Homeowner Complains About ‘Obscene’ Flag on Beach

WILDWOOD CREST – A property owner told Wildwood Crest Board of Commissioners, June 7, that she would rather not have to explain flags with obscene messages to her grandson.
Maria Crawford said she and her family visited a Wildwood Crest beach and an individual had a flag with an offensive message. She told the commissioners the flag had a large letter “F” and letter “K” separated by the American flag, with “BIDEN” underneath. 
In the event people did not get the message, she said a similar message was clearly spelled out below that, reading, “And F— You If You Voted For Him.”
Crawford said she spoke to the man and asked him what she was supposed to tell her grandson if he asked about it. The man did not respond to her, so she called the police, who she said told her there was no ordinance for which to cite the person. She said she was told she could bring up the matter with the commissioners.
“Why am I sitting on a public beach looking at this?” Crawford said, who asked the commissioners to take action to prohibit flags, signs, or anything with obscene language.
Crawford was afraid this type of representation, if allowed, would proliferate as the Nov. 7 election date nears.
“We would have to take time to review it,” Mayor Don Cabrera said. “I don’t think it will happen for this summer.”
Cabrera said he received a similar complaint last year, and the simple solution would be to ban flags on the beach, but he felt it would upset people as being a violation of their First Amendment rights. 
In 2020, Cape May City Council discussed a ban on flags with political messages, but Cape May City Solicitor Frank Corrado said political expressions are protected speech. 
As reported by the Herald, Sept. 3, 2020, Corrado said, “The attempt to cure can be worse than the disease.”
Crawford said she was not offended by a political statement but was disturbed by the vulgar language.