Whole Foods removes "offensive" Obama chicken ad

A Whole Foods supermarket in New York has removed a depiction of President Obama that several neighbors found offensive, WNBC reported.

A sign posted in front of a Whole Foods in Manhattan's Upper West Side advertised organic chicken using a rendering of Mr. Obama. The use of the president's image did not sit well with some who objected to the racial stereotypes at work behind the advertisement.

"There are certain things that have been used to put down black people - watermelon, fried chicken," neighbor Woody Henderson told WNBC.

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Added Bronx resident Jason Nunez: "Even if he's not the president, you're going to have an African American promoting the sale of chicken? They can do better than that."

A Whole Foods spokesman explained that the supermarket chain creates a variety of images to promote store merchandise and that "there was no disrespect meant at all" in the decision to use Mr. Obama's likeness in an ad for chicken.

The sign was removed after "it was brought to our attention by a shopper that it may be perceived as offensive," the spokesman said.

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Whole Foods CEO: Fascism "bad choice of words"

It's not the first snafu involving the up-market grocery chain and Mr. Obama: Whole Foods CEO John Mackey unleashed controversy earlier this year when he compared the president's health care reform law to "fascism."

Mackey later said on "CBS This Morning" that his comparison was "a bad choice of words," but did not retract the substance of his criticism. "We no longer have free-enterprise capitalism in health care," he said. "The government is directing it. So we need a new word for it."

[antoniof123]

I have a Whole Foods right by my house I don't buy a thing from it. I go to Publix better people better food.

After this jerk made all the remarks before the election and now this I know I am right.

[46tallison]

Who cares what or how much anyone eats...

[jennirobbins]

All you sheet wearing klansmen and women need to gfy. Seriously. You hate the fact you have a black president and there's not a dam thing you can do about it, so you take the mature route and do racist crap like this jackazz Mackey. While your at it get your crayons out and draw Romney kissing Rove's ugly fat white azz. That seems more appropriate, and more on your gutter brain level.

[thesmartalic]

Then why is it OK for black comedians to make funny white people voices? That's far more racist than saying someone likes chicken. How is liking chicken derogatory at all. Is saying I like steak an insult?

[arborwerks]

They should give us brothers sumpin free fo dis! like wassamelon!

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

ARBORWERKS is what you get when you are homeschooled by parents wearing bedsheets and pillow cases as hoods.

[hypnotoad72]

"Conscientiousness of others" is hardly a synonym for "fascism", Mr. CEO, sir...

[jazzerelli]

LMAO.. should of had him standing behind a bunch of bananas..since
he is a MONKEY....

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

Well what do you know a monkey that knows how to peck at a computer keyboard. Were you trained at a lab or are you the circus variety?

[luxomni]

Obvious politically correct answer: Forbid the sale of fried chicken in African-American areas or to people of color. Problem solved.

[agent-86]

Pardon me while I puke

[[oweghn]

I live in Las Vegas. When I go to the $5.95 all you can eat buffet, The black people will pile their plates a foot high with watermelon. No racism intended, it's just an observation.

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

So you want us to take the few people you describe as representative of all Black people? Sure and all white people behave live Johnny Knoxville and the crew from Jackass. Rediculous right?

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

So you think he saw enough Blacks at a buffet to represent all Black people? You're more rediculous than the original poster.

[Pope_slow_news]

What' the big fuss over by these hyper-sensitive blacks.
Obama being from a Black Kenyan Father ate fried Rover on a stick and I'm sure he prefers it to fried chicken.
His dog BO sleeps with one eye open.
It's funny how nowadays if you ask a black person you know if the like watermellon, they say they do not but you know the do like everyone else.
Too Funny

[krj9]

A_hole

[dekh4]

it is a joke. people are afraid to speak out anymore because they are afraid of being called a racist. who cares! let them cry racism and say they are offended. this was not meant to offend people. there are racists and opportunists. racists do not deny they are racist and are open about it. KKK for instance. these opportunists are going around intimidating people by accusing them of being racists ..
people accused me of being a racist because i did not vote for obama. i am a registered republican, so i don't make it a practice to vote for democrats. however, people can't accept the reality or the facts. if you disagree then you "have to be a racist" or a "Sexist", or "homophobic".