“Resist” signs are sprouting all over Haverford Township.
A resident who contacted DVJournal to express his dismay about the “unneighborly” signs asked that his name not be published out of concern over backlash from fellow Haverford residents.
He is especially concerned because of the assassination of Republican activist Charlie Kirk, saying the “Resist language feels more like a call to act aggressively against political opponents, and anyone associated with ‘that party.’” He noted that “resistance” has been used around the country, often harming people and property, as well as intimidating others. Politics in Haverford has gone from criticism to “outright hostility,” he said.
But state Rep. Greg Vitali does not see a problem.
Vitali (D-Haverford) supports the signs.
“I support the message of resistance,” said Vitali. “President Trump’s lawless and irresponsible actions are moving us closer to an authoritarian form of government, and he should be resisted in the courts, at the ballot box, and by acts of courage from people and institutions.”
“I’m unaware of any violence these signs have provoked,” Vitali said.
Jim Knapp, chairman of the Haverford Township Republican Party, noted that disagreement is part of the democratic process.
“What exactly are we being told to resist?” asked Knapp. “In a democracy, disagreement is not only expected but vital. Civil debate is how we test ideas and hold leaders accountable. But resistance without dialogue, or worse — violence — is not democracy in action; it’s democracy in decline.
“What troubles me most is the hypocrisy of it all. Many of the loudest voices claiming to ‘defend democracy’ are the very ones working hardest to silence differing opinions. Free speech used to be a shared American value. Now, it too often depends on whether you agree with the ‘approved’ narrative,” he said.
“The positions our current president holds — on issues like border security, foreign policy, or even the economy — are not radical inventions,” Knapp said. “They are, in fact, positions that many of his fiercest critics once supported, sometimes loudly. What has changed isn’t the policy, but the politics.”
“This selective outrage erodes our ability to govern ourselves,” said Knapp. “It divides us into tribes, each unwilling to hear the other side. This is exactly how authoritarian movements — including Communist regimes — gain ground: by replacing discussion with division, and reason with resentment.”
Lorraine Williams, a Republican committeewoman for Haverford Township Ward 2-4, said she finds the signs, along with an upcoming No Kings rally, “very disturbing.”
“The rally smears the current administration as a dictatorship. The lawn signs are sending the message that the current administration is corrupt, chaotic, and cruel. This seems like a case of the pot calling the kettle black.
“Under the last administration, we saw the use of the autopen, for example — corruption-dictatorship by the inner circle — burning cities and heavy-handed censorship (chaos), parental rights were usurped, and prepubescent children mutilated by trans surgeries (cruelty). If the lie that we are ruled by a dictator is repeated often enough, it will be believed,” said Williams.
The signs are “very polarizing,” she said. “I think it’s an ugly connotation. Certainly, it’s very, very negative, and I think in today’s political climate, it’s a message of the left, pointed at the right, making ugly accusations.”
Jon Larsen, chair of the Haverford Democratic Committee, did not respond to a request for comment.
“If we truly want to defend democracy, then we need more than slogans on lawns. We need conversation, respect, and the courage to let others speak — even when we disagree,” Knapp added.