Market takes heat for banning vendor

KINGSTON, N.Y. >> A makers market with its roots in the Catskills found itself knee deep in the political maelstrom engulfing the nation when it rejected vendor Lori McNab’s request to be part of the next event because of her political leanings.

Earlier this month, Phoenicia Flea, a nomadic market of makers and creators that hosts events throughout the region, declined a request by McNab for space at the upcoming market in the Greene County community of Catskill.

When news of the rejection spread, the venue hosting the event canceled, citing what it said was “discrimination” on the part of Phoenicia Flea.

The brouhaha began when McNab sent a Facebook message to Phoenicia Flea asking about space at the November holiday event, scheduled to be held at Lumberyard in Catskill.

James Anthony, the founder and curator of Phoenicia Flea, sent back a private message to McNab with a simple response: “Not for a Republican.”

That response, which Anthony now concedes was flippant and unfair, set off a firestorm within the Facebook community and led Lumberyard to cancel its plan to host Phoenicia Flea’s holiday event later this month.

Anthony said that because he received a Facebook message from McNab asking about space at the event, he went to her page to see what kind of items she sold.

What he found instead, he said, were a series of what he characterized as “disturbing and super offensive posts” including memes that suggested the migrant caravan making its way through Mexico toward the United States would bring diseases to our country, and declared “Build That Wall.” Others were anti-transgender and suggested Muslims were trying to impose Sharia law in the U.S.

Anthony said that as a gay Mexican-American who has “built a family of makers and merchants over the last five years” that includes women, LGBTQ members and people of color, he couldn’t look past McNab’s posts.

“When I characterized her as a Republican, that wasn’t fair, and I apologized for that. But if you’re literally pushing the rhetoric that you’re pushing, I can’t separate that content,” he said.

“We’re a group of creatives and we have certain values, and I have to stand up and protect those values,” he said.

McNab could not be reached for comment.

As a result of Anthony’s decision to deny McNab space at the upcoming market, Lumberyard, a performing arts center in Catskill, canceled its plan to host the Nov. 24-25 market.

In a statement, the venue said: “Lumberyard stands against discrimination of any kind, be it on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation or political affiliation. Unfortunately, a situation has come to light that we feel violates those standards. Because of this, we will be cancelling Phoenicia Flea’s rental of our space in late November.”

Anthony said he was shocked by Lumberyard’s decision but said he has already found new space in Catskill for the holiday market.