More reasons to be ashmed of Cobb County, GA

[Wright Blan]

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/met...514.html?imw=Y

Group protests Cobb bar, calls Obama T-shirts racist

Mulligan's selling shirts with 'Curious George' picture

By CHRISTIAN BOONE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 05/13/08

Marietta bar owner Mike Norman says the T-shirts he's peddling, featuring a look-a-like of cartoon chimp Curious George peeling a banana, with "Obama in '08" underneath, are not meant to offend.

Norman acknowledged the imagery's Jim Crow roots but said he sees nothing wrong with depicting a prominent African-American as a monkey,
"We're not living in the (19)40's," he said. "Look at him . . . the hairline, the ears — he looks just like Curious George."

About a dozen prostestors rallied against the shirts Tuesday afternoon, condemning them as racist and asking Norman, longtime proprietor of Mulligan's Bar and Grill on Roswell Street, to stop selling them.

Marietta native Pam Lindley, 47, joined the protest after reading about the controversy online.

"I don't want people to think this is what Marietta is all about," she added, motioning towards the tavern. "This is what some people think the South is still like. Marietta's come a long way but I guess it's still got a little ways to go."

She said she'd like to see the city ban Norman's provocative musings regularly posted on a sign out front of the bar, which is near Marietta's downtown square. The loosely formed coalition of civil rights activists who gathered Tuesday say they will continue their campaign against Norman's "hate speech."

But his defenders are just as resolute. Mulligan's is a refuge, they say, in an otherwise hypersensitive world. Here, smoking isn't only allowed, it's expected.

"This place is a diamond in the rough," said Gene McKinley, a Woodstock engineer. "People here are genuine and honest. It's the one place I can go without having to worry if I'm offending someone."

Norman said he's been he's been fielding calls throughout the day about his T-shirts, which he began selling in late April. "One guy in New Jersey wanted me to send him 100 shirts," said Norman, 63.

He said he noted physical similarities between the Democratic frontrunner and the cartoon monkey while watching a Curious George movie with his grandchildren.

Someone — "probably a customer, I don't know" — from Arkansas sent him the shirts, Norman says. He has no plans to mass market them.

Not that's he's bowing to pressure. The Tennessee native figures he's providing a public service of sorts, reminding people they have a right to offend.

"This is my marketing tool," he said.

[Kent Horton]

I live like a mile or so from that bar.

[Wright Blan]

Originally Posted by Kent Horton

I live like a mile or so from that bar.

I feel I live too dang close to that place. And I'm in Gwinnett.

[mrorangesoda]

Originally Posted by Kent Horton

I live like a mile or so from that bar.

All of America lives a mile or so from that bar...

[Kent Horton]

Originally Posted by mrorangesoda

All of America lives a mile or so from that bar...

Probably, but I meant it literally.

[vbartilucci]

Originally Posted by Kent Horton

I live like a mile or so from that bar.

I suggest you move.

[Wright Blan]

Originally Posted by mrorangesoda

All of America lives a mile or so from that bar...

Wow. Now that's a metaphor.

[VinnyPic]

When Obama's President, I'm visiting that bar and blowing the owner a kiss.

[NedPepper]

Originally Posted by VinnyPic

When Obama's President, I'm visiting that bar and blowing the owner a kiss.

It's Marietta. Blow them a kiss all you like. What's scary is that the new school bigots drive BMW's and make six figures.

It's not all toothless hicks anymore. The real trouble blends in and tries to actually argue their bigotry as this jackass who runs the bar has done.

Trust me....I live directly north of Marietta in a place called Canton....no one pays the hicks any mind.

It's the guy drinking a cosmo at the bar who makes the worst Obama jokes. Between rounds of golf at his country club.

[mrorangesoda]

Originally Posted by Wright Blan

Wow. Now that's a metaphor.

Yeah. It works best if you read it slowly and mournfully. Maybe there will be a slow and mournful smilie on the new rama...

[Wright Blan]

Originally Posted by mrorangesoda

Yeah. It works best if you read it slowly and mournfully. Maybe there will be a slow and mournful smilie on the new rama...

I don't think Pluck has that capability.

[Terram]

[Kent Horton]

Originally Posted by NedPepper

It's Marietta. Blow them a kiss all you like. What's scary is that the new school bigots drive BMW's and make six figures.

It's not all toothless hicks anymore. The real trouble blends in and tries to actually argue their bigotry as this jackass who runs the bar has done.

Trust me....I live directly north of Marietta in a place called Canton....no one pays the hicks any mind.

It's the guy drinking a cosmo at the bar who makes the worst Obama jokes. Between rounds of golf at his country club.

Marietta = Old Money & nouveau riche

My street alone used to have a judge, some lawyers, a few doctors . . .

My dentist lives across the street from me now.

[Wright Blan]

Originally Posted by Kent Horton

Marietta = Old Money & nouveau riche

My street alone used to have a judge, some lawyers, a few doctors . . .

My dentist lives across the street from me now.

Did thry ever get that road paved?

*runs*

[NedPepper]

Originally Posted by Kent Horton

Marietta = Old Money & nouveau riche

My street alone used to have a judge, some lawyers, a few doctors . . .

My dentist lives across the street from me now.

Canton is just an extension of that. Except a little more insular and Hellfire Clubbish.

[mrorangesoda]

Good news about the story breaking: with all that attention, I'm sure that guy will be slapped with a law suit from the Curious George copyright holders.

[Nightfly]

Did the article mention the race of Mike Norman? If it did I must've missed it.

I guess I can assume the guy's caucasian but then that would surely make me into the racist, right? That being the case, I find myself awfully curious a) what race Mr. Norman is & b) why the article felt it not worth mentioning??

[rorschach_42]

Originally Posted by Nightfly

Did the article mention the race of Mike Norman? If it did I must've missed it.

I guess I can assume the guy's caucasian but then that would surely make me into the racist, right? That being the case, I find myself awfully curious a) what race Mr. Norman is & b) why the article felt it not worth mentioning??

I'm guessing that if one is peddling these disgusting wares it's assumed you're a white dude, especially in Georgia and thereabouts.
Man, what's with all the race threads lately?

[Kent Horton]

Originally Posted by Nightfly

Did the article mention the race of Mike Norman? If it did I must've missed it.

I guess I can assume the guy's caucasian but then that would surely make me into the racist, right? That being the case, I find myself awfully curious a) what race Mr. Norman is & b) why the article felt it not worth mentioning??

He's an old white guy. Beats me why it wasn't mentioned.

Back when illegal immigration was still a hot topic he put up signs on his billboard that sounded pretty anti-hispanic, disguised as anti-illegals. At least IMO.

[Kent Horton]

Originally Posted by rorschach_42

I'm guessing that if one is peddling these disgusting wares it's assumed you're a white dude, especially in Georgia and thereabouts.
Man, what's with all the race threads lately?

Georgia has non-white racists too.

One of my friends is an Indian that occasionally says racist things about blacks, and is (or at least used to be) racist against his own kind - he's an immigrant and he's very negative against Indians who follow Indian culture instead of Western culture.

[rorschach_42]

Yeah, but are those a stereotype?

[Nightfly]

Originally Posted by Kent Horton

Georgia has non-white racists too.

One of my friends is an Indian that occasionally says racist things about blacks, and is (or at least used to be) racist against his own kind - he's an immigrant and he's very negative against Indians who follow Indian culture instead of Western culture.

Yeah, plus the mainstream media has taught me well that America's worst race haters are all Black clergy.

Caucasians here, according to the American media, are a lot of things (hard-working, downscale, tribal, 'blue collar', traditional, ethnic, non-college grads, etc, etc...) but one thing I've yet to hear the media describe them as is racist!?!

Why in the world would I therefore assume that a racist business owner is most likely a White citizen? To me, that makes absolutely no sense at all.

[Kent Horton]

Originally Posted by Nightfly

Yeah, plus the mainstream media has taught me well that America's worst race haters are all Black clergy.

Caucasians here, according to the American media, are a lot of things (hard-working, downscale, tribal, 'blue collar', traditional, ethnic, non-college grads, etc, etc...) but one thing I've yet to hear the media describe them as is racist!?!

Why in the world would I therefore assume that a racist business owner is most likely a White citizen? To me, that makes absolutely no sense at all.

Wow. Way to not get the point.

[Nightfly]

Originally Posted by Kent Horton

Wow. Way to not get the point.

Forgot my [sarcasm] tags again Sorry dude.

I get the point & am on your side.

Frankly, I'm amazed that any American news media would even touch a story about typical racism in white rural areas.
I honestly believe the mainstream media has white-washed things to such a degree that White Racists are as rare as pink unicorns, it would seem.

It's heartening to know that some folks could still manage to get upset over an offensive t-shirt in such a place.

[toolverine]