The Wild Turkey Tavern, a popular restaurant in Sebring and owned by Mike Reark, is perhaps known more for its self-conscious “country” chic and the controversial messages on its marquee than its mediocre food. Usually the messages are political in nature, which I believe to be healthy for political discourse. But recently its messages are hateful and intolerant. The sign today reads:
RAMADAN-A
DING-DONG
ITS PISS OFF A
MULSIM MONTH
I’m not an opponent of free speech, nor do I think political correctness is always good or necessary. I am, likewise, not partial to any organized religion. But bigotry - either on religious, racial, or social grounds - is unacceptable. Long before the phrase “In God We Trust” was emblazoned in our national consciousness, and long before our political and economic liberation from England, there existed a precedent of religious freedom and tolerance. Even at the very moment the USA was born, our founding fathers extolled this simple right. To imagine the USA as a nation not religiously inclusive, tolerant, or at least accepting is profoundly un-American (see the link below for a recent historian's ground-breaking study on religion in early America).
Shame on you, Wild Turkey, for your bigotry, hate, and ignorance of your nation’s own history. If you enter the establishment, you'll also find other expressions of bigotry - racial graffiti next to confederate flags and much, much more. If you find this offensive, please boycott the Wild Turkey Tavern. Write letters to the local press condemning this behavior. And, lastly, do not vote for Hinote, Scott, or Renfro in the upcoming 2010 elections, for they support the Wild Turkey Tavern. That said, it’s unfortunate and very likely that the Tavern's business will continue to serve burgers with sides of bigotry.
Shame on you, Wild Turkey, for your bigotry, hate, and ignorance of your nation’s own history. If you enter the establishment, you'll also find other expressions of bigotry - racial graffiti next to confederate flags and much, much more. If you find this offensive, please boycott the Wild Turkey Tavern. Write letters to the local press condemning this behavior. And, lastly, do not vote for Hinote, Scott, or Renfro in the upcoming 2010 elections, for they support the Wild Turkey Tavern. That said, it’s unfortunate and very likely that the Tavern's business will continue to serve burgers with sides of bigotry.
For more information on the owners's hateful, ignorant, and disgraceful signs, see this article published by Highlands Today and this blog entry.
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