Hotel in Maryland gets threatened by Obama supporters.

[GmanJoe]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/11/AR2008101101465_pf.html

Cliffs: Hotel has pro-McCain/Palin signs. Gets a lot of grief from patrons and activists and is threatened with boycotts.

If it was the other way around, say, whites were doing the same coz a hotel was supporting Obama, would it be racist of them?

Candidate Banners Can Leave Clients, Businesses Bruised

By Avis Thomas-Lester
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, October 12, 2008; C01



The sign went up Sunday evening, bold black letters against the stark white background of the marquee at the Colony South Hotel & Conference Center in Clinton: "Country First. McCain/Palin."

By daybreak, pandemonium had broken loose all across heavily Democratic Prince George\'s County. Many local supporters of Democrat Barack Obama, jolted by the message as they headed down Branch Avenue on their Monday morning commutes, grabbed cellphones and BlackBerrys to notify friends. Operators of neighborhood e-mail group lists cried foul to their memberships. The NAACP logged calls. Community leaders demanded boycotts of the hotel, a common venue for Democratic events.

"Businesspeople have to be mindful of the sentiments and sensibilities of their market trading area, and Prince George\'s County is overwhelmingly for Obama," said community activist Arthur Turner of Kettering, who was among those advocating a boycott. "People I have talked to look at the sign as a slap in the face. They feel it was blatant disrespect. . . . I have heard people say they will no longer patronize Colony South because of that disrespect."

The outcry over the hotel marquee tapped into the passion -- and sometimes anger -- that has characterized this fall\'s presidential campaign. Supporters of Republican candidate John McCain have vented their rage at rallies this week, applauding thunderously as McCain\'s running mate, Sarah Palin, accused Obama of "palling around with terrorists."

Prince George\'s, though, is clearly Obama Country. As the nation\'s wealthiest mostly black community, where about 77 percent of registered voters are Democrats, residents have Obama placards in their yards, bumper stickers on their cars and the candidate\'s visage on their T-shirts.

The marquee supporting the GOP ticket in "an area that is strongly African American was like putting a stink bomb in the middle of the living room," said University of Maryland political Professor Ron Walters. "What it does show is the emotions that are around this campaign and this election."

Colony South General Manager Alan Vahabzadeh said that the hotel, one of several Washington area businesses that has dared to venture into the political thicket, got the message after about 100 phone calls and three dozen e-mails. The sign came down Wednesday afternoon.

"I didn\'t even realize it was going to be like this," he said in an interview. The last thing "we want to do is lose business," he added.

But Friday afternoon, motorists noticed new signs -- broad banners attached to wooden stakes in the hotel\'s front yard -- again touting the Republicans.

Vahabzadeh did not return later calls seeking comment, but an employee said the phones were again ringing with complaints.

And Democratic activists started talking boycott. That could mean canceling political events at the hotel and urging residents to skip its Wednesday night karaoke events and Sunday brunches.

"While a business has the right to display what it chooses, the public has a right to show its contempt for that decision, including boycotting," said Mel Franklin, president of the Greater Marlboro Democratic Club.

Other business owners who have gotten into the political game have drawn less grief. At the Big Bad Woof pet store in liberal Takoma Park, bumper stickers urging people to "Vote for Bark Obama 2008" are available for sale. No such items were available for "John McCanine."

At B. Smith\'s restaurant in Union Station recently, a waiter sported an Obama campaign button. At the Old Town Trading Post in Alexandria, which sells hemp necklaces, African figurines and incense, among other novelties, an array of McCain T-shirts and a bumper sticker that reads "Friends don\'t let friends vote Democrat" are available for sale. A giant sign at Parson\'s Farm nursery in Prince William County proclaims the area "McCain Country."

Richard D\'Amico, a stylist at Axis, a hair salon on Connecticut Avenue NW, has declared his work area a "Sarah Palin-Free Zone" by posting on his mirror a photo he cut out of a magazine marked with a red circle and a slash across it. The salon has Obama bags in the window. None of the clients has protested or demanded equal time for McCain, he said.

"It was such a topic of conversation -- everybody wants to talk about Sarah Palin. Even my clients stop me on the street and say, \'How about that Sarah Palin?\' " said D\'Amico, an Obama supporter. "So I decided I had to put a sign up."

The political partisanship, residents said, is their right as Americans.

Some Prince George\'s Democrats acknowledge as much.

"This is a highly charged election where the stakes are extremely high and emotions are running high on all fronts," said Orlan Johnson, a lawyer who lives in Bowie and is on Obama\'s national finance team. "But it is difficult for me to believe that individuals shouldn\'t continue to have the opportunity to exercise their right to free speech. It would be un-American to not allow that to happen."

Others say residents have a right to register their dissent.

"For a business to display a huge McCain-Palin sign in the middle of such a pro-Democratic and pro-Obama area is business suicide," Franklin said.

At Colony South, Vahabzadeh said the "Country First" message had been posted on the marquee Sunday evening by security guards after they received a memo instructing them to put it up.

Vahabzadeh said he did not know who wrote the memo and has been unable to find it. He has not spoken to the security guards, who work the midnight shift, he said.

The hotel\'s owner, Francis P. Chiaramonte, could not be reached at the hotel or at his home. His son, Michael Chiaramonte, chairman of the board of the Prince George\'s County Business Roundtable, did not return a call to his office or to the roundtable office yesterday.

"We support everyone here," Vahabzadeh said of the facility, whose front lawn is frequently adorned with signs for Democratic candidates and has been the venue for the annual prayer breakfast for former state delegate Obie Patterson (D-Prince George\'s), a recent home foreclosure program called by Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) and a meeting of the African American Democratic Club.

Two weeks ago, a fundraiser for Obama was held there. "If I was so Republican, why would I book an Obama fundraiser?" Vahabzadeh asked.

Bob Ross, 63, a community activist who lives near the hotel, said Obama supporters should see the sign as a reminder that they should "stay vigilant."

"That sign should serve as a reminder that everybody who supports Obama should make sure to bring five or six people with them to the polls Nov. 4. It means that there is still more work to be done."

June White Dillard, president of the Prince George\'s chapter of the NAACP, said the type of events Colony South has booked in the past is the reason the sign cut so deeply.

Mary Brantley, a travel agency owner from Upper Marlboro, belongs to the health club at Colony South and was among those who complained to the hotel. She was heartened to see the marquee changed Wednesday. It now advertises football games.

But as she drove past the hotel Friday afternoon, she couldn\'t help notice the two large banners in the front yard proclaiming: "McCain Palin. Country First." Again.


View all comments that have been posted about this article.

Nothing new here.  Liberals are all about stifling dissent.  

Another example:

http://www.wflxfox29.com/Global/story.asp?S=9175030

[clips]

Nothing new here.  Liberals are all about stifling dissent.  

Another example:

http://www.wflxfox29.com/Global/story.asp?S=9175030

That story is just two jerk offs having a disagreement...sheeit that McCain supporter probably stated i hate Obama......that monkey....just like how some of our very own members on this site have called Obama that name......that\'s the kind s**t that will get your wig split if you wanna mouth off in person...


As far as the hotel incident goes....yeah that\'s childish...so what the hotel supports republicans. That\'s not a reason to stop doing business there..people take things extremely too personal. Support your candidate, respectively disagree and keep it movin\'.

Actually the problem here is the hotel owners. What kind of idiots would post such a polarizing message and alienate half their customer base?
 
Imagine the sign outside a McDonalds:
 
- NOW HIRING -
- 99C HAMBURGER -
- NO MORE ABORTIONS -
 
"Honey, how about we stop in with the fetus for some McNuggets?"

[clips]

Actually the problem here is the hotel owners. What kind of idiots would post such a polarizing message and alienate half their customer base?
 
Imagine the sign outside a McDonalds:
 
- NOW HIRING -
- 99C HAMBURGER -
- NO MORE ABORTIONS -
 
"Honey, how about we stop in with the fetus for some McNuggets?"

\\

Heh yeah..i actually agree with this...businesses should just stay nuetral when it comes to politics....even tho the higher ups at walmart have actually indirectly hinted at their employees to vote republican at their monthly meetings, since they are worried that Obama\'s tax plan might mean a tax hike for them.

"Community leaders demanded boycotts of the hotel, a common venue for Democratic events."

Biting the hand that feeds you.  Should people boycott the hotel because the owners support the other side? No, but the owners are IDIOTS if they didn\'t see this one coming.

That story is just two jerk offs having a disagreement...sheeit that McCain supporter probably stated i hate Obama......that monkey....just like how some of our very own members on this site have called Obama that name......that\'s the kind s**t that will get your wig split if you wanna mouth off in person...

It is called Freedom of Speech clips.  If you don\'t like what someone says you are not entitled to physically attack them.  I would love to mouth off in person where you live - I just need to call ahead of time to reserve a paddy wagon.

Turns out the "Kill Him" story Obama was saying happens at McCain events is bogus too.  

http://www.timesleader.com/news/breakingnews/Secret_Service_says_Kill_him_allegation_unfounded_.html

Nothing new here. Liberals are all about stifling dissent.
 
Another example:
 
http://www.wflxfox29.com/Global/story.asp?S=9175030

Two dipshits get into a fight in a Chilis, and suddenly all Liberals are like that?
 
If all Liberals are about stifling dissent, I would have deleted some of your whacked out posts during your meltdown last week.

[clips]

It is called Freedom of Speech clips.  If you don\'t like what someone says you are not entitled to physically attack them.  I would love to mouth off in person where you live - I just need to call ahead of time to reserve a paddy wagon.

Turns out the "Kill Him" story Obama was saying happens at McCain events is bogus too.  

http://www.timesleader.com/news/breakingnews/Secret_Service_says_Kill_him_allegation_unfounded_.html

Relax...i was just messin\' with ya........as far as the story goes, i don\'t feel it was made up....you mean somebody actually added audio to that tape of somebody saying "kill him?"...you could clearly hear somebody saying that,..along with terrorists and everything else...and for those ignorant folks that were standing outside of McCains rally\'s being outspoken with their garbage,...i find it hard to believe that they wouldn\'t have stated such a thing.

If it turns out that somebody actually went so low as to put audio on something that was never really stated, then they should find that person and charge him....but i think that scenario is highly unlikely. I feel that with all of the other stuff that was being said, anybody in that rilled up crowd could have stated that and gotten away with it.

How about the incident in the senior care center last week?  The graffiti sprayed on a GOP headquarters in SC?  The two guys in the Northwest who were burning McCain signs...

The list goes on and on.

Take a look at people in your own party Core.  Some of the most hateful, vile stuff comes from there.  Progressives are all about shutting up those they disagree with.  It is a common pattern.  Conservatives at least honor the principle of Free Speech and let opposing views be heard.  

For example, take a trip to DailyKOS or DU and try and voice an opposing view.  See how fast your post is deleted and you are banned.  

In contrast, post on FR or other conservative boards with an opposing view and you are engaged in dialogue and debate.  The difference is night and day.

Relax...i was just messin\' with ya........as far as the story goes, i don\'t feel it was made up....you mean somebody actually added audio to that tape of somebody saying "kill him?"...you could clearly hear somebody saying that,..along with terrorists and everything else...and for those ignorant folks that were standing outside of McCains rally\'s being outspoken with their garbage,...i find it hard to believe that they wouldn\'t have stated such a thing.

If it turns out that somebody actually went so low as to put audio on something that was never really stated, then they should find that person and charge him....but i think that scenario is highly unlikely. I feel that with all of the other stuff that was being said, anybody in that rilled up crowd could have stated that and gotten away with it.

The secret service can\'t seem to find anyone or any witnesses.  Seems like the whole thing was cooked up.  As far as yelling "terrorist" and what not, once again that is freedom of speech.

People who act up like that can still be called dipshits, right? That\'s still American?

Sure, call them what you want - it is freedom of speech.  It goes both ways.

Oh nice... a McCain supporter (an older woman) gets attacked by an idiot Obama supporter (a man).  Bunch of thugs.

http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/obama-supporter-assaults-female-mccain-volunteer-in-new-york/2/

Seventh grader called racist for wearing a Palin shirt.

http://www.myfoxorlando.com/myfox/pages/News/Politics/Detail;jsessionid=704EF083587CEBFD2E8CA0E1064A7840?contentId=7664724&version=11&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.14.1&sflg=1

Who were you calling ignorant clips?