sign: "Juneteenth it's whatever... We're closed. Enjoy your fried chicken & collard greens."

[Demovictory9]

MILLINOCKET, Maine (WABI) - An insurance agency in Millinocket is facing public outrage for a sign displayed in their window over the weekend.



People on social media have shared pictures of the sign that was posted on the door of the Reed Agency on Penobscot Avenue stating: “Juneteenth it’s whatever... We’re closed. Enjoy your fried chicken & collard greens.”

The Town of Millinocket released a statement to TV5 in response.

“It is deeply saddening, disgraceful and unacceptable for any person, business, or organization to attempt to make light of Juneteenth and what it represents for millions of slaves and their living ancestors. There is no place in the Town of Millinocket for such a blatant disregard of human decency. The Town of Millinocket is a beautiful place to live - filled with welcoming, kind, and hardworking people. As such, the Town does not accept or endorse anything short of inclusivity, and we invite any all to come discover the wonderful things that our community offers,” stated Town Manager Peter Jamieson and Town Council Chair Steve Golieb.

Another business in Damariscotta called Reed Family Insurance Advisors has dealt with people thinking they are the business in question.

This is the message they have recorded when you call them:

”Thank you for calling Reed Family Insurance Advisors. If you’re calling about the unacceptable sign on the door of a Millinocket business in Maine, with a similar name as us, we are not them. We are not associated, nor affiliated, with that business. Please direct your valid concerns to them. The name of that business is Harry Reed Insurance Incorporated, and their number is 207-723-5146. Our businesses are closed trying to update all news and media outlets about this horrible mistake. We will reopen at Wednesday at 9 a.m.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/town-responds-after-sign-on-millinocket-business-causes-outrage/ar-AAYI76X

[dalton99a]

1. Progressive should drop this racist asshole

https://www.progressiveagent.com/local-agent/maine/millinocket/harry-e-reed-insurance-agency-inc/

[EYESORE 9001]

2. Looks like they're opening soon

Wonder if they’ll start answering the phone.

[BlackSkimmer]

4. And lookee there, Maine, not the South.

[EYESORE 9001]

8. I still expect someone to say

‘I can’t *believe* this happened in the enlightened northeast! I would expect this is some red shithole state, but not Maine!’

[electric_blue68]

44. Anyone who's more educated (by self, or school) knows there's plenty of racists in The North....

unfortunately

[Azathoth]

18. Maine had Paul LePage for years

I don't think anyone is surprised there are some right wing assholes in Maine.

[bronxiteforever]

22. Maine had Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain as a Governor too

Maybe best to let him speak for himself

"The 'lost cause' is not lost liberty and rights of self-government. What is lost is slavery of men and supremacy of States."

-Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, in a speech in dedication of the 20th Maine Infantry's marker on Little Round Top in October of 1889.

[sir pball]

19. Maine is generally the poor South of the North

Especially the really rural parts, like Millinocket…much closer in character to Central Louisiana, where my wife grew up (40 minutes from Jena, come to think of it), than to downstate or VT/NH.

[exboyfil]

10. Irony in being a Progressive agent

Doesn't seem too progressive to me. Maybe needs a new insurance company called Regressive.

[edbermac]

3. I'm surprised they left out watermelon.

[texasfiddler]

5. I don't think Progressive will like having their name associated with Harry Reed Insurance!!

As a Progressive customer, I'll remind them. For the record, this white dude loves fried chicken and collard greens. I do hate MAGA and racist assholes.

[Lochloosa]

6. My greens are in a food group all their own. Another white dude.

[CurtEastPoint]

7. Best email addy I found is this one. Let Progressive know. [e-mail]

[EYESORE 9001]

12. I just sent a missive to that email address

Hope they get bombarded in coming days.

[Tommymac]

24. Thanks. Email sent.

Here is the text, short and sweet:

To whom it may concern

The Harry Reed Agency in Millinocket, Maine is at the very least an embarrassment to the Progressive brand, and at worse a center of bigotry, racism and hatred.

{picture from OP inserted}

My wife and I have been Progressive customers for many years, both auto and renters, but if Progressive allows this racist to continue to represent Progressive Insurance then we will be seriously considering moving to another carrier.

WE DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH RACISTS.

Sincerely

Tommymac
Pittsburgh, PA

[11 Bravo]

41. Nice job! That's the type of letter that will get a corporation's attention.

No ranting, raving, or cursing ... just a simple recitation of facts.

[Torchlight]

9. My guess is they'll be apologizing

for accidentally advertising their character so accurately very, very soon.

[gratuitous]

28. Maybe, maybe not

But if they apologize, they'll be on Fox by the weekend to blubber about being all cancel cultured and how intolerant those meanies who eat collard greens and fried chicken are.

[Torchlight]

30. At this point, my guess is Cancel Culture is nothing more than

what the GOP calls the free market when it bites them in the ass.

[Probatim]

29. We deeply regret if anyone was upset by our racist rant...

[tblue37]

34. And they'll say, "That's not who we are."

[Skittles]

46. why do they say that

when it's always EXACTLY who they are

[Novara]

11. It's pretty fucking amazing

That a business thinks it's perfectly okay to advertise their racism and not think they'll face any blowback at all, especially in this day and age with phone cameras and social media. The stupidity is astounding.

[RussBLib]

17. gotta be some hardcore racists

come out come out wherever you are

[Ace Rothstein]

23. Yeah, they went out of their way to do this.

This isn't even a holiday that most businesses close for so to actually close for it and then post that sign, they really wanted to make a statement.

[Hortensis]

20. Yes. The bubble just got popped. From inside.

Funny how fringies on both sides believe others really feel as they do.

Considering the bomb that just exploded under this business, hope this reflects the owner(s) and not the office manager, say. And that any employees whose jobs may be lost decide they want to leave anyway.

[Tommymac]

25. I'll bet they are going to white 'splain: "but but but it's just a JOKE" Just wait for it.

Fucking racist piece of shit.

[Polybius]

38. And the owner likely isn't stupid

Insurance owners make a lot of money and are educated. Unless of course, a less educated manager put the sign up?

[uponit7771]

43. +1, banality of evil

[Skittles]

47. I'll say it again

the election of Obama made many racists emerge from under their rocks, and now Trump has made them be proud of their racism....if they're in a certain bubble - they associate with other racists, only watch Fox News - their judgement is off, way off

[Novara]

48. Yep. I'll also say it again:

The goddamn country lost its mind when we elected a black man for president.

And they now have permission to let their hate shine. No longer do they have to be ashamed of their worst instincts. They're proud racists now.

I fucking hate what that motherfucker did to this country. Yes, it was always lurking under the surface but he turned over the rocks and gave them permission to bully others with their blatant racism. He turned an underground white supremacy movement into a real force, which now permeates every bit of our lives.

[Skittles]

49. you know it

I see DeSantis, for example, just openly demonizing LGBTQ folk as if they are the ENEMY, WTF ever happened to WE THE PEOPLE and governing for all? These white supremacists are what the problem with America right now, they don't even BELIEVE in America.

[70sEraVet]

13. They'll blame it on some poor janitor, fire him, call it a day.

[niyad]

14. "living ancestors"????

[Gore1FL]

26. Parents are ancestors. nt

[niyad]

32. According to Merriam Webster, an ancestor is someone to whom we are

Last edited Wed Jun 22, 2022, 05:44 PM - Edit history (1)

related, but more remotely than a grandparent.

[Gore1FL]

36. Usually it is used the way you describe.

Definition of ancestor from Webster
1a: one from whom a person is descended and who is *usually* more remote in the line of descent than a grandparent (emphasis mine.)

The root word from the Latin nominative "antecessor" one who goes before. A parent certainly fits that definition.


It is certainly more common to not call one's parents "ancestors" but it it a legitimate use of the word.

[11 Bravo]

42. My 97 year old Mom has several great-grandchildren.

She definitely qualifies as an ancestor.

[Aristus]

27. Yeah, I caught that, too.

Would “living descendants” have been so difficult to write? Mistakes happen, but they make it easier to discredit our side.

[frogmarch]

39. I think they meant to say "living descendants."

[niyad]

40. "the way their ancestors live today". .a phrase that was on an information

board at the Living History museum in Cripple Creek. Sadly, that was not the only error I found in the otherwise interesting exhibit. When I pointed out the various errors, I was told that they had all been done by volunteers. Was nobody in charge? Was nobody responsible for proofreading what the museum would be presenting to visitors?

I think the staff was very relieved when I left.

[frogmarch]

45. Geez,

I hope they fix the errors. Seeing them would bother me too, especially at a museum!

[Ferrets are Cool]

15. I'm sure that will get a chuckle from their KKK customers.

[Jilly_in_VA]

16. If they are indeed a Progressive agent

my suggestion would be to call the Progressive district rep and make them aware. If they don't give you satisfaction, go up the chain. This dude could lose his Progressive sticker.

[heckles65]

21. Man those dumpy ex-mill towns are reactionary

Drove through that area last week.

They're the reason why ZaSu kept her Senate seat.

[Jack the Greater]

31. Fried chicken & collard greens is good eating

That's like ridiculing pizza.

[Hekate]

33. I noticed the Town of Millinocket repudiated them, & that an innocent bystander was injured

The town did the right thing, and so did the non-offending business. Maybe we should try to keep that in mind before trashing the whole state and town.

[Initech]

35. Wow, what racist pieces of shit!

[Polybius]

37. The insurance owner is obviously college educated

How could he or she possibly have thought that there wouldn't be any backlash?