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By Vickie Speek
LDS Family's 'Graffiti' Welcomes Missionary Home
TACOMA, WASHINGTON -- If you drive Interstate 5 near Tacoma,
Washington, you know the Graffiti Rock. About 15 feet long, it always
has something to say. Up until September, messages have focused on
graduations, true loves, and sometimes featured an occasional gang
sign or two. But like everything else in the United States after
September 11, it changed, too.
On Sept. 14, Daphna (Bernie) Berniard and her friends applied for a
permit and painted an American flag on the rock to honor Bernie's
cousin and the cousin's husband who were killed during the terrorist
attack at the Pentagon.
Passers-by joined the tribute by piling flowers around the rock in
tribute to the victims of the terrorist attacks. But within a few
weeks, those opposed to the bombing in Afghanistan had painted an
upside down flag and other vulgar symbols over the
rock. Berniard arranged to meet with the head of the transportation
department to see what could be done, but, by the time they made it
to the rock, someone else had covered the insults and painted on a
new flag.
As they wondered who had done it, Travis Shumate, 18, a Lincoln High
School student came walking toward them with a camera. He and his
family -- Matt, Devin, Gina and Dacia Shumate -- had painted over the
protest and, more personally, painted the words, "Welcome Home,
Corey." Corey is Travis' brother who was returning home from a
two-year mission with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
in Brazil.
As to what they thought of the protester who had painted vulgarities
on the rock, Berniard and Shumate gave the same answer Americans have
given for more than 200 years: they disagreed with what that person
had to say, but believed he had the right to say it. Free speech is
part of the foundation from which we raise that flag, they said. Now
the 56th Street Rock in Tacoma is part of that foundation.
Source:
Rock becomes place to exercise First Amendment right
Tacoma WA News Tribune 11Nov01 P2
By Kathleen Merryman: The News Tribune
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