The National Park Service doesn’t allow advertising in its parks (ed. note: Yay NPS!). So how did a Virginia Department of Tourism sign end up on park land in Dupont Circle? The Washington City Paper reports Trash Talk, the New York marketing firm hired by the tourism department, misled the Park Service:
“The organization that applied to the NPS for a permit misrepresented itself in the application process, informing the NPS staff the organization sought to engage in political free speech via the ‘Love’ sign that was erected in Dupont Circle,” he writes. “However, upon further investigation, the NPS learned the organization was in fact working for the State of Virginia’s Department of Tourism. When the NPS learned the real intent of the permitting process was abused, and that the ‘Love’ sign was in fact commercial advertising and not political free speech, the NPS instructed the organization to remove the sign immediately.”
I think the Virginia Department of Tourism deserves credit for trying to be creative with its latest campaign. But then again, that “Love” comes with restrictions – if you’re a woman, you better hope your love was born with a penis! Because Bob McDonnell, Bill Bolling, Ken Cuccinelli & George Allen have fought tooth & nail to codify their immature uncomfortableness & personal bias with who you are into law. Yes, Republican leaders are 12-year-old boys who think two girls kissing is icky & are happy to use big government to regulate your life.
So, let’s fix up that sign:
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