Wyandotte residents Jake Parshall (left), 27, and Nick Beaven, 30, new homeowners who became the target of a neighbor’s homophobic vitriol in the 500 block of Forest, in Wyandotte, have started a positive initiative with yard signs bearing the message, “Neighbors Against Hate – all are welcome here.”
Lawn sign initiative follows homophobic vitriol
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
WYANDOTTE – When new homeowners Nick Beaven, 30, and Jake Parshall, 27, were subject to a neighbor’s homophobic vitriol, they countered his slurs with a lawn sign campaign proclaiming “Neighbors Against Hate.”
The signs, which also proclaim “All are welcome here,” have since spread beyond the 500 block of Forest where they live.
When the two held a housewarming party Oct. 9, one of their friends parked in front of their neighbor’s house, which angered him.
“He came outside, making quite a scene about it, and it just continued escalating, and he started throwing homophobic slurs our way,” Parshall said.
Beaven said everyone attending their party was nice and kind to the man, and respectful, but he escalated his anger despite their non-confrontational approach, and was inebriated as well.
“We figured it was just kind of like a drunk situation, and let him cool down, and he went back in his house,” he said. “Monday morning came around, and he revved his engine, and started saying more homophobic slurs at our house, so we knew at that point that it was no longer a drunk incident, and more of something that was more deep-seated.”
Beaven and Parshall filed a police report on Oct. 11, detailing what occurred on both days, and other neighbors who witnessed the hate speech filed police reports as well.
“Neighbors within four to five houses around us heard the incident happening,” Beaven said.
They said their other neighbors have been welcoming.
“In fact, just today, one of them put up a rainbow flag in support,” Parshall said.
Beaven said most of their neighbors have since displayed a “Neighbors Against Hate” sign on their lawn, and they have received more than 100 requests for them.
“Our motivation to doing the signs is we know that fighting hate with hate doesn’t work, and this is more of a broad message, because hate is everywhere,” he said. “Here in Wyandotte, we want to be more inclusive.”
The homophobic neighbor is a renter, and Beaven and Parshall have been unable to reach the Riverview owner of the house by phone, so they have sent her a letter. From their research, they believe that the Forest Street rental house does not have a rental certificate with the city and that it has numerous code violations.
Parshall said if other people encounter homophobic hate speech, he would encourage them to remember that the majority of people will love and support them.
“For us, it was incredible, the outpouring of support from our neighbors, some of whom we hadn’t spoken to before,” he said. “It’s been horrible, but it’s been a great bonding experience with some of the neighbors, and we’ve made some meaningful friendships with our neighbors.”
Parshall said they did not try to engage with their hateful neighbor.
“Because of the domestic disputes, we know that he has violent tendencies, which is honestly why we filled out the police report,” he said. “So, there is a trail, if something were to escalate.”
Beaven said police officers advised them to document any interactions, and said that they are aware of their neighbor’s history of disturbances in the neighborhood, adding that it takes a united effort to defeat hate.
“A lot of the responses we got is, ‘That’s not the Wyandotte I know,’” he said. “It is very easy for us to live in our own little worlds, in our own little bubbles, but realize that it is everywhere, and that we have to have an active role in seeding out the hate that is in our neighborhoods.”
He said one of their neighbors recorded the man’s heinous slurs on a surveillance camera.
Beaven said he plans to launch a Facebook page through which people may request the signs, but for now, people may contact him through his “Neighbors Against Hate” Facebook page.
Those who would like to contribute $10 per sign to cover the cost are welcome to make a contribution, but he said they are more focused on getting their message out, and will offer the signs for free to those willing to display them.