Oregon small business owner creates uproar with political storefront display
Jan 10, 2017, 2:18 PM
(Contributed)
Last week’s story of a developmentally disabled Chicago man tortured on Facebook Live sparked outrage around the country. For Kevin Kerwin, owner of the Kevin the Geek Computer Repair store in Lake Oswego, he decided “enough is enough.” Kerwin took his disdain for the situation public, adorning the front of his business with a sign that has since drawn the ire of many and attention from around the world. However, despite the fallout, Kerwin tells The Dori Monson Show he has no regrets over his anti-liberal display.
“When you’re silent, you became a slave to tyranny,” said Kerwin. “I’m not gonna stay silent.”
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Here is the message written on the sign in question:
To all the ignorant liberals including Bruce Springsteen…The 4 people who kidnapped & tortured a disabled teenager just because he supports Donald Trump – Just shows everyone you are a party of complete morons. I’m embarrassed to call you Americans. Go straight to Hell where you belong. We’ve had it with you idiots.
Backlash from the sign’s posting has been nonstop. Kerwin said he has been flooded with harassing phone calls and emails, along with disparaging reviews about his business posted online.
He’s also received a lot of support.”People have called me from all over the country telling me (that) I said exactly how they feel.”
“People have called me from all over the country telling me (that) I said exactly how they feel,” he said.
As far as the repercussions affecting his business, Kerwin is used to dealing with a fragmented customer base.”The liberals started boycotting me four years ago when I started putting up signs against Obama,” said Kerwin. “If liberals don’t want to use my shop, so be it.”
“The liberals started boycotting me four years ago when I started putting up signs against Obama,” Kerwin said. “If liberals don’t want to use my shop, so be it.”
It would appear that the reach of his actions surprised even Kerwin, as a story about his business and sign made a popular British tabloid site.
“I go to the Daily Mail every day,” Kerwin said. “And then when you see yourself on the Daily Mail, you go, ‘Wow! That’s so weird!'”