How can I embarrass a local racist?
November 6, 2008 9:45 AM   Subscribe

How can I do something *really* embarrassing to a local racist?

I live in Northern Michigan, and although the whole state went blue on election night, my area has been overwhelmingly red (neck) for half a century or more. This was in the local newspaper today, an article about gun store Hampel's Key and Lockshop flying their American flag upside-down the day after Barack Obama was elected to as the first black president.

The employee I would like to embarrass explained the store's actions by stating that "The inverted flag is an international signal for distress and we feel our country is in distress because the n----- got in." Later in the interview he apologized and said his choice of words was "probably not appropriate." His name is Rod Nyland, and he makes everyone involved (flag owners, gun owners, Americans, Northern Michiganders, me) look disgusting.

I'm enraged by his ignorance and feel like I can't be passive about his actions, but I recognize his rights. I don't think local law should bother with crumbums like him, even if they legally could. So it is up to the community to make him burn with shame and never sell another gun in his life.

Being naturally shy, I would like to know what my options are as far as legal ways to confront the issue without confronting the actual arsenal-owning racist. I wrote an e-mail to both the Record Eagle, the newspaper that printed the article (their headline yesterday was "Obama Nation"), and the left-leaning weekly freebie the Northern Express.

I've thought about asking friends and co-workers for their Obama campaign signs and putting them up around the store in the dead of night (I've also thought about keying the Ford pickup parked outisde, but somehow that seems petty). The problem with this plan is that they will be taken down at the first opportunity, and then my friends and family will be out some Obama signs.

So please, crafty sly-fites, what can I do to make this guy feel like the snake that he is, using pacifism and humor?
posted by boy detective to Society & Culture (7 answers total)

This post was deleted for the following reason: This is verging into "help me wreak vengence" territory, which is really not okay for askme. -- cortex

 
He's embarassed himself enough already.
posted by jon_kill at 9:48 AM on November 6, 2008


Last time I checked racists are entitled to their opinions. I admire your statist urges though.
posted by norabarnacl3 at 9:49 AM on November 6, 2008 [1 favorite]


Racists embarrass themselves. Find a more productive way to spend your time.
posted by BobbyVan at 9:50 AM on November 6, 2008


The Obama sign thing does nothing other than piss him off and make him feel vindicated. Same with property damage, although that has the possibility of legal action. Frankly, most things that are "funny" are just going to be entertaining for those who dislike him and his stance. Maybe holding an inauguration party in an adjoining building would work well, or putting together a group of liberal gunowners and going in to bargain for a group discount with a "Liberal Shooters Card." Anything to get him to acknowledge reality while giving him the opportunity to choose his own level of participation.
posted by mikeh at 9:53 AM on November 6, 2008


Photoshop him into a photo with his black friends, or black girlfriend, caption cleverly and post about town in a flier
posted by poppo at 9:58 AM on November 6, 2008 [1 favorite]


You could start sending the article around town. It is the only result when you google news his name.
posted by lee at 9:58 AM on November 6, 2008


He's just trying to provoke a fight. Take the higher ground; don't take the bait.
posted by kaudio at 10:02 AM on November 6, 2008


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