I’ve Lost Respect For Danny Meyer

So, just a quick post today. Just some thoughts rolling around in my head. Is it cooking focused? No. Is it restaurant focused? Kind of?

Do you know who Danny Meyer is? He’s the owner of multiple prominent restaurants in the States and around the world, under the umbrella of the Union Square Hospitality Group. Former owner of Eleven Madison Park. Author of Setting the Table. A real heavyweight in the hospitality community due to his unique hospitality style and commitment to making every guest feel special and welcomed.

Well, with the U.S. election all but wrapped up, Danny decided to tweet this:

Leading with hospitality. It doesn’t sound bad, does it? A place at the table for all? Very inclusive.

Here’s my problem, though. If you believe in and follow the politics of hate, then you don’t DESERVE a place at the table. And we all know who I’m talking about. If you support Donald Trump, if you’re sad he lost, or worse, if you believe that he WON, but the election was stolen from him, then you are a hater. You’re someone who is okay with racism, misogyny and classism. You don’t deserve nice things, because you actively engage in preventing other people from having them.

Now you might say “Well Zac, you’re also being intolerant. If you don’t think these people should be at the table, what makes you so different from them?” To that I’d reply, you goddamn well know what makes me different. I don’t get bent out of shape when I hear Black Lives Matter. I can see the institutionalized racism and misogyny all around me, and I’m not afraid to call it out whenever I see it. And I do my best not to benefit off the suffering of any others.

White folks who believe hating other races is okay because of some perceived slight against them are dangerous and don’t deserve a place at the table. Men who objectify and hate women, capable of only seeing them as objects are dangerous and don’t deserve a place at the table.

On the other hand, people of colour who are angry at white folks for centuries of mistreatment and just can’t bottle it up anymore? Yes, that’s justified. Women who are sick and tired of being afraid of men for fear of rape, destitution or death and just can’t take it anymore? Justified too. If you can’t see how the views of the oppressor and the oppressed are different, well you can just see yourself out right now.

I’ve lost a lot of respect for Danny Meyer because of this tweet. With a divide like this, you simply CANNOT have everyone at the same table. Because the oppressors do not even think that the people they oppress deserve human rights or decency. If you let them sit at the table, then why would the oppressed even bother to sit down? Bottom line, Danny: If you say your restaurants are safe for Trump supporters, that means they’re NOT SAFE for non-Trump supporters.

And that’s no skin off Danny’s back, it seems. I know what I think doesn’t matter to him. But it’s how I feel. And this is my blog, so that’s what I’ll write here.

If you disagree with my views, my politics or are just like “I only came here to learn how to make shepherd’s pie (later this week),” well, you can stop reading, I suppose. I’m not going to change how I feel. This isn’t a blog about politics, but sometimes I will talk about the politics of the restaurant/hospitality industry. If you feel you can engage in civil debate, then by all means, leave comment down below or send an email.