Assholes!! Pizza Man's restaurant is being boycotted because he hugged Obama

[trailmonkee]

Scott Van Duzer, the Obama hugger: Shop facing boycott

Source: Politico

“People are saying a lot of bad things and boycotting my restaurant,” Scott Van Duzer, 46, told POLITICO. “There’s no middle line anymore, and that’s exactly what’s wrong with our country right now.”

The owner of Big Apple Pizza & Pasta Restaurant in Fort Pierce, Fla., said that both Democrats and Republicans are welcome in his store. But he also said he thinks Mitt Romney’s running mate Rep. Paul Ryan — whose sculpted abs are thanks to intense P90X training sessions — would lose to the president in a workout battle.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0912/80998.html#ixzz267340hxO

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0912/80998.html

[Raven]

1. There are other posts here on DU about this. People

have suggested calling and ordering a pizza for a local homeless shelter or the local Dem campaign headquarters.

[trailmonkee]

10. the reason obama visied in the first place was because of his blood drive foundation...

how mean can these people be?

[Scootaloo]

30. Extremely mean

In both meanings of the word; cruel and petty

[mindwalker_i]

33. An interesting phrase

"Extremely mean" sounds like a contradiction in terms, and it's also wrong. These people aren't mean, they're below average! Now I admit to not going to companies that are pro-republican (home depot), but I wouldn't boycott one for hugging Mitt. I might worry about their sanity...

[Ruby the Liberal]

16. Now this is a superb idea - especially for call nights.

What OFA office is in this area?

[siligut]

25. And less than 4 miles away

Fort Pierce Office
300 South US Hwy 1
Fort Pierce FL 34950
[phone]

Another poster said that they didn't have a lot of money and would really appreciate it.

[Ruby the Liberal]

36. Thank you!

Will check their OFA page for call nights.

Any ideas on homeless orgs in the area? Post or PM.

Thanks for your help.

[siligut]

37. In another thread, someone who spoke with the pizza guys, said there really aren't any

Did you see the link for donating to his foundation for sick kids?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021315578

And here it is suggested buying pizza for the fire dept or other community organizations.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/125192503

I donated to the foundation through Paypal, but think I will also buy Pizza for the OFA HQ in a few days too.

[notadmblnd]

21. anyone have his number?

[rsweets]

2. from an earlier post

foundation ... looks like the do some very good things

[link:http://thevanduzerfoundation.org/ |

[enlightenment]

3. If Pizzaman had hugged Romney,

would you think a boycott was appropriate?

This sort of nonsense doesn't know party affiliation. Like Mr Van Duzer said: "There's no middle line anymore . . ."

[loli phabay]

4. yup the boycott stuff is really part of the culture now, everyone seems to be boycotting something

I honestly dont think there is a business anywhere now that does not have at least one boycott against it.

[sadbear]

6. I would personally boycott the place

but I wouldn't call for an organized boycott. I wouldn't want my money going to support mitt romney.

Plus, the guy should know better. Business owners should be prepared for when they make political statements, even if it's as benign as giving the president a bear hug.

[Angry Dragon]

8. Show me a picture of Willard holding a baby, interacting with children, hugging someone

and then we will talk about boycotts

[alphafemale]

13. I can't imagine very many people calling for a boycott over a hug.

I'm not going to buy Papa John's pizza anymore. But, a 1 million dollar donation to the Rmoney campaign is more than a hug. I would feel as if I was contributing to Rmoney indirectly.

Plus, there was his gripe that if he supplied his employees health insurance it would drive up the cost of a pizza and the public wouldn't support that. The price increase would be a staggering 14 cents per pizza.

[Ruby the Liberal]

18. There is that, but

I don't think the $ value of this picture has been calculated, and may not until well after the election. This is a game changing image (sorry for the cliche).

Not a big boycott person myself (I live in an area with few options on a lot of things), I can say though that Papa Johns has been out since that one shitty pizza I ordered in 2004 and after the RNC, my Staples rewards card went into the shredder. OfficeMax and Costco are both closer anywho.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

19. Personally, I wouldn't mind who hugged Romney

I take offense when right wingers tell lies and utter disgusting filth about Democrats like Limbaugh does, not when they praise one of their own. I find myself permanently boycotting Carl's Jr. fast food places because of what their owner said about Obama on television.

[Posteritatis]

20. Yeah, if the positions were reversed we'd see the same thing.

That said, I'm assuming the vast, overwhelming majority of people calling for boycotts aren't ever going to be anywhere near the place anyway, so it's about as meaningful an act as me, in Nova Scotia, vowing to never visit some business in San Diego or the like.

He's definitely right about the polarization of stuff like that though.

[JI7]

35. no, there was some baker and many others Romney offended during the Primary

people who had supported ROmney. and nobody called to boycott them.

the only times boycotts were called was when the people were offensive with bigoted comments.

[liberal N proud]

5. That is the danger in post Reagan era politics

One reveals his politics and chances retaliation by those who disagree them.

In the corporate world you can't reveal your believes either. It is as if McCarthyism against liberals.

The hate is eating this nation alive.

[RKP5637]

15. It has really become a nation of hatred, that's the most prevalent topic anymore ...

For years, at least to me, it seemed there was this huge bubble in the middle, it seems like 60% or so that came together. Now, often, it seems like 50/50 split down the middle. It's like listening to a perpetual spousal argument, non-stop. It's tiring, frustrating, non-productive and IMO taking the US straight downhill. Everything, just about everything today is an argument in this country and it's fracturing the country.

[lpbk2713]

7. Shows what rethugs think about free speech.

And an individual's right to express a personal opinion.

Only mindless zombies are allowed in their party.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

14. I generally don't do organized boycotts

But there are instances where I choose to spend or not spend my money somewhere so that I do or don't support something I feel strongly about.

But seriously, this a) isn't a free speech issue and b) isn't something that's confined to Republicans.

[grasswire]

23. exactly...and what they think about democracy

The bedrock of our founding principles is the right of the citizen to self-determination through one man one vote. They do not honor this precious principle; they are anti-democratic and border on totalitarian thought.

[teddy51]

9. Then Democrats should pick up the slack for him and go to his resturant in big numbers to

support him.

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. I hope more people are going out of their way to eat there, and I hope they tell the owner so!

[trof]

12. And here's how you can help him:

He only asked for a donation to his foundation that helps the unfortunate.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021314759

[left on green only]

17. There may be a silver lining in this story.......

The red douche rockets wouldn't be boycotting this man's business unless they were scared shitless that Florida will go blue in the November election. Psyc 'em out.

[Skittles]

24. really, REALLY shows how threatened they are

they are skeered

[Lasher]

31. Well now, let's check out the numbers, Skittles.

Obama has been ahead in Florida since June 20, not counting a few days in August when it was exactly tied. Now Obama is up by 1.7%, with the momentum on Obama's side. Yep, they's a-skeert.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/fl/florida_romney_vs_obama-1883.html

[Loge23]

26. Go to Scott's foundation!

The link has been posted here and elsewhere.
I live in the area and I can assure everyone that Scott is the real deal. His foundation has been established for quite some time already - he didn't just put this up there.
He lives pretty frugally and he's not a showboat. He does get his share of publicity only because he seems to always be doing something for the community or the neediest. He has helped many, many families in our community.
To boycott this generous, giving man is the absolute lowest of the low.

[Indpndnt]

29. Someone should call the local media to alert them to the attack on this very community-oriented man.

With the call coming from a very concerned local resident. Know anybody who might be able to do that for him?

[Populist_Prole]

27. Fine! Let 'em eat shitty chain pizza. RW-ers seem to like it anyway.

G'head you stupid putzes, bite your nose off to spite your face. Fucking idiots, philistines, every last one of them.

[Kalidurga]

28. What is it with republicans and food?

They go nuts over Chic-fail-A when they give money to try to block people's freedom to marry who they want. Lines around the block and farther, standing in line for 3 or more hours for a sub standard chicken sandwich. Now they want to boycott a pizza place? Well fine by me. They show how small minded they are. I hope that someone gives this guy an appreciation day, that'll show em.

[Raine]

32. Well I will boycott any place that publically supports Rmoney

so I can't condemn them for doing the same. It's a shame that's what its come to but ... "it is what it is."

[Faux pas]

34. Ah, so much for the right's support of small business.

F-ers

[KurtNYC]

38. Boycott? These are the same people who won't go to a "protest" unless there are porta-johns,

chairs, a PA system and refreshments.

And yet again, there is mis-use of the term boycott. A boycott demands a certain change from the entity being boycotted. What would they have Van Duzer do? A classic example of a boycott would be a group of people announcing that they will not buy products made by Company X until Company X stops advertising on Glen Beck's show.

This isn't a boycott -- it is just whining (that this guy isn't partisan enough for them).

[RockaFowler]

39. How about a DU Meetup there?

Anyone from the Treasure Coast, Melbourne, Palm Beach County - we could have a great party there.

[badtoworse]

40. This is a great example of why I don't support boycotts over political issues