What is wrong with the world?

T-shirts sold by Mulligan's Food & Spirits show the character Curious George above Barack Obama's name.


Cobb bar protested as racist for Obama T-shirts

Mulligan's selling shirts with 'Curious George' picture

By CHRISTIAN BOONE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 05/13/08

Marietta tavern owner Mike Norman says the T-shirts he's peddling, featuring cartoon chimp Curious George peeling a banana, with "Obama in '08" scrolled underneath, are "cute." But to a coalition of critics, the shirts are an insulting exploitation of racial stereotypes from generations past.

"It's time to put an end to this," said Rich Pellegrino, a Mableton resident and director of the Cobb-Cherokee Immigrant Alliance. It was among the organizations gathering outside of Mulligan's Bar and Grill Tuesday afternoon to protest the "racist and highly offensive" shirts.





"There's no place for these views, not in this day and age," he said.

Just down the street from Marietta's famous Big Chicken, Mulligan's has carved a provocative niche in an increasingly multicultural area, thanks to its owner's ultra-conservative political views. If you live in Marietta, it's impossible not to know what's on Norman's mind, as he posts his views on signs in front of Mulligan's.

Among his recent musings: "I wish Hillary had married OJ," "No habla espanol — and never will" and the standard "I.N.S. Agents eat free."

"I'm saying out loud what everyone in this town whispers," Norman said.

Whatever residents think of the signs, organized opposition to his blunt commentaries — ongoing for 16 years — had been nonexistent. No longer, says Pellegrino, who, though familiar with Norman's politics, said he was still surprised by the stark imagery of the Obama T-shirts.

"There's a lot of people hurt by this," he said.

Norman said those offended are "hunting for a reason to be mad" and insisted he is "not a racist."


Why picture Obama as Curious George? "Look at him . . . the hairline, the ears, he looks just like Curious George," Norman said.

He said it's just a coincidence that the character he chose for the t-shirt is a monkey. Norman said proceeds raised from sales of the T-shirts will be donated to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

The Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the Nation of Islam and the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials were among the organizations represented at Tuesday's rally.

"Mulligan's is promoting and selling racially offensive T-shirts, and Marietta and Cobb County residents and taxpayers abhor and cannot condone, any longer, this type of divisive and incendiary behavior in our community," said Jerry Gonzalez, executive director of GALEO.

Pellegrino said Mulligan's is giving Marietta a bad name, adding that the critics intend to remain vocal.

"These T-shirts were almost a Godsend," he said. "We're a coalition now, and we're very determined."

State fires 2 for looking at Obama file

This is some straight bullshit. The problem I have with this whole situation is that they fired the two contract employees and now the Inspector General does not have authority to question them about the activity. This is not simply curiosity by some federal contractors. GTFHO. No investigation and the first instance occurred in January. GTFOH.

This is a blatant violation of his rights. Come on. This campaign is getting ridiculous.

_____________________

WASHINGTON - Two contract employees for the State Department have been fired and a third disciplined for inappropriately looking at Democratic Sen. Barack Obama's passport file, a spokesman said Thursday.

He would not release the names of those who were fired and disciplined.

"We believe this was out of imprudent curiosity, so we are taking steps to reassure ourselves that that is, in fact, the case," McCormack said.

curiosity," which occurred separately on Jan. 9, Feb. 21 and March 14. He would not release the names of those who were fired and disciplined.

"We believe this was out of imprudent curiosity, so we are taking steps to reassure ourselves that that is, in fact, the case," McCormack said.

Bill Burton, a spokesman for Obama's presidential campaign, called for a complete investigation.

"This is an outrageous breach of security and privacy, even from an administration that has shown little regard for either over the last eight years. Our government's duty is to protect the private information of the American people, not use it for political purposes," Burton said.

"This is a serious matter that merits a complete investigation, and we demand to know who looked at Senator Obama's passport file, for what purpose, and why it took so long for them to reveal this security breach," he said.

McCormack said it was not immediately clear what the contract employees may have seen in the records or what they were looking for. He said he did not know the names of the companies they worked for.

The department has informed Obama's Senate office of the breach, and a personal briefing for the senator's staff was scheduled for Friday, McCormack said.

Some Parents aint worth a damn!

See this type of mess is why kids grow up to kill their parents. That poor child had his heart set on a damned xbox and his parents did him like this. The look on his face took the cake for me. Almost like he wanted to say if I was bigger I'd kick your ass. Just wait.

Family attacks TV news crew ... yells racial slurs!

This is some straight bullshit! I need South Carolina to get some hate crime laws... considering their rich history of racial injustice. This is just crazy. A white film crew from another station records a black reporter and her camera man get attacked by a white family.. but none of them get attacked. Both film crews were there to report the same story.

The problem I have with the whole situtation is..

1. Your son killed your father. Sorry maam but that is news. You can't get mad because a black reporter is doing her job... and is reporting on some mess your son did.

2. Who are these two little coons with the cell phones trying to record what happened. At least try to break up the fight. KNEEGROWS!

3. How ignorant is it for your whole family to try to beat up someone in front of another camera crew. Like they are not going to record it.

4. South Carolina is still a racist state. Get some hate crime laws you backwards hicks.

___________________________________________


COLUMBIA, South Carolina (AP) -- Three people upset that a news crew was reporting on the arrest of a relative attacked the television reporter and yelled racial slurs at her and a photographer, authorities said Tuesday.

A news crew reporting on an arrest was attacked by the subject's family, authorities said.

The family members, all white, began yelling and charged at black WSPA-TV reporter Charmayne Brown while she was standing in the street near the family's home in Union, said news director Alex Bongiorno.
Brown was punched in the head, and black cameraman Ti Barnes was also struck as he tried to pull family members off Brown, Bongiorno said. A video of the attack shows Brown, who wasn't seriously injured, defending herself.

"I think she's more affected by the verbal abuse than the physical abuse. She's really shaken up," Bongiorno said.
The fight was taped by a white crew from a second television station. They were not attacked.
Tousha Smith, 31, Billie Joe Taylor, 31, and Trina Vinson, 48, were being held at a Union jail on Tuesday evening on assault and battery charges, authorities said. South Carolina has no law allowing a hate crime charge.
Attempts to contact the family were unsuccessful; messages left at several numbers were not immediately returned, and authorities said they weren't sure whether the three had attorneys.
Charges are pending against a fourth person, authorities said. The reporter and photographer were not charged.
Brown was reporting on the death of 73-year-old Tommy Howell, who was killed by a blow to the head after an argument, authorities said. His body was found Tuesday in his home. Police arrested his grandson, Shane Howell, and charged him with murder, Union Police Chief Sam White said.
Shane Howell remains in jail, and it is unclear whether he has an attorney.
"These people were very upset," White said. "I guess they just took it out the wrong way."

2 Sentenced in West Virginia Torture Case

This is insane. After all of the things they did to that girl this is all the time they got. West Virginia is a effed up place to live. That's all.

______________________________________________



2 Sentenced in W.Va. Torture Case

LOGAN, W.Va. — Two people accused of taking part in the torture of a young black woman received the maximum sentence possible Thursday, but the victim's mother said it wasn't enough.

Karen Burton, 46, and Frankie Brewster, 49, both pleaded guilty last month for their roles in the kidnapping and assault of Megan Williams last summer. They were among seven white defendants charged in the case.

Logan County Circuit Judge Roger Perry sentenced Burton to 10 years for violating Williams' civil rights. She also received separate 2 to 10 year sentences for assault charges. All three sentences will be served consecutively. Brewster received a 10-to-25-year sentence for second-degree sexual assault.

Williams and her parents wept as the sentences were read.

"I just believe he (prosecutor Brian Abraham) shouldn't have plea bargained with any of them," said Williams' mother, Carmen, after the sentencing. "She (Megan Williams) wanted them to do life."

Megan Williams, wearing dark sunglasses and a large black coat, made no statement.

Malik Shabazz, a founder of Washington, D.C.-based Black Lawyers for Justice, also decried the sentences. He called for a special state prosecutor and renewed involvement by federal authorities.

"I don't understand what happened here in Logan County and why they don't take what happens to our people seriously," Shabazz said.

The judge said during the brief, sparsely attended hearing that he was giving the maximum sentence in each case.

According to Department of Corrections officials, Burton must spend at least six years and six months in prison before becoming eligible for parole. Brewster must serve at least 10 years before being considered for parole.

Authorities say Williams was held captive for several days last summer at Brewster's trailer in Big Creek. In addition to the beatings and assaults, authorities said Williams was forced to eat animal feces and was stabbed. The 21-year-old woman was rescued by sheriff's deputies on Sept. 8 after they received an anonymous tip.

Two other defendants already have pleaded guilty and been sentenced. Burton's daughter, Alisha, 23, and George Messer, 27, both pleaded guilty in February to kidnapping and assault and received 10-year sentences.

Felony charges including kidnapping and sexual assault are pending against Brewster's son, Bobby, 24, and Danny Combs, 21. A seventh defendant, Karen Burton's son, Linnie Burton Jr., 21, was indicted on a misdemeanor battery charge.

The Associated Press generally does not identify suspected victims of sexual assault, but Williams and her mother agreed to release her name. Carmen Williams has said she wanted people to know what her daughter had endured.