting things out like that,” Mayor told NECN. “It’s taking a shot obviously at Black Lives Matter.”
Sample said he usually changes sign topics and, due to recent backlash, he’ll probably soon replace the “Black Rifles Matter” sign.
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