My mother has had signs posted on her house for maybe 5 years. The signs are professionally made, quite nice actually, and state that she doesn’t recommend an out-of-town business.

They are bland signs, easy to overlook, and remarkable only because so few people post signs on their houses at all. When they were first posted, people literally stopped their cars and cried out in solidarity with her. Even now, years later, hardly a week goes by without someone pulling over and taking a picture, usually with a big grin. People love these signs. I’m not sure if it’s because they’ve had similar experiences or just because we all love to see the little guy fight.

I think the house has become a sort of landmark, like when you tell people to turn at the crooked tree or to watch for the house with the bright pink door. The signs have been posted for so long that people know them, and not just locals.

But the signs have been up for 5 years, and that’s quite a while. Whatever her reason for being less-than-happy with the company, shouldn’t she be over it in 5 years? People who commit crimes are on probation for less than 5 years.

Very true. Five years ago my mother had something to say, she said it and she would have moved on and forgotten about it after a few months. Were it not for the concerted efforts of what some might call censorious asshats, the signs would have come down early in the summer of 2010.

The only reason the signs are still up is because the City of Milford, CT initiated a campaign of harassment and intimidation as punishment for her speech. I know that sounds dramatic, so look at the evidence and decide for yourself.

Obviously, this campaign of harassment and intimidation backfired.

The message the signs now convey has nothing to do with what’s written on them. The message is more like I will not be silenced by government thugs. And the reason the signs have been up for so long is not that she’s committed to the message written on them, just that she’s committed to her right to say it.