Opinion: Clarendon – The New Appian Way

Last week, the Clarendon Board of Aldermen addressed the religious billboards and staggering number of sewer-pipe crosses – sort of, that is. Alderman Sandy Skelton brought the issue up of regulating signs. We have an ordinance. However, that was about it as far as it went.

A passing reference was made that perhaps it might be a good thing if the city council looked into the matter further, perhaps in a future meeting. I get the feeling that this council would just as soon leave this issue alone, until it festers to the point where serious disagreement blossoms, things get out of hand, and the sheriff has to intervene. I think that they are kicking the can down the road hoping the issue will go away. It ain’t gonna happen, unfortunately. This issue needs to be addressed and resolved.

At the moment, no one seems what can or cannot be done to address this problem. A few people (mainly those putting the infernal things up) like the signs and crosses, while many others don’t like them and think that they demean the City of Clarendon. I’m in the second group.

I think the signs and sewer-pipe crosses are cheap, trashy, and embarrassing to the community. Most cities, as a matter of course, do beautification projects in order to put their best foot forward, so visitors to that city will remember how beautiful and inviting the city is, want to come back, and maybe start a business. You know, grow. Some people, on the other hand, seem determined to clutter our town with cheap symbols of their faith, which do not necessarily agree with other expressions of the Christian faith.

For example, when entering Clarendon, folks see a billboard exclaiming, “Clarendon, Texas, Believers in the Cross and Jesus Crucified.” Well, this may be true for some people, but it is certainly not true for me and I don’t appreciate anyone else presuming to speak for my beliefs. I believe in the Risen Christ, not the cross, an instrument of death! Does this signage speak for the entire town? Is this our new town motto? Who decided that this message accurately reflects the sentiments of the majority of the citizens of Clarendon? Actually, I’m appalled that people see this message coming into town and then have to read it again when leaving town.

Another sign proclaims, “911 Tragedy Worse Things Coming Find Jesus.” Really? Are we stooping so low as to use the tragic deaths of thousands of Americans to sell how religious we are? 9-11 was not only a tragedy; 9-11 was an act of war! How can we be so callous as to use such a horrific event to sell our particular brand of righteousness? Furthermore, who says worse things are coming? Who approved this message for the town?

I realize that these signs and crosses are very important to some people’s feelings and beliefs. Naturally, they are going to be sensitive about any criticism of them. I also realize that the people who are putting these signs up may not have the deepest pockets in town, and therefore have to use cheap, ugly materials instead of high quality materials that actually enhance the town’s beauty. Their message seems to be more important that getting it across with dignity and class.

Coming into town from the north on Hwy. 70, a billboard proclaims, “Lovers of Pleasure More than God?” Hmmm? What does this mean? Are pleasures and God mutually exclusive? What are people to think when they drive by such a bizarre billboard? Is the sign directed to the patrons of a certain business located just east of Howardwick? Perhaps visitors will think we are accusing them of loving pleasures more than God. Does it mean that there are no pleasures to be found in Clarendon?

My point is that these signs are not only tacky and trashy, the messages they proclaim may or may not be true, and are certainly open to debate. Of course, they are constitutionally protected by freedom of speech and freedom of religion clauses, but being constitutional does not necessarily mean that they put our best foot forward. Ugly is still ugly.

There are, of course, other meanings to the cross.

Perhaps we should rename our portion of Hwy. 287 to the Appian Way. In 73 B.C., a former slave and gladiator, the famous Spartacus, led a rebellion of escaped slaves against the Roman Republic. A prominent senator, Marcus Licinius Crassus, raised an army at his own expense, became their general, and two years later led them into battle and crushed Spartacus and his slave rebellion. Crassus was the wealthiest man in the Roman Empire. Fabulously wealthy. Crassus was wealthier than any of the Roman emperors, Egyptian pharaohs or European kings. Of course Crassus’s wealth was built on the backs of slaves, and thus his motivation to crush Spartacus and the slave rebellion.

After Crassus defeated Spartacus the senator was given a triumph on the Appian Way — the Roman victory parade. The road was lined with 6,000 crosses! Upon each cross was a crucified slave. The message was clear: This was how Rome dealt with threats to their interests. This event, as much as any, established crucifixion as the symbol of Roman ruthlessness when it came to suppressing their enemies.

Goodbye, Rome. Hello, Clarendon! What are our crosses really saying to our visitors about us?