Parking Lot Politics Going Too Far?

Parking lot owner Tim Henderson is quite clear about the message he's sending from two identical signs he posted, warning "no parking" for Obama supporters or people with Obama bumper stickers.

BLOG: Read in his own words. Tim Henderson explains his reasons for putting up the signs.

"I don't know how many ways you can interpret it. If you're an Obama supporter, you've got an Obama sticker on your car, you're not welcome to park here," says Henderson.

Henderson's a McCain supporter who insists he won't tow anyone off his lot for political reasons; he's just throwing a little humor into the presidential race.

"I don't expect to go after anyone with a baseball bat. I would grin at 'em and laugh and ask 'em if they could read English," says Henderson.

But some people who park on his lot don't find it so funny.

"This is ridiculous," says Dave Dicke. Dicke works at a state agency across the street. The agency's employees have had an agreement to park on Henderson's lot for years. Some of them have Obama stickers on their private vehicles.

"It's telling me because I have a sticker, or I support, I believe in something, I'm not allowed to park here, and this is where I park for work. I have to park here," says Dicke.

"Just posting signs is practicing your freedom of speech," notes Marella Phillips, a fellow state worker who also has an Obama sticker on her minivan.

But another Obama supporter who's also town mayor would like to see that speech come down.

"If he said Obama folks could park here but McCain couldn't I wouldn't like that either," says Mayor Lenny Williams.

Henderson says he's sticking with his signs until election day."They're either gonna have to stay offended or get over it," says Henderson.

UPDATE:

10/9/08 3:45 p.m. - Mayor Lenny Williams told WFMY News 2 that he has made an agreement with Henderson resulting in removal of the sign.