Boycotted firm pulls neo-Nazi billboard

Orlando Sentinel ^ | 1-14-04 | Rich McKay

[SJackson]

A week after an Alachua County businessman vowed to keep a neo-Nazi group's billboard up on Florida's Turnpike, he relented to a Jewish organization's boycott.

The Jewish Defense Organization, which fights anti-Semitism with unconventional methods such as inundating its target with telephone calls, launched a campaign Jan. 6 against Sunshine Outdoor of Florida and its owner, Jerry Sullivan of Micanopy.

The group demanded that the sign, which promotes the white separatist group the National Alliance, had to come down, or the organization would urge people nationally to complain and not do business with Sullivan.

Last week, Sullivan said the sign contained lawful content and is a form of free speech.

But the Jewish group, which is based in New York, put Sullivan's name and phone number on its Web site and urged everyone who hates Nazis to call and complain.

On Tuesday, Sullivan and the group reached an agreement to bring down the sign, said A.J. Weberman of the Jewish Defense Organization.

Sullivan could not be reached for comment. His spokesman, Dennis O'Neill, confirmed the deal to remove the sign, which is on the turnpike in Sumter County, just over the Lake County line.

It was expected to be removed late Tuesday or early today.

[AppyPappy]

What a Mo-ron.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

Poor baby had to take his "club" sign down.

Neo-Nazi group takes message to turnpike

Sullivan told the Orlando Sentinel on Tuesday that he's aware of the campaign and his reaction is: "Screw 'em, all right? Just screw 'em."

[Sir Gawain]

They're both right. Seems like an open and shut case of capitalism at work.

[SJackson]

They're both right. Seems like an open and shut case of capitalism at work.

Yup, it frequently works.

[veronica]

Good news. Thanks for the ping. :))

[Wally_Kalbacken]

Free speech for me - but not for thee.

[SJackson]

Looks for free speach for everyone here to me.

[sarasmom]

Attitudes like yours invented and fed the monster that is now the giant virulent PC machine.
In the 1960s, those who were members of the KKK met in secret, and covered their faces.
For a good reason.
They were not full members of a free society.
How could they be, when they did not believe in it?
White men, claiming Protestant Christianity as thier religion, killing black, brown, yellow and red Christians, and white Jews, Catholics, and all other creeds.
What was the reason?
White supremacy? Jewish, Catholic, and other creeds people can be white.
Christianity? Black, Brown, Yellow and Red people are Christians.
The nearest thing to an Islamic jihadist in the West is a white supremesist Nazi.(KKK)
They paired up during Hitler's era, and have held out the hands of brotherhood to each other ever since.
May they go all go down into the flames of hell together!
Free speech issue?
I dont think so.
Enciting a panic or riot is not freedom of speech.
Enciting WWIV is not freedom of speech.
But you knew that, right?

[mhking]

Works for me!

Just damn.

If you want on the list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[cyborg]

Those National Alliance people they're such wonderful neighbors :/

[SJackson]

This is a model of free speach.

He rented a billboard to a "club" (his club, I think so, see the prior thread).

IMO it's no coincidence the message was tame, just an invite to their web site, rather than the "NO JEWS, JUST RIGHT" motto.

Gosh, people object, tell him, and refuse to do business with him. So what, it's their right too. If he wasn't cheap, the billboard would still be up.

These fascists are a joke, their idea of "free speach" is they peddle their hate, you and I have to keep our mouth shut. That's the way it works in the countries they idolize,

[THUNDER ROAD]

Attitudes like yours invented and fed
the monster that is now the giant virulent
PC machine.

A lot of Symbolism there Mom....
but not much Substance !

.....THUNDER......

[Wally_Kalbacken]

Of course I knew all of that, and then a great deal more. I'm not suggesting that the KKK and Neo-Nazi's are not abhorrent - they certainly are. I just disagree with your choice of limiting the expression of sometimes even abhorrent ideas.

I used to live near Savannah, and several years ago I mentioned to a friend of mine there that I was going to visit the "Mighty 8th" Air Force museum in nearby Pooler. He launched into tirade about how offended he was that there was a Nazi flag on display - because he took extreme offense to it (which is his privilege) he felt it should be taken down.

This museum is focused on the 8th Army Air Force - which organized in/near Savannah at the outset of WWII. The museum is full of artifacts related to the Air Force and its activity during the War in Europe. Uniforms, examples of armaments, newspapers, letters, etc. adorn the museum. Included is a Nazi flag (red banner with swastika) that apparently was captured as part of the spoils of war.

Disturbing? Yes – as was much of the material there. Should it be removed because someone, in this instance a Jewish friend of mine, takes offense? I don’t think so.

I’ve been to Dachau. I’ve studied European history between the wars and the history of WWII in graduate school. Don’t insinuate that I do not understand the depravity of the Nazis – and do not for a moment insinuate that I support any of that – simply because we have a disagreement over where the line is drawn in protection of free speech rights.

[tcuoohjohn]

This guy was the world's dumbest businessman. A dollar has no ideology. Any businessman who compromises his business for his politics is an idiot.

[sarasmom]

Well, I am not a member of any organised religion, but that does not mean I am against them, in theory.
In practice, I am against anyone who thinks God wants or needs humans to punish unbelievers, for their disbelief.
I figure he can take care of that himself, as promised, when we stand before him for judgement.

[Valin]

They have the right to have their say..and the rest of us have the right to say they're idiots.

If they don't want to have their sign pulled down because of public pressure let them buy their own sign.

[HennepinPrisoner]

This proves that racism can be fought purely on economic terms and without the need for Uncle Sam to step in.

Freedom of speech and capitalism at work. Gotta love it.

[AAABEST]

Yes, the free market prevails and the bad guy loses.

No hate laws, sensitivity training or anti first amendment. Just good over evil.

[AAABEST]

You're missing the point. This was the free market at work, nobody censored anyone and the government or the law wasn't involved.

It's the same as if you lived in a small town and you and told your neighbors not to do business with the local auto dealer because he kicked your dog.