By Talia Mollett
Marietta Daily Journal Staff Writer
MARIETTA - Mulligan's Food and Spirits owner Mike Norman stared in disbelief at a crowd of protesters and media gathered outside his neighborhood bar Tuesday afternoon.
"I just don't get it. There's people only two counties over without a home because of the tornadoes, and look at this," he says and motioned toward the buzz outside.
That buzz was resulting from a T-shirt that Norman had sold inside. The shirt features cartoon chimp Curious George peeling a banana and the phrase "Obama in '08" underneath. Norman sold them for $15 - until he sold out.
"It wasn't meant to be racist," Norman said. "It was just funny to me because they look so much alike - the ears, hairline." A friend gave him the shirts, Norman said, and he donated the profits to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Richard Pellegrino, a Mableton resident and director of Cobb-Cherokee Immigrant Alliance, wasn't buying it. He saw the T-shirt when he and his wife, who is black, stopped into Mulligan's recently, he said.
"I understand intellectually that African-Americans have been associated for a long time with monkeys," he said. "For someone to say it's just a cartoon shows a complete lack of understanding and sensitivity to our African-American neighbors."
Other demonstrators joined him Tuesday from the Cobb chapter of Southern Christian Leadership Conference, New Order National Human Rights Organization and Latino community.
"Unify Cobb, unify Georgia," the crowd yells to cars passing on Roswell Street.
Dwight Graves, chairman of the Cobb SCLC, decried the "provocative" T-shirts.
"If the wrong person sees this, even though it may be considered humorous to some, it could be potentially dangerous to Mulligan's, the patrons," Graves said.
Marietta city councilman Reverend Anthony Coleman said the city of Marietta does not condone Norman's T-shirts.
"The city of Marietta does not advocate this type of behavior or attitude in our city. It is unacceptable," Coleman said.
The protest succeeded, at least in drawing attention to Norman.
"I had one guy from New Jersey call and try to order 100" shirts, he said. "But I don't know if I'm going to sell more. It depends on how these people out there treat me today."
During a chat with a reporter, a waitress stops by to tell Norman he has a phone call from Germany. "This is ridiculous," he gruffs before walking off to answer the phone. "This is going to be a long day."
Amid the media zoo, patron Reco Greer roars up on his Harley Davidson and is consumed by reporters and cameras. Greer, who is black, said he has been coming to the bar for years.
"Mike ain't no racist. He's a good guy," Greer said while sipping on a Coke. The shirts don't offend him, he said.
"People really need to get the chip off their shoulder," Norman added.
Norman has operated Mulligan's for 16 years and has been posting politically incorrect messages on his sign for almost as long. The neighborhood bar, which is surrounded by stores and businesses with Spanish names, has become known for its messages, from "No habla Espanol-and never will" to the current "Democratic dilemma - a boob with nuts or a nut with boobs?"
Norman said he merely says out loud what most people whisper in private.
"I just channel my thoughts, and I will continue to do that as long as I have a voice," he said.
