Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Sanford vetoes 'beelboard beel'

Below: A racially charged billboard
permitted under the Road Scholar Act

Bill permits racial insensitivity, encourages kids to 'keep yelling,' says Governor

B & P News – Columbia


Governor Mark Sanford yesterday vetoed the General Assembly’s reauthorization of the Road Scholar Act of 1997 -- also known as the "beelboard beel" -- a measure that permits stereotypical depictions of 1950’s-era Mexicans on South Carolina billboard advertisements.

“There was a time and place for these billboards on our highways, but that time has passed,” stated Sanford in his veto message. “Things change – while it’s chili today, it may be hot tamale. That’s what this veto is all about.”

Sanford’s veto is in part a response to the public outcry generated by the 2005 documentary Corridor of Pedro, which exposed the deplorable state of billboard stereotypes along Interstate 95.

The veto message was delivered to legislators upside down, because of what Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer called “too moch tequila.” It is expected to be overridden by the legislature this week.

“I never sausage a veto-using governor,” said House Speaker Bobby Harrell. “He’s always a wiener in my eyes.”

4 comments:

Laurin Manning said...

When I was a little girl, the highlight of my trips to see my grandparents in Dillon was checking out the SOTB signs adorning the lovely I-95 landscape. My favorite one featured a lamb on a spinning wheel, which gave the effect that the lamb was jumping. I called in the "nam sign." (Pretty sure no association with the war in Southeast Asia, but I can't say for certain.)

Ross Shealy said...

Your sheep are always counted at Pedro's...

Anonymous said...

When I was in Iraq, we had a Pedro key chain hanging in the windsheild of our Humvee.

Brining a little bit of the Pee Dee to Iraq was my cultural contribution to the world.

Anonymous said...

Andy,
Did the FloMo up-armor you?