Man advertises home for sale to 'whites only'

EUGENE, OR (KTRK) -- It's a sign that is catching a whole lot of attention.

A homeowner in Eugene, Oregon has erected a large, makeshift sign declaring 'whites only' in a bid to sell his home.

John Ernst, the person selling the home, says all he wanted was someone to ask about the sign.

He says he has been jumped, followed, and is a target of harassment and crime because of his skin color, and doesn't want anyone else in the area to feel the same way.

"I've seen so much racism and hate in my life, and why can't we stop man?" Ernst says.

Neighbors in the area, like Devin Hall, say the sign's message is hard to get behind.

"Someone's got a lot of nerve to be putting stuff like this up around Eugene," Hall says. "It's not very respectful to the other people in the community."

Ernst says he isn't racist, but would only encourage white people to move to the area. His ultimate goal, however, is to stop racism in the first place.

"If this goes across the country or just in this town, we need to start being more polite, more friendly, and more caring about our neighbors and find out who they are," Ernst says.

Ernst, who is biracial, says he does plan to sell the home but will not require a white buyer.