Sunday, October 16, 2005

Bigotry Good For Business

Last weekend I wrote about the Mason, Ohio bar that put a sign up in its front window reading "For Service Speak English."

I made the argument that the community bore responsibility for creating an atmosphere where the bar owner felt he could put a bigoted sign like that in his window, while getting little or no negative response from the members of the community. I got plenty of flack for that argument. Well, today the Enquirer has a story which outlines two points, one of which directly shows my views on the community were actually underplaying the bigotry of the community. Instead of feeling pressure from people around town to take down the sign, the bar owner has had increased business.
Ullum said he has received no complaints about the sign. In fact, he said, the controversy has been good for business.

He said one woman called to say, "We've been in Mason 18 years. We've never been in your bar, but we're coming in to show support."
If Mason is a tolerant city, then why after this story has gotten so much attention have the locals either supported the bigotry or at "best" hid behind cul de sac apathy?

The other point this article brings up is one not limited to Mason. The Ohio Civil Rights commission received emails that show why bigotry, racism, and hate are still around:
"To attempt to deny an American citizen the right to speak their mind in regards to a request to Speak English reveals your fascist tendencies. ... You are a good example as to why this country is turning in to a cesspool of third world scum."
The final interesting element of the article is who is listed as a contributor: Peter Bronson. Why was Bronson on this story? Was he looking to write a column, but even he was disgusted by this and turned over his notes/quotes for a regular news article?

1 comment:

  1. This is a case of the state passing a law that attacks the right of a mom and pop business to have and operate a small business by classifying as a place of public accommodation. In this case it is more aggregious because it is a local neighborhood place that allows locals to assemble and feel comfortable. Even in state run communist countries where I visited the government allowed the people to have places like this. And I would point out that that communist government never tolerated discrimination against any minorities unlike what is practiced in this country.

    I object to the force of government preying on my fellow citizens, when my fellow citizens have no resources to match the government. It would be different if these faceless bureaucrats were relieved of their conditional immunity and the playing field were level, but that is not the case here. And, I suspect that that is the motivation for the support of this business owner.

    This owner should be able to say that he doesn't want to bother with having to explain the menu. I have been on the other side where I have went to a restaurant where the owner did not want to teach me a foreign language and I found it to be an exiting experience. You people are so anal.

    I probably speak more foreign languages and have been to more countries that you all and I find you all to be far more narrow minded and intolerant than those that I have met in other countries.

    Read that bureaucratic asshole's statement for the state agency and you should see enough stupidity that you should be attcking the government not the citizen.

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