Protestors demand business sign w/joke about dead person in wheel chair be removed

[The Straight Story]

A controversial business sign featuring a joke about a cripple person in a wheelchair has sparked outrage in an Ocala, Fla., community and prompted a protest for its removal. The sign in front of Hercules Fence Company reads, "What has four wheels and flies? A dead cripple in a wheelchair." Carol Terrillion, who had polio as a child and uses a motorized wheelchair, was one in the group of protesters demanding that the sign be removed from public view. "I fought all my life for things like this -- just to be equal and to get a ground in life and be somebody and something," Terrillion said. "And then I see this. It is amazing that they can get away with putting this up there." Employees at the business Wednesday said they do not have a say in changing the sign.

http://www.local6.com/slideshow/news/10672947/detail.html?qs=;s=1;w=400

[TahitiNut]

1. The answer used to be "a garbage truck" ... talk about tasteless.

:puke:

[Fridays Child]

2. From what I read, the owner, Paul Buchkovich, is unlikely to...

...take it down until he's damned good and ready. He had another sign that said, ""Take your ex-wife out. One bullet oughtta do it."

The guy is a real piece of work.

[Ken Burch]

12. Maybe his ex-wife ran off with a former March of Dimes poster child.

n/t.

[Fridays Child]

18. An interesting hypothesis...

:rofl:

[ends_dont_justify]

3. It could be refering to the wheelchair bound victim of hurricane katrina, too

Which would make it all the more tasteless...disgusting how some people think.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

8. You're quick with a presumptive hypothesis. Welcome to DU.

:hi: MKJ

[DKRC]

21. That's the image that came to mind as I read the sign. Sick. nt

[rocktivity]

4. Controversial? How about just plain STUPID???

What a way to run a business!!!

:eyes:
rocknation

[annabanana]

5. huh. . . ."Good Guys".. . . . . . right.. . . . . n/t

[Canuckistanian]

6. Why is there a question mark on that Channel 6 logo?

It IS in bad taste.

[iamjoy]

10. News Should Be Unbiased

Even when it seems obvious to any one with sense.

There may actually be some sick flips out there who think that's funny.

[malaise]

33. It is bad taste

It is fucking disgusting.

[blondeatlast]

31. My sig line might have the answer? It IS bad taste and they know it.

The truth is, it's a nasty tactic, but it apparently works. Or so some people say...

[Ian David]

7. The handicapped are the one minority that anyone might become at any time.

It would be a shame if the guy who made that sign had to learn that the hard way.

[Ken Burch]

11. Which reminds me of a great cartoon I saw once...

(I'll possibly screw up the names, and may not have quite the exact wording, but this is close)

(IMAGE: An able-bodied man gets out of the car he's parked in a handicapped space. A muscular guy in a wheelchair, brandishing a Louisville Slugger, rolls up behind him)

(CAPTION: "Bob wasn't eligible to use the handicapped space, but, thanks to Dave, he soon WOULD be.")

[Pastiche423]

14. No, it would not be a shame

It would be Karma and his Karma is shit.

[Philosoraptor]

24. ANYONE could end up in a wheelchair, even this stupid fuck.

And I hope it's not too long.

[ContraBass Black]

9. What is the piont of this?

"Good Guys" indeed.

[NiteOwll]

13. I don't even get it

Is it supposed to be funny? It doesn't make any sense to me. :shrug:

[Truthiness Inspector]

17. It means

flies, the insects, not the verb.

It's a play on words.

This guy deserves to be protested. He does have the right to display this, but customers also have the right to say FU and take their business elsewhere which is hopefully what will happen here.

[emilyg]

15. tasteless

stupid.

[WinkyDink]

16. Way to lose business! What morans!

[uppityperson]

19. Update, TV reporter filed complaint for getting shoved (& another story)

http://www.ocala.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070418/NEWS/70418006/1368/googlesitemapnews

OCALA - An Orlando television reporter filed a complaint with the Marion County Sheriff's Office today after he was shoved by at least one Hercules Fence Co. employee....(more at link but about the same story as above)

Here is from the tv station.
http://www.wftv.com/news/12423883/detail.html

Terrillion said even bigger slap in the face was when she tried to complain to the owner. He wouldn't talk to her. So, Eyewitness News reporter Tim Wetzel decided to ask about their joke, but they were less than jovial. "What do you think about the sign?" Wetzel asked. "Out!" a man behind the counter shouted, pushing Wetzel and the camera....

Meanwhile, Channel 9 filed an incident report with Marion County deputies over what happened to the reporter and photographer.

And a story on other cute signs they have had includes these:

http://www.ocala.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070419/NEWS/204190368/1368/googlesitemapnews

(clip)
The fence business is known for its weekly messages. In 2005, during Violence Awareness Week, the business offered this: "Take your ex-wife out. One bullet oughtta do it."

On another occasion, the owner posted the message: "Gals, just because you have one doesn't mean you have to be one."

[BlooInBloo]

20. Wonder if Imus owns that branch.

[Philosoraptor]

22. The owner's refusal to remove the hate sign is revolting.

If I owned that business and people starting piketing in front of my biz, I'd do the sensible thing and take down the offensive message. The owner is obviously a maniac.

[Matsubara]

23. That's disgusting and just plain mean.

Hopefully he will lose any business from handicapped people or their friends and relatives.

:puke:

[Philosoraptor]

25. What has 4 wheels, maggots, rats, & no future?

A disabled vet at Walter Reed.

[Philosoraptor]

26. Let's face it, there's nothing funnier than someone in a wheelchair.

Just watch South Park, American Dad, and Family Guy.

[Ian David]

27. No, you're wrong. There IS something funnier...

According to THAT guy, it's funnier when they're DEAD.

Haw haw haw! Dead guy in a wheelchair! HIGH-larious!

:sarcasm:

[Philosoraptor]

28. Like the dead lady in a wheelchair in New Orleans after Katrina, hilariosity personified.

[LeftishBrit]

29. There's a typo there...

It should be the BAD Guys' Auto Service.

[lonestarnot]

30. WTF?!

[malaise]

32. That is so sick

:puke:

[Philosoraptor]

34. America should know about these jerkoffs

[Marr]

35. $50 says the guy is a Bush voter and Rush Limbaugh fan.

This is humor for bullies. Only bullies think it's funny to attack the vulnerable, and right-wing ideology really appeals to that sort of person.

[Philosoraptor]

36. I'll raise you fitty.

[youthere]

37. Really tasteless...

and that being said, I would not "demand" that it is removed..but I would call the owner and tell them I find it offensive and I would not be doing business with them any longer. He has a right to put that shit on his sign and the citizens of Ocala have a right not to do business with him.

[tavalon]

38. Uhg

I used to live in that "enlightened" berg. I see they're as backwards as they ever were. Same as it ever was, same as it ever was, same as it ever was.

[Philosoraptor]

39. ..............

[Philosoraptor]

40. Anyone heard an update on this bullshit?