President Obama Bear Hugger Facing Pizzeria Boycott

Florida pizzeria owner Scott Van Duzer became a national sensation over the weekend when he placed President Obama in a bear hug. Now the registered Republican says he’s facing a boycott that could harm his business.

Van Duzer tells Politico:

“People are saying a lot of bad things and boycotting my restaurant. There’s no middle line anymore, and that’s exactly what’s wrong with our country right now.”

Duzer admits to voting for President Obama in 2008 and says he plans to do the same in November 2012.

The effects of the bear hug were felt immediately by Duzer’s business as his Yelp page ignited with hundreds of politically charged arguments. As the New York Times reports those attacks on Yelp included:

“I will not eat from traitor’s hands and I’ll never take food from man who DIDN’T BUILD his business.”

A support on the other hand wrote:

“I recommend the ham and pineapple pizza to any pizza eater earning less than $500,000 per year who likes tax cuts, less war, an end to torture, and dead terrorist kingpins.”

Think what you would like of Scott Van Duzer, but it was his public blood drive support that led President Obama to visit his pizzeria in the first place. That type of civic-minded duty should be rewarded with more business, not threats against his livelihood.

Do you think the boycotts being called for against Scott Van Duzer’s business are justified, or should people place their beliefs behind a November vote instead of attacking an individual’s business based on their personal political beliefs?