Stephanie Wilkinson, co-owner of the Red Hen restaurant in Lexington, Virginia, was at home Friday night when she received a call from her head chef who told her White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders was in the restaurant to dine. Wilkinson told Washington Post what happened next.
She knew Lexington, population 7,000, had overwhelmingly against Trump in a county that voted overwhelmingly for him. She knew the community was deeply divided over such issues as Confederate flags. She knew, she said, that her restaurant and its half-dozen servers and cooks had managed to stay in business for 10 years by keeping politics off the menu.
And she knew — she believed — that Sarah Huckabee Sanders worked in the service of an “inhumane and unethical” administration. That she publicly defended the president’s cruelest policies, and that that could not stand.
“I’m not a huge fan of confrontation,” Wilkinson said. “I have a business, and I want the business to thrive. This feels like the moment in our democracy when people have to make uncomfortable actions and decisions to uphold their morals.”
Read more on this story in the Washington Post
Some might say we have more important things to concentrate on right now, other than Sarah Huckabee Sanders not being served in a restaurant. But this is incredbilby important because it’s perfect example of our true American spirit and “resistance.” And the world needs to see this.
Anyone can create positive change with a courageous act/gesture in the name of kindness, compassion and love. Just this week, I covered two stories showing some pretty amazing examples of what one or two people can do.
- Flight attendant Hunt Palmquist, who has been flying for 29 years, risked his career and livelihood by publicly telling his employer he would never again work a flight that was transporting/shipping immigrant children away from their families. He stated, ”I will no longer be complicit”and asked other flight attendants to do the same. The next day American and major airlines stated they would no longer allow their planes to be used by the government to do the same.
- Charlotte and Dave Willner, are everyday people who wanted to help reunite an immigrant family and set a goal of $1500 on a Facebook fundraising page. They were astounded to see their campaign had garnered over a million in a few days. People everywhere continues to donate to the cause and helped the Willners raise over $20,000,000—in one week (and counting)! The couple are now working with the nonprofit organization called RAICES. The money will go to help and legally assist immigrant families and reunite children who’ve been torn from their parents/families due to cruel Trump policies.
And now, this weekend the owner of Red Hen restaurant took a stand against the Trump’s inhumane acts of abuse —and who knows the wave of good the Red Hen will cause. Big thanks to Stephanie Wilkinson and the staff of a small restaurant that made a big decision—to do the right thing. You can thank them by following/liking them on Facebook and/or leaving them a comment/private message of thanks—here is the link.
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