"A taxpayer voting Barack Obama is like a chicken voting for Colonel Sanders."A number of drivers on Twin City Highway Thursday might have seen this message on the sign in front of Bob Costilow Realtors. And at least one was offended.
"They put themselves in a crossfire," said Jevyn McDowell, who passed the sign on the way to her job. "We had our primary elections and Obama came out on top. I'm an African-American, and it looks like (Bob Costilow Realtors) is comparing black folks to chickens."
Bob Costilow, company owner, said that was not what the sign meant.
"I don't agree with what Obama proposes for taxes," Costilow said. "No more. No less."
Costilow said one of the main things he finds appalling about Obama's tax plan is his stance on the capital gains tax.
"When you sell your house, under current tax laws, you do not have to pay any capital gains tax," he said. "My view is that I don't want any more taxes."
..."I saw it in an e-mail on a sign put up by a State Farm agent in Mandeville, La.," he said. "I loved it. I have gotten some calls about it, and some of them were even congratulatory in nature."
But McDowell said she feels that Costilow was intending to be offensive to the black community.
"To me, that is more offensive than that magazine cover," she said, referring to a recent issue of The New Yorker that had a drawing of Obama on the cover in a turban with an American flag burning in the fireplace, among other things. "People at any company should not be openly offensive when it comes to politics, religion or sexual preference. As a consumer, if I was needing to buy or sell a home, I would certainly not go to that realty company."
Costilow said that he is not out to offend anyone, but if they get offended, he doesn't care.
"I don't give a damn," he said. "We have free speech in this country, and if it fluffs somebody's feathers, I'm sorry. I don't agree with Obama's tax plan."
I don't know Mr. Costilow, but I know someone who does and reports that he is as big a jerk as you would gather just from reading this article.
Hope business is booming for you over there, Bob.
