I’m choosing this platform to vent on a crappy situation. I’ve been going to this bar in Lodi, NJ for years… Almost 6 years. I’ve gotten super friendly with the staff, and even some of the regulars. I even managed to tame the wild beast that is the owner, and befriend him somewhat… With sourpuss people I will do my best to just vibe with them, but always keep them at arms length away essentially. I suppose after going to this place, bringing in co-workers that have become regulars, friends from all sorts of different places in the U.S. of A, and more – I’m going to assume this makes me a regular as well, and well-liked. I love all the staff there, and even though the owner whom is known as a bitter / sour-puss of an a-hole, I even liked him for his no non-sense stern approach to things.
WE had many different opinions, and different ways to handle people and life, but hey, what are you gonna do, right? Almost 6 years going here almost every weekend, and I suppose that makes a person feel comfortable around you… Well one night recently, the owner came in drunk (supposedly he doesn’t drink – so is he on prescription drugs, or the new favorite go to scapegoat Ambien?? :D), and he almost got into it with a patron, and next thing you know, he’s throwing SP*C and N*GGER BOMBS!!! Like WTF, what in the HOLY F*KKITY F*CK was that about… I was fuming, and after sharing with the bartender, she simply laughed it off with a comment of “OH he must be drunk haha!” — the scary part here is that this “write-off” indicates to me that this is ok, that he has done this before, and this is his M.O. when he’s “drunk”.
Look… We’ve all been around with a group of diverse friends, with drinks and have busted each others chops, and even told a racially non-favorable joke at each other, that pokes fun of our race, religion, or ethnicity — and although that really isn’t ok either, there is a big difference between comedy, camaraderie, and acceptance from a trusted group VERSUS hateful speech and just a vicious context in delivery. There is context, the way it’s delivered, and WHO IS DELIVERING it… It doesn’t help that this is a bald white man spewing these hateful words… It also doesn’t help that this is coming from a man whom runs a respectable business, and is known in the community. If PAPA JOHN can be ousted from his huge fortune 500 food & beverage empire, then shouldn’t the local business owner be held accountable also?
As mentioned, I know the staff, and I am sorry if my negative review on a popular review app leads to negative repercussions…….. ACTUALLY NO… I don’t feel sorry! By working for a man that is a male shovenist, pig-headed, misogynist, and now RACIST, then you are not only enabling his behavior, but condoning it! There are 1000s of bars to choose from, and honestly, this is the WAKE UP CALL! STOP WORKING FOR PIECES OF SH*T and it’s up to you to make a difference. I am venting and using written prose to share my horrible experience and disgust… Trust me, I WOULD LOVE TO GO TOE-TO-TOE with a bigot, but honestly, even I know as a civilian and father, and respected person in my community, that I have too much to lose…. SO why doesn’t this gent choose to do the same, apologize, and do right by his staff, his legacy, his community — MAKE A FORMAL APOLOGY, and just change your old pig-headed way of thinking and do some sort of donation or charity to show that you can be the respectable business owner that maybe, and I say that with a huge huge maybe, that you made a mistake that night…. I doubt the latter part, but I also believe in miracles.
… DAMN MONDAYS!
