Cost of politics
A number of industry members found themselves in a nightmare last week because of A Day Without Immigrants, a nationwide strike and business boycott intended to demonstrate immigrants’ importance to the economy. Among the demonstrators were the employees of hundreds of restaurants, many of which were supportive of their staff’s participation. They closed down to help the cause, a pro-staff move that seemed beyond reproach.
But La Parilla in Watkinson, Ga., learned differently. Some patrons hoping to get dinner that day were infuriated to find a sign saying the restaurant had closed in observance of the day. Rather than admiring the restaurant’s solidarity with its staff, they desecrated the notice with ethnic slurs and a swastika, according to local press reports. One scrawled-on post read, “You just got your last peso from me.”
When news spread of the backlash, another wave of customers turned out because of the controversy, but this batch left notes of support for La Parilla.
Meanwhile, reports from across the nation told of restaurants firing employees who didn’t show for work because of the day-long demonstration.