During the months leading up to the 2020 presidential election, I was struck by the number of political signs as I traveled throughout the five-county Times News region (Carbon-Schuylkill-Monroe-Northampton-Lehigh counties).

I estimate that signs supporting then-President Donald Trump and his bid for re-election outnumbered those of the ultimate winner, Joe Biden, by a large number.

If the outcome of the election were to have been based on the proliferation of political signs, Trump would have won in a landslide. Perhaps Trump was seeing this disparity in the number of signs, too, and this might be why he thought (and still does) that he did win in a landslide.

The election has come and gone, and most of these yard signs and those on poles and other places have been removed. Many local municipalities have ordinances which restrict how long political signs can be displayed after an election, but, quite frankly, I am not sure that these ordinances can stand up in court if tested since there are some serious First Amendment issues surrounding them.

That is only one aspect of the controversy that swirls around political signage. Even more worrisome is the content displayed on some of these signs. Many are benign - “Vote for Trump” or “Vote for Biden.” Others, however, raise questions of propriety if not legality.

We are seeing that play out in Roselle Park, New Jersey, a community of 13,500 about 60 miles east of Easton. Andrea Dick, an ardent Trump supporter, has kept the love going long after the election. After this past Memorial Day, she began displaying a series of post-election, pro-Trump signs on the Willow Street home owned by her mother and which Dick leases from her.

There are five large signs and one smaller one. Several use obscenities, and it is over these that she and borough officials clashed. Three of the signs use the “f” word, and many community residents didn’t like it, especially since the home is near an elementary school.

In bringing charges against Dick and her mother, a code enforcement officer cited her violation of an ordinance that bans the public display of obscene material. The ordinance attempts to define obscenity as “material that depicts or describes sexual conduct or lacks any serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value.”

A municipal court judge ruled that the ordinance was constitutional and ordered the three banners with the “f” word removed. If not, he added, there would be a $250-a-day fine.

At this point, the American Civil Liberties Union entered the case on behalf of Dick and her mother and appealed the case to New Jersey Superior Court, which dismissed the charges on constitutional grounds.

ACLU of New Jersey Executive Director Amol Sinha said in a statement that the dismissal was a First Amendment win for the Roselle Park family and all New Jerseyans.

“The First Amendment exists specifically to make sure people can express strong opinions on political issues - or any other matter - without fear of punishment by the government,’’ Sinha said.

Roselle Park Mayor Joseph Signorello said the borough will probably not appeal because of costs.

Those favoring the court ruling said it is yet another example of how decency cannot be easily legislated, especially when it comes to controversial First Amendment issues.

Of all of the political signs I had seen prior to the 2020 election, none were what I would call obscene. Since the election, I have seen pro-Trump and anti-Biden signs throughout our area, but only one had the “f” word.

When President Biden visited Lehigh County on July 27, supporters and protesters showed up near the Mack Truck Co. in Lower Macungie Township where Biden spoke.

Several Trump supporters were carrying signs with the “f” word and other obscenities aimed at Biden. This was especially troublesome since children were there with some of the sign-waving parents.

I was amazed at how many anti-Biden banners and flags using the “f” word are for sale online by presumably reputable companies, including amazon.com.

This reinforces the notion that many of us have that we are no longer living in a kinder, gentler nation, if, in fact, we ever were.

I am a fierce First Amendment advocate, and even though I don’t agree with the use of the “f” word in these banners and signs, I am holding my nose as I say that people have a constitutional right to express themselves in this intemperate way.

I wish that we could appeal to a political supporter’s sense of propriety and good taste, but I suspect that this ship has sailed.

By Bruce Frassinelli | tneditor@tnonline.com

The foregoing opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board or Times News LLC.