A Kentucky steakhouse was flooded with complaints final weekend after putting in a Ukrainian flag above its entrance door. Offended residents accused the restaurant of changing an American flag—even supposing no American flag was ever there.
In a Fbpublish on Sunday, Common Supervisor Ben Ashlock clarified to the group that there have been beforehand two Texas flags in entrance of Colton's Steak Home & Grill in Bardstown, Kentucky. Though the chain relies in Arkansas, it's themed after the Texan wild west. The supervisor had merely switched out one of many Texas flags for the Ukrainian flag.
Ashlock informed Newsweek he was shaken by the hate that inundated the restaurant, which abruptly began over 30 days after he initially put up the Ukrainian flag.
A barrage of calls and messages accused the employees of being unpatriotic, un-American and disrespectful. Some residents left one-star evaluations, saying the meals "tasted woke" and they'd not eat there once more till they noticed the nationwide flag. Others stated Ashlock was "supporting Nazis" and the Russia-Ukraine warfare was not actual. Ashlock stated a employees member who was answering the cellphone got here to him in tears on Saturday.
"Normally if a visitor complains, I will simply and shortly treatment it," Ashlock stated. "On this scenario, I might've violated my conscience. I am not taking a flag down when a sovereign nation is being attacked."
Ashlock adopted an orphan from Ukraine three years in the past. He has buddies within the nation who he checks on day by day, together with two American missionaries and three Ukrainians. Early within the warfare, an adoption facilitator who had helped Ashlock's household and remained a very good good friend was killed by a sniper.
"It is notably upsetting to me when folks say the warfare is not actual," Ashlock stated. "I get it firsthand from people who find themselves going via it."
On Saturday night, Ashlock determined to remove confusion by including an American flag in entrance of the steakhouse. As an alternative of the unique two Texas flags, there may be now an American flag on the fitting and a Ukrainian flag on the left.
Regardless of all of the vitriolic complaints, the restaurant obtained assist too, together with from Ashlock's buddies within the U.S. navy.
"Thanks for flying the Ukraine flag and exhibiting assist to our Ukrainian brothers and sisters," stated the highest touch upon the restaurant's Fb publish. "I can not imagine anybody would ship hate messages for that...what the hell has occurred to us?"
In accordance with a Pew Analysis Middle survey performed on the finish of March, 70 % of People now take into account Russian an enemy of the USA, up from 41 % in January. Simply six % of adults stated they've confidence in Russian President Vladimir Putin, whereas 72 % trust in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
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