I had a very unpleasant sign-related experience in Buffalo on Friday. A husband and wife wanted to hold up signs about a friend of theirs who is currently being held hostage in Iraq. My heart really went out to the woman--she was crying and very much upset--so I told her she could hold her sign up in front of or over me for one or two songs (I was on the rail). She seemed convinced that Bono could do something to help, that he was her "last hope," and I didn't have the heart to tell her that realistically, there was nothing Bono could do.
The problem was that her husband was a complete asshole. They were nowhere near me in line, so they'd obviously spent Institute's set pushing their way up to the front. They cut in front of someone who had been in line all day, and that woman politely asked them to let her have her spot back. The husband was right behind me at this point, and he replied, "I don't care. This is more important." He seemed to think that people were disagreeing with the content of the signs and not the fact that he was pushing people out of the way left and right. Everyone started going off on him (I didn't turn around, because I didn't want to get involved), and the ruckus got security's attention.
The director of security came over and told the couple that he'd had a lot of complaints about them, and that if they or their signs interfered with anyone one more time, they'd be thrown out. The husband again got confrontational, basically saying he'd paid for his ticket like everyone else and had as much of a right to be up front and hold his sign up as anyone. The security director told all of the guards nearby to keep an eye on him.
Right as Wake Up started, the pushing behind me got really bad, and the security guard in front of me gave the couple two options: move back or leave. I'm not sure what happened, but when I looked back, they weren't there. After the show, I found their posters ripped up on the floor, so apparently they lost interest in the cause when they realized it wasn't going to get them any interaction with Bono.
to security, because they took care of the situation before it turned into an all-out fight, which I think it would have, and before it ruined anyone's experience at the show. I still feel very badly when I think about how upset the woman was, and I've prayed for her and her friend quite a few times since Friday night, but I wish her husband would've realized that their situation didn't entitle them to push everyone out of the way.
The bottom line is that if someone is polite, he or she will be polite while holding up a sign. I saw plenty of sign-holders who didn't interfere with the people around them. One got pulled on stage. One got the drumsticks Bono and Larry used during Love and Peace. The guy behind me obviously wasn't polite, and I was glad to see him put in his place.
I had my lawyers inspect the affidavit and I am being told that the document furnished does not properly address the matter... 
yeah right, I don't even try! But of all the people I've seen on stage, Santa and Elvis were my favorites! Made for some great photos! 
