TACOMA, Wash. -- Emerald Queen Casino will cancel two Ted Nugent concerts that were scheduled August 2 and 3 over allegations of racist remarks by the singer.
Puyallup Tribe officials said the decision came after learning that Nugent has said racist remarks.
"The first amendment gives people the right free speech, but I think racism is intolerable and not acceptable here," said Puyallup Tribal Council Vice President Lawrence W. LaPointe. "We’ve been getting lots of complaints from the community and other organizations."
"I don’t want to take away his right to say what he wants to say, but we don’t need it here."
The tribal council said they also received threats from community members wanting the casino to cancel his shows.
The cancellation comes days after the Coeur d'Alene Tribe cancelled Nugent’s August 4 shows at its Idaho casino because of what it called the rocker's "racist and hate-filled remarks."
The tribe says it booked Nugent without realizing he espoused "racist attitudes and views." The tribe did not detail which of Nugent's specific views it opposes.
Nugent in the past has referred to President Barack Obama as a "subhuman mongrel." Nugent later apologized "for using the street fight terminology of subhuman mongrel." But he maintained that Obama was a "liar" violating the Constitution.
Nugent defended himself on Tuesday on Radio.com, saying he is not a racist. Nugent says his music has been influenced by Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley, he has paid tribute to Martin Luther King in his songs, and that lyrics in his song “Great White Buffalo” is not racist toward Native Americans.
Nugent also says he’s the target of an “army assigned to destroy Ted Nugent." Here’s an excerpt from that interview:
“I am so good at advancing the most politically incorrect policies in the world,” the rocker told Radio.com. “I have been involved in upgrading our Second Amendment rights in all 50 states, so we the people can in fact keep and bear arms…the left hates that. The liberal democrats and the Huffington Post and the Saul Alinsky gang, they hate that I’m so effective. I have expanded and increased hunting opportunities all across the globe. So I am able to, dare I say, perfectly articulate my case — they are not."
KING 5's Janet Kim and Travis Pittman contributed to this report.
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