A Texas Cafe Incident Sparks Online Discussion: A Retelling of the 2018 Event
In February 2018, Andy Ternay and his partner walked into the First Watch café located in Richardson, Texas, ready to enjoy a meal. However, their visit took an unexpected turn when the café’s manager approached them and asked them to leave.
Ternay took to Facebook to share his experience. He recounted, “A manager came over to inform us that other diners were very upset by my shirt, which featured phrases that might be seen by children. I told her that explaining the controversial messages on my shirt to my own daughter was something I found equally troubling.”
The shirt worn by Ternay had bold messages: “FUCK TRUMP AND FUCK YOU FOR VOTING FOR HIM” on the front and “FUCK THE RACIST ALT-RIGHT” on the back.
According to Ternay, the manager said that his shirt was causing distress among the patrons, which he felt was a matter of personal taste rather than a significant issue. The situation escalated after they had been served drinks and placed their orders.
Eventually, a cook came out and asked them to leave.
Ternay described the incident further: “We requested to leave a tip for our server, get our drinks to go, and depart. One table of white patrons applauded our departure.” After leaving the restaurant, a Black server approached them and shared that he had quit his job after witnessing the incident. He mentioned, “He told us that people were asking not to be seated near Muslims.”
In a conversation with The Daily Beast, Ternay revealed that he had received positive feedback about his shirt from people of color. “A Latino woman at the register thanked me, and two African American servers expressed their support for my shirt,” he said.
Ternay explained that his intent in wearing the shirt was to make a statement about his beliefs and show solidarity with marginalized communities.
After their departure, Ternay encountered a police officer in the parking lot. He described the interaction, saying, “I asked the officer if her presence was related to my shirt. When she confirmed, I cited Cohen v. California, 1971, a Supreme Court case that upheld the right to wear expressive clothing. She simply told me to leave.”
In response to the incident, the restaurant’s corporate office issued a statement clarifying their position: “The request for the gentleman to leave was based on feedback from customers and families concerned about the vulgar language on his shirt. We believe that such language is inappropriate for a family restaurant, similar to how R-rated movies are restricted for young audiences. Our decision was based on maintaining a family-friendly environment, not on political beliefs or racial issues.”
Despite the incident, Ternay does not hold a grudge against the restaurant and does not plan to boycott it. His Facebook post about the event went viral, amassing over 42,000 shares. He expressed that the most significant impact of the responses he received was from the African American community, who shared their feelings of disillusionment with their white neighbors.
Ternay told The Daily Beast, “I have received messages from African Americans who have lost faith in their white neighbors. They no longer feel supported by those around them, and my shirt was a symbol of solidarity.”
Sources: The Daily Beast / Photo Credit: Facebook/Andy Ternay
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