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Local pizza parlor serves controversy with political statement on Facebook

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A post on Facebook by a West Michigan pizza shop owner is tossing up controversy at the tail end of an already heated election cycle.

Doug Fricano owns Fricano’s Pizza on Alpine Avenue took to Facebook to blast Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, calling her corrupt and a liar, and praises her opponent, Republican Donald Trump.

“All the news, all the dishonesty coming out of his opposition’s camp, I just couldn’t deal with it anymore," Fricano said. "And I just needed to voice my opinion and let people know how I felt.”

Fricano says he is defending his right to express his opinions, and that those who disagree with him have the right to refuse to eat at his restaurant.

“I am very, very committed to Donald Trump being president,” said Fricano. “And I am not afraid to express my opinion. And I’m not scared or worried about people refusing to come into my pizza parlor. That’s their choice to make."

It’s a choice one local immigrant is making when it comes to not eating at Fricano’s in the future.

“They are entitled to their comments,” says Oscar Saucedo, a Mexican-American immigrant who now lives in Grand Rapids. “Like anybody else, and I’m proud of them for doing that. But I don’t believe in the things they believe.”

Doug Fricano says he respects the right of customers to do that, and hopes they respect his right to speak his mind.