published August 2, 2006 12:15 am
The Asheville Citizen Times

ASHEVILLE — A controversial billboard asking passers-by if they’ve “had enough” of illegal immigration was recently vandalized, with the Web site for the group responsible for the billboard covered up and “racism” added instead.

Tim Peck, key adviser and project manager for the Buncombe County Republican Action Club that sponsored the billboard, said the graffiti was noticed over the weekend.

There were two separate instances of vandalism at the Patton Avenue billboard. In one, the term “racism” was added. A second added a note stating the restaurant location where the Action Club meets.

“I would expect in a tolerant and diverse city like Asheville, a variety of viewpoints would be tolerated,” he said.

The billboard company’s policy is to cover any vandalized billboards with a public service announcement, he said, which was done. The club received a 50 percent refund of its cost. They will not be putting the billboard back up, according to Peck, but a second billboard on Swannanoa River Road was not vandalized and remains up.

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs. ... 01075/1009

Pictures of the vandalism at

http://www.theactionclub.com/weblog.htm