To the editor:

With everything going on in the world, it was surprising to read the critical letter regarding the “Hate Has No Home Here” signs and the hypotheses on why people display them on their lawn.  

I can’t speak for everyone who installs these signs but having had one of these signs on our lawn I can tell you why we displayed it. One only has to read the newspaper or watch the news on TV to see that hateful speech and actions occur regularly in our community, the state and across the country. I know people who have been targets of hateful speech and actions, as I’m sure many others reading this do as well. We put up the sign as a show of solidarity with those who are targets of hate and to let those people know they are welcome in our community and in our home. 

The sign was not intended to convey that we were better than anyone (as the writer suggests) or that we stand on some moral high ground. To us, putting the sign out was akin to hanging a flag with the peace symbol on it or having a “coexist” bumper sticker on your car. It is hard to understand why the promotion of love and harmony would be offensive to anyone. I would like to think that this is a message we could all stand behind.

Kevin Fitta

Barrington