On February 1, Kenji Lopez-Alt, the owner of Wursthall Restaurant in Downtown San Mateo, stated that he would not be serving customers wearing Make America Great Again hats. Since this statement, Lopez-Alt has taken down the tweet and apologized amid threats via email and criticism from current customers. The owner apologized to his staff and partners, calling his tweet “reckless” and explaining that his goal was to promote peace; as the hat has been associated with so many “moments of anger, hate, and violence,” Lopez-Alt has begun to see the hat as a symbol of just that. He has retracted his statement, claiming that his restaurant will “serve all customer regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual preference, gender orientation, disability, or political opinion — so long as they leave hate, anger, and violence outside of the doors of our restaurant."
By refusing to serve customers based on their political opinions, Lopez-Alt could be promoting sentiments similar to the Alien and Sedition Acts. The Alien and Sedition Acts aimed to limit freedom of speech by silencing criticism of the government. Lopez-Alt is limiting freedom to express political opinion and criticism of his own beliefs. In order to be served at his restaurant, customers must align themselves to his political views.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/restaurant-owner-bans-make-america-great-again-hats-then-apologizes/
Paige McManaman
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