USA TODAY International Edition
Internet takes on Sanders’ ouster from Va. restaurant
Social media sites were buzzing with fallout Sunday from Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ unceremonious eviction from a Virginia restaurant as the contentious debate over “zero tolerance” immigration policy spills into the everyday lives of the people who promote it.
The Facebook page for the Red Hen in Lexington was awash with commentary, much of it bitterly criticizing owner Stephanie Wilinson’s decision Friday night to boot the White House press secretary from the premises in the rustic community almost 200 miles southwest of Washington.
“Showing the true love and tolerance of the Left,” commented Rick Elliott. “May you become a center of a physical disease to match your moral rot.”
Derek Lauer was a bit more analytical. He suggested that the eviction was a “lost opportunity” for honest discourse on a contentious issue.
“When one refuses to listen to the other side they become ignorant to learning and refuse to become well rounded,” Lauer posted.
Some people posted support for the restaurant, however.
John Helfrich cited a recent Supreme Court ruling in favor of a Colorado baker who refused to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple.
“If it’s OK for a baker to refuse service to LGBTQ because of their sexual identification, then why shouldn’t it be OK for a restaurant to refuse service because of their political identification?” Helfrich wrote.
On Twitter, some social commentators took to dark humor. Mary Tyler Moreno posted this missive: “Chili’s - ‘I want my baby back baby back baby back, no my actual baby back.’ #Restaurants 4 Sarah .”
Wilkinson said she told Sanders that the restaurant must uphold standards such as honesty, compassion and cooperation.
“I would have done the same thing again,” Wilkinson told The Washington Post. “We just felt there are moments in time when people need to live their convictions. This appeared to be one.”