Opinions Vary Over Billboard

A new billboard on I-70B between Grand Junction and Clifton is creating quite a stir.

It is a political cartoon of President Barack Obama. The billboard is being paid for by a local man who wants to remain anonymous. But, the artist he hired met with KJCT News 8 to talk about his work.

"He was wanting to represent the influences he saw the president as having in his administration," artist Paul Snover says of the man who hired him.

In the billboard, President Obama is depicted as a terrorist, mobster, illegal immigrant, and gay man. He's shown playing cards, gambling with items that represent American values.

"You've got the Statue of Liberty being gambled with, Lady Liberty, different aspects of the country, the Constitution," Snover explains.

Some believe the art represents what is happening in our country.

"It is one person's impression of what the country has gone to. How everything has been taken from the United States and not really been brought back. And our values have pretty much gone to the crud," Yoge Mitchum said Monday.

Snover says the billboard is designed to be perceived as satirical political humor. But, many aren't laughing.

"It doesn't incite any type of intelligent response to whatever they are trying to represent. It's racist, it's homophobic, it's terrible," Mesa County Democratic Party Chairwoman Martelle Daniels says.

Regardless of public opinion, some say the artist and the man who hired him have every right to share their beliefs.

"The messages are put there by someone who has something to say and since we are a democracy, you have a right to say what you believe," Lee Aggers explains.

The billboard will be at its location near 29 Road and I-70B for at least the next month.

Snover says, as far as he knows, there are no more billboards like this in the works.