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Some Overland Park neighbors are locked in a battle over yard signs, political viewpoints

Posted at 6:00 PM, Mar 08, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-08 19:00:55-05

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Some neighbors near 95th and Mission in Overland Park, Kansas, are waging a war of words with yard signs promoting different political viewpoints.

The first sign to go up reads: Black Lives Matter, Women's Rights are Human Rights, No Human is Illegal, Science is Real, Love is Love, and Kindness is Everything. 

When David Vaughan saw that sign; he responded with his own sign that reads: "This House Supports Our President, Police and Military, Second Amendment, All Lives Matter and Removal of Illegal Aliens."

Vaughan is a military veteran who said he had to give his rebuttal.

"Something like Black Lives Matter, which is an anti-police, almost terrorist group and illegal aliens — some people think that they should be here and I have to give my side of it," Vaughan said.

Vaughan went to the neighborhood association to ask for that first sign to be removed. He said the homeowners association said the sign is legal because it supports the First Amendment right to free speech.

At first Vaughan had a similar small yard sign, but when it was stolen he made a much bigger sign and used concrete to secure it in place in his yard.

Joel Hammontree is one of the neighbors who responded to Vaughn's sign by putting another one just like the first sign in his yard.

"I support police. I support the fire department. I support city. I support government. Now that doesn't mean that everything the government does or the President does is what I believe in. But I feel like hey, all lives matter so that's why we put up our signs," Hammontree said.

There are concerns that Vaughan's sign may violate Overland Park code enforcement because of it's size and how it's secured in place with concrete. 

Vaughn said he will not remove his sign until all of his neighbors remove their signs.