A church sign in Virginia that reads, “America: Love or Leave It,” has sparked intense controversy as it was posted just days after President Trump told ”progressive” Democrat congresswomen to go back to their native countries.
Pastor E.W. Lucas put up the sign outside the Friendship Baptist Church in Appomattox, and said he has been putting up notices with his wife since 1979.
“I thought I was going to make some remarks regarding the situation in Washington,” he told ABC 13. “It just came to me... America, I love it. If you don’t love it, leave it.”
Lucas said he made the move after Trump made controversial comments on Twitter on July 14, which were directed at Democratic Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), known collectively as the “squad.”
“So interesting to see ‘Progressive’ Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all), now loudly and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run,” Trump wrote last week.
“Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how it is done. These places need your help badly, you can’t leave fast enough. I’m sure that Nancy Pelosi would be very happy to quickly work out free travel arrangements!” he added.
All are American and all but Omar were born in the United States. They’ve been among the Democratic Party’s most outspoken advocates for impeaching the president.
After Democrats described his tweets as “racist,” Trump turned down demands to apologize for his comments and continued to criticize the furthest-left Democrats, including Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).
Images of the sign posted on social media gathered mixed reactions, with some calling it a “disgrace,” while another said: “I love the message. Just should not be put on a church billboard.”
However, Lucas said the notice will remain posted for the foreseeable future as he said it had received some positive feedback.
“Since we’ve had favorable comments on it, I thought I'd just leave it a while,” he told ABC 13.
“Preachers, by and large, today, are afraid they’re gonna hurt somebody’s feelings, and when I get in the pulpit, I’m afraid I won’t hurt somebody’s feelings.”
