Colorado BBQ Restaurant Won’t Cancel ‘White Appreciation Day’ Because ‘Blacks Have A Whole Month’

The owner of?Rubbin Buttz BBQ restaurant in Milliken, Colorado, recently had what he thought was a brilliant idea: Hold a “White Appreciation Day” in which only white patrons receive a 10 percent discount on what they order.

BBQ
Image Via Flickr

Edgar Antillon and?Miguel Jimenez, who co-own Rubbin Buttz, are both Hispanic, and say the idea originally began as a joke, but now they’ve actually scheduled the “White Appreciation Day” for June 11 and currently have no plans to cancel it, despite the negative attention it has drawn. Antillon remarked:

?We have a whole month for black history month. We have a whole month for Hispanic heritage month, so we thought the least we could do was offer one day to appreciate white Americans.?

But as it turns out, Antillon and Jimenez could be setting the scene for a major civil rights lawsuit, according to Jennifer McPherson of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies:

?If someone felt like they were being discriminated against, they could come to the civil rights division and file a complaint in our office and we would investigate that.”

Ricardo Romero, a local activist, was even more blunt when asked about the June 11 event:

?It’s perpetuation of racism. It’s wrong, if you’re going to give a discount, give it to the whole community.?

Antillon said he expects backlash from his actions, but is only trying to start a discussion on race. He added that he has been discriminated against and also said:

“We’re all American, whether you came from a different country, or you were born here. We’re all American.”

Then wouldn’t it make more sense to hold a “Celebrate American Diversity Day” and give everyone a discount to show how our diversity makes us such a special and great nation?

Antillon said he will consider giving other racial groups a discount, but seriously doubts he will elect to do so.

To which I can only add: Good luck with your business failure and impending bankruptcy.