OK Boomer Cafe

OK Cafe is a popular diner/restaurant in Atlanta.  It has a great location near the Buckhead exit from Interstate I-75 and a large parking lot.  It's a convenient spot for Cobb County businessmen to stop for some traditional Southern cooking before they venture into the metropolis of downtown Atlanta or to regroup afterwards.  I've found that after a few meals, the charm wears off and it's a little overpriced and there's almost always a long wait.  But it does a good business or at least it did until the coronavirus pandemic hit and everything, especially restaurants, shut down.

That I-75 exit is also the road that leads to the Governor's Mansion, and the large parking lot at OK Cafe (which it shares with a Starbucks, a Publix supermarket, and other businesses) is a natural staging area for Black Lives Matter protesters before marching to the Mansion.  Before that, it was a staging area for protests both for and against the lockdown orders associated with the pandemic.

However, last weekend, a banner on  the side of the restaurant read "Lives That Matter Are Made With Positive Purpose" (whatever that means) while they hosted a “Tea Party” in the parking lot.

The banner has since been taken down, but an owner confirmed that the "Tea Party" was a reference to “America’s Tea Party 1773” and meant to symbolize Taxation Without Representation. "I suppose you know," the owner stated in an email released to the press, "businesses across America are being looted and burned down. We need our tax dollars spent on stopping this brutality. When the businesses are gone you will be living in a 3rd World country."

"WE ARE NOT BEING PROTECTED. Have you wondered yet; who will be held responsible to repay all the business owners for their losses? Will it be Black Lives Matter? Will it be regular taxpayers who did nothing wrong? "

For the record, OK Cafe was not looted or burned during the civil unrest of the last two weeks.

"Selfish, cruel, and destructive people took businesses across America to their knees," she continued. "Hard-working people lost. The question is—who will pay?"  Her statement further explained that she believed small businesses were not being protected or represented despite paying taxes. 

No, ma'am, it's not that you're being taxed without representation.  Your problem is you keep voting for Republicans like Gov. Brian Kemp and Senator David Purdue and so-called "president" Donald Trump, none of whom gives a shit about you, your small business, or your protection.  You have  got exactly the representation that you requested, it's just that what you requested kind of sucks at doing what you need. 

And even more, your financial problems, the reason your small business is "on its knees," is the months-long shutdown due to coronavirus, not looters or rioters.  But whatever, Karen (she's actually named "Susan," but she most certainly is a "Karen"), if you're facing troubles or hard times, blame in on black people.  

It's worked for white people for centuries, so why stop now?