Thursday, October 1, 2009

i'm baaaaaaaack....

I thought when I came to check this blog after--eek!--nearly six months, that it would have been overgrown with weeds and brambles, and I'd need a scythe just to find it. But, wouldn't you know? It was right here, patiently waiting for me to come back. Not even tapping its foot with irritation. So, I'm going to give it a go again, and see what happens.

Speaking of happenings, there have been SO many since I last checked in here! Here are some highlights:
-we moved (again) to a new apartment. love the neighborhood, but hate the heroin business our neighbors are running upstairs and just the general too-closeness of living in an apartment building
-we got en-gay-ged!!!!!! yep, our engagement shower is on this Saturday. We have friends and family coming into town especially. So awesome! Super-casual potluck style on the afternoon after we ...
-are running our first 5K!!! Can you believe it? We started training in June, and it actually happens on Saturday (if you happen to be out and about in Shadyside on Saturday morning between 8-9 am, cheer for us and/or sing "Don't Stop Believin'" as we jog past you)! I'm half thrilled, half terrified.
-have eaten a bunch of new things--new recipes, old favorites, new restaurants, old favorites

So much to catch up on! And, I will make an effort to do that.

And, here's a little tidbit for you hot from the presses:
I was very excited when I learned a few weeks ago that a new little donut shop had opened in the Strip, right near my favorite coffee spot, 21st Street Coffee. Until...bum, bum, buhhhmm...someone forwarded me the owner's blog yesterday. It's so crazy that at first I wasn't sure it was even real. But, it checks out. It's frighteningly real. Homophobic, racist, extreme right wing hate under the guise of a good Christian fella. What would Jesus do? I think he'd probably boycott that donut shop with it's oh-so-ironic name (referencing peace and love and feeding inner hippies). Here's his blog post on the day that President Obama was inaugurated. Wow. The entire blog is just insane. Read as much as you can before you have to toss your donuts. This topic is all the buzz on the mailing list I moderate (with about 750 queer women in Pittsburgh). My favorite suggestion so far is that everyone should stop into this shop every time we're in the area and tell him that he's lost a customer. I plan on doing this every Saturday--which is when I otherwise would have been buying his donuts to enjoy with a cup of the fantastic joe from 21st Street. Sad all around.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm disappointed in your comment left on Urbanspoon. You would rather I separate my business life from my personal life? Isn't that the thing you so desperately fight against? I'm who I am, and I make great donuts. If that makes you hate me and want to spread negativity about my business to harm me and my family, then I can only say how right I am in concluding what the extreme left is all about... the destruction of anyone who doesn't agree with them.

Ehrrin said...

Urbanspoon is a public forum. As is your blog. And mine.

We're in the age of new media, fella. You don't want to be judged on your hate speech, then don't spew it.

I don't hate you, but I do hate a lot of what I read on your blog. Deeply disturbing. And, it's deeply disturbing that you so disingenuously and ironically named your business "peace, love..." with the tagline "feeding your inner hippie" when those are things that you write against with such vitriol.

You're the one spreading negativity about your business.

I understand that you will likely take any criticism of your horrifying blog and business as "evidence" of some kind of homosexual and liberal/"extreme left" conspiracy. But, I'm just living a life here. One that you'd like to see have all rights and privileges--that you enjoy--removed from it. There's nothing more American than speaking your opinion, and that's what I'm doing.

I was excited to see your business open, and am very, very disappointed that it's not possible for me to patronize a donut shop, when I have a deep and abiding love for donuts. You've made that impossible. YOU have. Not me, or not any of the thousands of people now discussing your blog and business.

Ehrrin said...

ps. No, I don't think that people should separate their business and personal lives. But, in your case, wow, it was really foolish not to. I think you've seen in the past few days--and will continue to see--that potential customers don't want to support the sentiments you've written about.

Jesspgh of Consume or Consumed said...

I expect that there are folks who run businesses I patronize that could possibly also have abhorrent beliefs. I don't expect to agree with every small business owner or CEO who's establishments I patronize. But AT LEAST in most cases they are savvy enough to not spew these controversial beliefs in forums where the "extreme left" are very savvy, and BOUND to discover them.

That name is such an insulting tactic to attract people who are of entirely diametrically opposite beliefs than this guy. Though it was pretty clear he had a creepy youth group leader thing going on.

I should have known better than to posted a rave tweet about the place last week. Thank goodness for delete functions and the speed/ease with which information flows in our era of social media. Word is spread on local messageboards and twitteronia.

Lin Clark said...

Ron, I don't think its as much your views as the hateful way in which you express them that is the problem.

Your business name talks about peace, but in your blog posts you are engaging in the kind of "I'm on this team and everyone who doesn't agree with me needs to be stopped" kind of rhetoric that is certainly not loving or peaceful.

So my choice to boycott will come from my Christian belief. It's not about you having conservative views, it's about the hatred of other groups of people -- not just disagreement, but hatred -- that you publicly espouse.

Lin Clark said...

And for everyone who hasn't read it yet, this is the kind of post that I am basing my judgment on:

"That's because the Conservative base of the Republican Party is too well-mannered for that. I'm not, but they are. I believe in the golden rule, except in politics and on play grounds.... My "new tone" would be to return double the pain they dish out. Double the insults, double the rehetoric, double the vitreal."

barbara said...

Ron, if this is what you really belive, why hide it? What makes you so upset about someone "finding out" your beliefs?
Obviously you know it alienates some folks. What's the matter? Your peers don't have donut money?

Love,
barbara

Lauren said...

My "favorite" post, if you can call it that, is the one in which he outlines all the things he officially hates. Which is me, since it's anyone else who disagrees with him, and therefore is likely a substantial portion of his customer base. So while I wouldn't have a problem buying donuts from someone who disagrees with me politically, I have no problem not buying donuts from someone who hates me and says so publicly. No hate back, mind you. Just no dollars.

Ehrrin said...

I love the comment that my friend Ellen (aka "edawg") made this morning:

"You know what, he has every right to hold whatever beliefs he wants to, and we have every right not to buy his donuts (and tell others to do likewise). Welcome to America!"

Perfect!

Unknown said...

As a business owner with left-leaning views - I've made a choice to be vocal about my beliefs and we've even hung political signs in the windows. We do so knowing very well that we may be alienating some potential customers, but that's a choice we've made consciously because our views are important to us and part of the reason we went into business. We have some very loyal customers who are of opposing political views, but who respect our choices. Of course, we didn't name our cafe "Stop the homos, illegals, and liberals (feed your inner Ann Coulter)" to dupe right wingers into thinking they were among like-minded people...

Hummingbitch said...

Ehrrin, I applaud your efforts to spread the word about the disappointingly hateful donut shop douchebag.

I share your deep and abiding love of donuts, and am saddened that I'll be unable to patronize his shop.

On the upside, you and Barbara are having your en-gay-gement shower this weekend, and I'm sure this prick would *hate* that. Good for you! I hope you both have a wonderful time, and congratulations again :)

Unknown said...

Ehrrin, great response to Ron's comment...excellent points. Thanks for bringing this to light. He should have received my email yesterday morning, explaining why i won't be spending my lezbo liberal $ on his donuts.

Hummingbitch said...

Anyone notice he's removed his blog? Too little, too late.

Ehrrin said...

Yep, I saw that. Of course, it's all still viewable in caches on the internet.

Reconstructing Ideas said...

I don't see how you can keep a personal life separate from your business life. If you run a small business, it is your LIFE. I don't see how I could look someone in the face and buy their product after saying such hateful things and then blaming the community for spreading "negativity." He brought it onto himself, if you are that ballsy to spout hateful comments online in a public forum well then you deserve what you get.

Also, was it a joke to name his place "Peace Love & Little Donuts?" I picture him with an evil grin saying "HA, fooled them!"

Dana

Jessica@Foodmayhem said...

Hi Ehhrin,

I wanted to thank you for spending the time to write such a great list of recommendations for a Pittsburgh first-timer. I'm a donut lover so if you know of a reputable donut shop, let me know, but it looks I have a lot to conquer already.

Lauren said...

I've been thinking about this controversy now for two weeks, and had to comment on it myself - which is NOT what I usually do on Burghilicious. While the political questions are certainly important, I think there are some big lessons to be learned by business owners.

オテモヤン said...
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