True, Bobby. Same goes for the city we live in, less than .5% black and people were talking about how insignificant Juneteenth is here. But, then again, today (2022), things can't be wrote or stated that could've been 20-30 years ago or more. George Lopez joked around about Hispanics and Mexicans on his tv show and standup comedy. Can't do that today without any backlash at all. Same went for Eddie Murphy years ago in his standup comedy cracking jokes about blacks. Our U.S. society has changed considerably in what they will accept and not accept today. Jokes about races simply don't cut it today that well.
One more comment - the sign on the door was not a passing remark between friends. Within your own circle of friends a lot of things can be said that would not stand up to public scrutiny. So a comment to your gay or black friend about gays or blacks may not ruffle their feathers, but this was a business. A sign in the window of a business. A sign that was, given the context, clearly racist and dismissive of black people. So you gotta ask yourself - was it a good idea to post said sign? I predicted that it would not end well, but several folks said it would probably gain them customers, which in itself is revealing. How did that work out for the business owners?
As for my opinion, Hoot, I totally understand what you are saying here. Unfortunately, there are those that will use the excuse "it was only a joke" and "I didn't mean no harm", but his young lady, the owner's daughter, wrote the sign without thinking about what she was doing. Just like the other sign she done.
The way I look at things, people are going to do and say whatever people do and say but in the long run, if it doesn’t effect my life then it’s much ado about nothing. There’s always going to be someone virtue signaling whilst pointing out someone else’s lack of virtue just as there are always going to be those who are offended and the only way they can show the way they feel is through violence or broadcasting their dismay very loudly. The main thing I learned a long time ago is that in general, no matter what race or gender they are, I don’t like people to begin with. That said, as long as I have to live around people anyway, I’m not going to waste my time constantly being offended by what someone who doesn’t make any difference to me nor can change my life does or says.
As I wrote, it was probably in poor taste and I also indicated that it was probably innocent enough but that said, if one sign has to be scrutinized so heavily then how about let’s take a good look at some other business signs and advertisements that ARE meant to segregate the populous.
Me neither, but from a strictly business point of view (which is the way I tend to see this event) was it a good idea or not to post a sign they had to know that some people would find offensive?
I hate to say it, but the brief interactions I get with retail staff and maybe the occasional customer (I'll talk to anyone) are sufficient for me. The interactions are friendly, they are cordial, there are no expectations foisted upon each other, and we depart as friends not enemies because we've not really gotten to know each other.
Honestly, I do not know because in fact, I don’t live there and beyond @Ken Anderson, I don’t know anyone who does live there. I don’t know their quirks or basic mannerisms nor what the GP finds funny or finds offensive. From other articles about the matter, the writer of the sign wrote other random and seemingly snarky signs that caught the public’s eye but on this occasion, this one was seen by someone who is a white activist with the anti-racist, anti-defamation league. It wasn’t until she posted the picture on FB and went viral throughout the net that it gained national attention which caused a backlash that the city leaders had to address but would otherwise probably cast a blind eye to. Note: I saw the town’s web site a long time ago and it’s understandable why the town leadership is upset because they’re trying to promote the place as being a good town to live in. If a sign were to be placed here in N. Alabama on say, the convenience store and deli where I go that said, “Junteenth Special, Fried Chicken and Collards, $3.99, they wouldn’t have been able to keep up with the business. That said, if that same sign that was in Millinocket were to appear on an insurance broker’s door here, it would totally depend on the color of the person who wrote it as to whether it was considered racist or not but to be sure, I still doubt if anyone would have been so upset that they’d start a national debate over it. Long and short of it is that from a business sense I can’t say one way or the other because again, I do not know anything about the people there but I can say that Lisa Groelly, the one who posted the picture is now enjoying her 15 minutes of fame which is what I truly believe the whole thing is about.