Thanks Asshole!(Southerns Making Other Southerns Look BAD)

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

Hey! thats my hometown!

glad im not there!
Dont you wish there was a place where everyone knows your name!
Where

Dont you wish there was a place where everyone knew your name!

Sidenote-

He is saying it isn't racist but he has a past with racism with signs outside

"As usual, the message board outside Mulligans tavern vented illegal immigration frustrations at motorists traveling Roswell Road.

"Border Patrol eat free," the sign read. "Dont forget to pay yer taxes "" 12 million illegal Mexicans rely on it."

Yeah, I use to live like two miles from the bar before moving to atlanta.

You know, if you have to worry about offending someone everywhere you go, it may just be that you're an asshole, Gene.

Seriously, if you are gonna be a asshole than don't be pussy.

"I want to offend everyone, but, I'm scared"

ooops

I want one of those Tshirts but only because it's going to be a piece of odd collectors history.

Me too.

can someone please ban this racist?



...

How sad. All these homes burning down here in Florida. And that redneck bar stands unharmed.

Well, if you give that your money
all i ask is that you kick the shit out of him for being a racist douche.

I know this will get him more business because he is all over the news-
I just hope gets him a ass kicking to boot.

Nah, just kick him in the nuts and steal the shirt. 2 birds, 1 stone.

I had nothing to do with this bar, it's racist owner nor his shirts.

I resent you connecting me with such a thing.

I did a wee bit of volunteering for Obama during his campaign here, attended a speech/rally, and shook his hand at a bar.

I think I might take a trip down there and see whats up.

Took me a minute to figure out what you were up to here
I think that may be a sign that the brain's had it for the night, and I ought to go to bed!

I've seen much worse t-shirts down here.

Isn't it always southerners making other southerners look bad?

And the same goes for midwesterners too. Fucking "values" voting motherfuckers.

This may not go well for Mr. Bar Owner Asshole.

Here's the link. If you check it out, be sure to vote in their poll.

Sigh.

Nice job, CNN.

Oh, for fuck's sake.