It never ceases to amaze me the things that it seems some people will do or say to get onto television and cash in on their 15 minutes of fame. I watched a clip on a news network about this bar (The Georgia Peach Museum and Restaurant) with a truly racist sign in front of it, discussing health care and President Obama’s plan. The sign read: “Obama’s plan for health care – nigger rig it.” WTF! The owner of the restaurant is a man named Patrick Lanzo, who has declared his sign “strictly about free speech.” Then, as is customary, who goes to a variation of the “I have black friends defense” when challenged on his racism as he talks about marching for gay rights and how he used to be a member of the NAACP.
Oh, I am soooooooo impressed.
Anyway, Think Progress has a story about his this man was interviewed by Alan Colmes who gave Lanzo a platform to explain himself. Colmes challenged Lanzo for using the so-called n-word because President Obama is an “African American.” The host had to be stunned when Lanzo basically denied President Obama was an “African American” and instead referred to him as a “half breed.”
COLMES: No one’s questioning that you have the first amendment right to do it. That’s not the issue.
LANZO: You’re saying it’s not politically correct.
COLMES: It’s not a matter of being politically correct. It’s downright offensive, it’s downright insulting, it’s downright nasty and meanspirited towards a group of people who have been spending fighting for equality. Finally we get an African American president and you’re busy using the n-word to describe something he wants to do in terms of fixing health care.
LANZO: Well, see that would offend me, because I don’t look at Obama bein’ an African American. What’s wrong with him being a Black American? And he’s even a half-breed, he’s not a full black person.
COLMES: Well, again, the word half-breed is rather an insulting term.
That is a disgusting term that is demeaning and disgraceful. This guy is a low life who has more than cashed in on his 15 minutes of fame and our nation is the poorer for having known him.
