Small businesses can't seem to win this election cycle.
Small businesses can't seem to win this election cycle.
Earlier in the season, President Barack Obama stopped in and visited a pizza shop in Florida, inadvertently bringing down upon the shop and its owner a storm of hate, threats, and bad online reviews.
Now, an old-line Mexican restaurant in Denver's now-trendy Highlands neighborhood is receiving death threats for declining to host the Romney campaign for a formal campaign stop with cameras and the whole nine yards.
"People are saying they want to see us out of business. I'm like, we didn't do anything," he said. "We just didn't want to be a campaign stop. Mr. Romney, come and eat tomorrow. He's welcome. President Obama is welcome; former President Bush is welcome; President Clinton, they're welcome. It doesn't matter. We're a place of family and a place of community."
Aguirre said he's been receiving death threats and ugly emails. A customer Wednesday ordered $120 worth of food, and then cancelled the order when it was already cooked.
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Westword describes the place's character and history, which makes the story even more frustrating. The paper also shared a note that Oscar Aguirre, eldest son in the family that owns the place, posted on Facebook, responding to threats and folks saying they hope Rosa Linda's goes out of business. Here's how it closes:
If we do go out of business our Annual Thanksgiving Feast to the needy would end. Last year we fed 5500 meals, this year we may serve above 6000 meals. Please let the American public know that we are not racist or bigots. We are just a working family wanting to help our community and our country by serving those in need.
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It's really disheartening to see stuff like this happen. Crushing.
And it's baffling when the folks who are calling and making these awful threats are presumably angry on behalf of the candidate of a party that styles itself the defenders of values and small business and Mayberry living. Do we really have to do this every four years? If we can't figure out how to make these decisions responsibly, I'm going to recommend that Mom and Dad just make us a monarchy. Can we just make Ellen or somebody queen? Or Snooki? She's kind of turning it around, right? And hell, she's already got Mitt Romney's endorsement.
I have no doubt that Romney and company would tell the bastards to cut it out, by the way. Not just because it's the worst press in the world but also because it's shameful behavior. Don't kid yourself: This isn't on the political parties or on the television knuckleheads or anybody else. This is people being the worst, and I'm tired of it.
Photo via Flickr (cc) user Gage Skidmore.
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