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07-10-2012, 06:45 AM | #1 |
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I have noticed a trend of this slogan in advertisements for both hotels and gas stations, in Tennessee and Arkansas. Also I think I saw a cabinet-making business advertising like this in the Dallas, TX area. I have seen TV commercials using this slogan as well.
What are your thoughts on this? It seems that some groups (ex. Asian American hotel owners) think it exploiting prejudice: http://www.bluemaumau.org/11324/too_sensitive_or_spot In 2007, Time Magazine noted that as the Indian share of the hotel market has grown, "'AMERICAN OWNED' signs keep popping up outside motels around the country."* The magazine noted that in describing a hotel property this can be code for "'not owned by immigrants,' an attempt to divert business from upstanding first-or second-generation citizens whose ethnicity distinguishes them from most of their small-town neighbors." The president of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, takes note that "They are trying to prey on people's prejudice under the guise of patriotism." Here's one more recent billboard for the list. This was a billboard put up in Corpus Christi, Texas. After AAHOA highlighted the sign to Red Roof Inn, the franchisor pressured the franchisee to take it down. It was replaced. The hotel owner wrote the following to Mr. Schwartz of AAHOA. "I hope you and your Americans that own and operate hotels in the United States and members of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, can feel relieved the*American referenced* patriotism* displayed, has now been removed. Of course, it was at* your and the AAHOAs memberships* insistence. You should be so proud that you have taken such a giant step in squashing ones constitutional rights, while using bully tactics. I look forward in meeting you face to face one day to further discuss your inability to understand those rights given to you and your Asian* American membership. I'm sure you are well paid and will, at all cost and constitutional rights aside, use your bully pulpit and strong arm tactics to get all things you deem important, accomplished. If this were not a Franchised hotel you would not have the guts to contact anyone, face to face and tread on there rights as an Americans. I have found plenty of other true Americans that feel the same way. I 'm working on a u-tube [sic] tribute to you and your organization. I'll send you the link when its finished.."Proud to be an American"… I find this complaining to be a lot of whiny bullshit. Yes, there are anti-immigrant Americans with a nativist and/or racist mindset. Personally I don't count myself among them. I'm quick to hire Mexicans or stay at an Indian or Chinese owned hotel. I stay at nicer hotels anyway, not 60$/night fleabag motels with a bunch of meth tweaking truckers and their lot lizard companions. However, I see this as a freedom of speech issue, and I don't much like this idea of this group of slopes and dot heads hiring some kike spokesman to censor this local gomer's billboard. |
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07-10-2012, 06:53 AM | #3 |
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i agree whole heartedly. could it be a slight jab at the asian and indian hotel owners? possibly.. or it could be a reference to the many jobs going overseas. but regardless i agree with the man who wrote his letter to the AAHOA. people are too quick to jump the gun and assume everything is veiled racism and in many cases freedom of speech is hurt in the process. lord forbid we hurt anyones feelings about anything. its not like the sign said "not run by pakis" or something. and even if it did i would be fine with that. at the end of the day it will hurt their business, and will correct itself. and if it doesn't then oh fucking well. i don't think the contingency of racists in this country is so strong that they would sacrifice quality of said hotel and opt for a shitty one ran by americans. at the end of the day the quality of the business should stand for itself.
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07-10-2012, 06:56 AM | #4 |
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07-10-2012, 07:02 AM | #5 |
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Maybe they think the Asian-owned businesses use illegal slave labor, rip-off the state or other things. Hotels like that cater to truckers and similar working class folk who travel for a living. Truckers by and large are native-born Anglo-Americans with a minority of African-Americans. They are already anti-illegal immigrant, anti-Muslim, etc. to a significant degree. This hotel owner is just trying to attract their business. I was in a town of around 100k people in TN a few months ago... noticed a sign in front of a gas station that said "owned and operated by the [local Anglo surname] family for X years" out front. I commented to my wife, that is local rednecks appealing to their group to compete against Mohammed who owns the station across the street. It is what it is. It isn't like other groups don't try to steer business towards members of their own group. Apparently it's ok for some, but others are supposed to feel guilty for it. ---------- Post added 2012-07-09 at 18:05 ---------- Asian-owned hotels are usually better quality in other words? |
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07-10-2012, 07:06 AM | #6 |
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You wouldn't get away with saying, "English owned business" here if what you really meant was White owned business; not a good thing really, it is something which you should be free to say if you think it will endear you to potential customers. I don't know whether it would.
You sort of assume certain businesses are run by certain racial groups. I wouldn't frequent an Indian restaurant not run by Indians (or Pakistanis I suppose), or a Chinese restaurant not run by Chinese (or other Oriental people), and probably I wouldn't go to a greasy cafe run by non-English people (though I did use one run by a Pole until it closed). |
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07-10-2012, 07:11 AM | #7 |
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07-10-2012, 07:32 AM | #8 |
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I think the sign "american-owned store" isn't any weird. I mean, there are indeed people who think this way, no need to pretend it doesn't exist, and if one can make money of such costumers, it's good.
You wouldn't get away with saying, "English owned business" here if what you really meant was White owned business; not a good thing really, it is something which you should be free to say if you think it will endear you to potential customers. I don't know whether it would. Interestingly, some Middle Eastern-owned fast food-places here write that they only use "100 % swedish meat". I've seen that. It's still PC to think that "meat slaughtered and prepared in Sweden from Swedish cattle transported by Swedish animal transporters" is better than "meat imported from dirty South or poor East with their questinable methods, nutrition and lack of aminal protection". |
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07-10-2012, 07:41 AM | #10 |
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^^ Exactly. Although I think any nationality can be competent in operating a hotel, I prefer my sushi rolled in a Japanese owned and managed establishment, Mediterranean food made by Greeks or Palestinians, and tacos in a place owned by a guy who hails from Mexico City. Asians are A LOT into running their own small businesses when living in the West (we wouldn't do it to the same extent if we lived in Asia), in San Fransisco every small shop from candy-shop to dvd rental were managed by East Asians. I guess they take over from previous generations or relatives, but how do they get it from start? |
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07-10-2012, 07:48 AM | #11 |
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I know an Indian guy who owns a Subway franchise. It is him and one partner. I don't know all the details but I think he financed it through some combination of personal savings (from his IT job) and a business loan.
---------- Post added 2012-07-09 at 18:49 ---------- somebody tell those americans that foreign contries hold about 46 percent of all U.S. debt! |
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07-10-2012, 07:53 AM | #12 |
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I guess they take over from previous generations or relatives, but how do they get it from start? Extended family helps out financially too. |
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07-10-2012, 08:13 AM | #13 |
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The uneducated ones like many people in my family work 2-3 jobs.(Mcdonalds, Homedepot, whatever) Then the family cumulates enough money(with loans) until they can start up a business and expand it from there. |
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07-10-2012, 08:17 AM | #14 |
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07-10-2012, 08:55 AM | #15 |
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I know an Indian guy who owns a Subway franchise. It is him and one partner. I don't know all the details but I think he financed it through some combination of personal savings (from his IT job) and a business loan. |
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07-10-2012, 09:04 AM | #16 |
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Average joe gas station owner with his "American Owned" sign is not trying to set an example for some future US policy in honoring treasury debt obligations. He's simply trying to solicit business from nativist local people. You're reaching hard for some connection between global foreign policy and local retail purchases, apparently so you can have your anti-American diatribe on my thread. I'll ask you again politely to get on topic or get the fuck off my thread.
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07-10-2012, 09:17 AM | #17 |
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Average joe gas station owner with his "American Owned" sign is not trying to set an example for some future US policy in honoring treasury debt obligations. He's simply trying to solicit business from nativist local people. You're reaching hard for some connection between global foreign policy and local retail purchases, apparently so you can have your anti-American diatribe on my thread. I'll ask you again politely to get on topic or get the fuck off my thread. |
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07-10-2012, 09:20 AM | #18 |
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Yes but anyone can play this game. One of the local gas stations is called "American" with American flags flying at every gas pump. Interesting there are always Arab men working there, who barely speak English. They maybe legal American citizens, but I serious doubt it based on their tremendous difficulty with the English language.
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07-10-2012, 09:21 AM | #19 |
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i apologize. i don't want to have any anti-american diatribe. |
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07-10-2012, 09:24 AM | #20 |
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apparently so you can have your anti-American diatribe on my thread. I'll |
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