‘No Negros Allowed’ Sign Posted on Future Business
One Wisconsin man claims he has a point to make—and he’s reverting back to actions used against African-Americans over 60 to 70 years ago.
Mark Prior posted a sign for a future business that read, “No Negros Allowed” on his Milwaukee store after he claimed he had problems with Black people in his past and wanted to make a policy against them. He claims that he has the right to discriminate.
“If I’ve got a problem with you it’s going to be on the front of my store,” Mark Prior told WEAU-13.
Prior may have his right to freedom of speech, however, according to federal and Wisconsin state law, prohibiting people to enter a public business based on race is illegal. Prior claims he is trying to make a larger point with his actions.
“I’m going to stick to my guns because I think I have the right as a business owner to reject service to anyone. It’s not all the Black people there are just a few bad ones,” Prior says of his problems in the past.
He moved his sign inside after a local citizen requested that he remove it. According to Dr. Selika Duckworth-Lawton, an African-American historian at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Prior is just looking for attention.
“Our mistake is sometimes we look for logic in something that is just plain stupid,” said Ducksworth-Lawton. According to her, he’ll be in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Prior claims that his goal is to open a gentlemen’s club in a building next to the city hall and local library.
Sound off! Do you believe this owner has the right to discriminate against entrants into his future business?
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My thoughts as well.
Great ! the racist is opening a strip club…
I knew he was a hick.
Is this a serious questions, of course it is not okay to discrimate against anyone. I agree Dr. Lawton this guy is just looking for attention and is not even worth the brain cells because if he did had run in with people that is some many better ways to deter them away from your business
it’s not okay.
BUT, the great thing about yesteryear was that you knew exactly where people stood.
at least with this guy, you’d know who patronizes his business and that they have no problems being in a place that discriminates.
“No Negro’s” what? No Negro’s hair? No Negro’s feet? No Negro’s money? I’m waiting for the justification for that possessive noun. Poor stereotypical hick racist just sucks at life.
you’re not alone
OMG…who would even shop in his store?
His business looks like you can catch an STD by looking at it, and plus he needs to take a shower and get his teeth fix.
This distinguished classy gentleman would just like to open a racist strip club. Why the hostility??? LOL!!
I can’t even take him seriously. I’m literally laughing my ass off watching him in this video…damn fool.
He wants to open a strip club next to the local library and he doesn’t want to allow “negro’s” in his establishment. This is pure comedy LOL some people really do just want attention.
“Our mistake is sometimes we look for logic in something that is just plain stupid,” Ducksworth-Lawton said.” This is the perfect response to this idiocy.
The city will not allow him to build a shake joint next to city hall & a library. Most cities have ‘sexually oriented business’ laws — they were really popular in the 90s, during that same push to legislate sex offenders and where they can live. Then, he will sue & cry and get all the lolbertarians on the internet riled up about how the evil ‘gubment’ is telling him what to do with his own property.
This is just a ploy towards that end. There will be no racist, inappropriately placed titty bar in Milwaukee. Mark my words.
The fact that he used the term Negro shows how backward and ignorant he is. Freedom of speech my foot, he’s using a constitutional right to justify being racist.
What a piece of trash!! But America protects free speech so he can keep the sign up. I REALLY wanna know if Black ppl come in if he’ll refuse to serve them or take their money after services rendered?!?! *Hmmm*
I was wondering that too.
I’m ashamed to be from Wisconsin! What an idiot- just begging for attention. To be honest, I didn’t even know there were enough Black people in Abbotsford (don’t even know where that is) to warrant that sign! (Even though no amount should warrant it) Come on now… from the 2000 Census 0.15 % African American -_-
Oh yeah… forgot to comment on that good ol’ Wiscaaaansin accent lol
Just crazy. I think he’s doing it for attention too. He was too open with cameras
And like someone mentioned, the demographics of his area says otherwise. At the end of the day, it’s his business and it’s not its a place of ‘substance’. So no biggie…
He is just plain dumb. As a businessman, trying to expand his business ‘portfolio’ wasn’t he thinking about the implications of having such a sign? The term ‘Freedom of Speech’, in his case has been used as an excuse to spew racial hatred. It’s 2010 and his actions should NOT be tolerated.
The one thing those who’ve posted comments so far have failed to mention are his canned talking points about “rights as a business owner to reject anyone.”
These are the same talking points made by Libertarians like Ron and Rand Paul who see the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as “big government.”
That’s right America: this is what we can look forward to if right wing Libertarians got their way.
… what about the few bad white folk? will there be a sign for them too?
exactly.
and if he says all black people aren’t the problem, just some, then why doesn’t the sign say “no ignorant negroes” or something?
Bet money he wont turn down any black strippers who want to work in his club.
“Our mistake is sometimes we look for logic in something that is just plain stupid,”
And that is all she wrote.
I believe Dr. Selika Duckworth-Lawton said it best, “Our mistake is sometimes we look for logic in something that is just plain stupid.”