If you watch the news, you’ve probably spotted the This Is A Sign guy many times in the last couple of months.
At events, he gets there early and waits off to the side, and then quickly gets into view of the news cameras when the main subject appears.
In conversation, he seems really nice and knowledgeable about the issues, but unlike most people at these events, his sign is not overtly partisan. So what does the sign mean? Peace, compassion, individual value, and a lot more – read his full explanation at the end of this article.
Here’s a few other events we have seen him at:
He’s got a few different color schemes – so far, we have seen purple and orange and pink, with variations in glasses, bow ties, and trim around the signs.
You can see where he has been on his Instagram account (@thisisasignguy) or on Twitter (@thisisasignguy) or look for him when you watch the news.
The meaning and purpose of the sign?
When we asked This is a Sign Guy, here’s the full explanation that he wrote back to us:
“This Is A Sign”, like all signs, is just a pointer to the probable presence or occurrence of something else. For some, it points to the obvious, for some the profound, and for others the prophetic. For many, it’s the simplest of answered prayers – a “sign” that points to hope and perhaps a better tomorrow.
The sign is an outgrowth of today’s climate of extreme divisiveness and intolerance. The antagonistic climate we live in is a call to action for the messengers of peace, compassion, and individual value. These core principles of our nature can get lost in the passion conveyed for a good or noble cause; particularly in the ruthless churn of the concrete and granite jungle that is our nation’s capital. The sign is meant to help soften the city around the edges; neutralize some individual angst; and add a splash of color to the monochromatic landscape of Washington, DC.
Although the sign is non-partisan, its presence alone has a visceral effect on some, who demand to know if the sign supports or opposes their cause or protest. Many don’t comprehend that the sign doesn’t support or oppose a particular cause and it doesn’t protest. If anything, the sign advocates; it champions civility but celebrates the individual, particularly the one(s) looking for a sign.
The sign portends that we are more alike than different, have more in common than not, and that it is quite ok to smile along life’s way. Beyond that, the sign causes a moment of pause, reflection, and a thought unlike the thought one would have had if the sign had not been present. And therein may be the thought that changes a life forever; all from having seen a simple sign.