Middle East politics play out in DC restaurant

[formercia]

AIPAC supporters undertip waitress for her anti-occupation t-shirt.

A waitress's political beliefs cost her a decent tip on Monday, as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) convened in Washington, DC. Her customers at the local restaurant Busboys and Poets were apparently bothered the anti-occupation t-shirt worn by their waitress, Nuria Kalifa-Jackson. In response, they left behind an AIPAC brochure, as well as a note that read, "Displaying your political beliefs on your shirt cost you a [per cent] of your tip."


http://stream.aljazeera.com/story/201303052240-0022589

[spanone]

1. assholes.

[Sherman A1]

3. Eloquently Stated

I can't think of a better description.

[kelliekat44]

2. Her right to wear the shirt. Their right not to tip. I only hope she doesn't lose her job.

AIPAC is known for some pretty nasty power plays.

[hootinholler]

5. Doubtful

That store will laugh at AIPAC if they try to do anything, it would likely be more sympathetic to these guys.

[StrayKat]

8. From the linked article:

The article says another store inside where she works sells the shirt. Also, it points to a Busboys and Poets Facebook post:

"Today a member of The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) DIDN'T tip his server because he disagreed with the message of her anti-occupation shirt. However, we AGREE that "The Occupation Isn't Pretty" and are proud to have her work for us!"

[Scuba]

4. So AIPAC is pro-occupy??????

[hootinholler]

6. Hell yes they are...

You know, Occupy West Bank, etc.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

7. It's a dumb move by the waitress

Surely she HAD to know that someone would be offended by a politically-themed t-shirt. If you're a business owner, particularly on highly-polarized issues, you should be like friggin' Switzerland -- unless your intent as a business is to cater to people of one political camp or the other.

[StrayKat]

9. It kind of is their intent.

Busboys and Poets is "a space for art, culture and politics to intentionally collide..."

http://www.busboysandpoets.com/about/

They also sell the shirt in the complex.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

10. In that case...

The AIPAC people really should eat somewhere else, no matter how good the brunch is.

And the brunch looks awesome. I'll be in DC in a few months and plan to check them out.

Frankly, any cafe that name-checks Langston Hughes is worth a try.

[MineralMan]

11. That's the risk you always take by wearing your

politics on your sleeve (or your chest). You're bound to offend someone, but isn't that the point, really. If you feel strongly enough about a political belief, then presenting it openly may well affect your life in some way. If it doesn't, what's the point, really?

So, this waitperson got a smaller tip for her political expression. Frankly, that's a small price to pay for putting your opinion where people can see it. People lose their lives for expressing their political opinion every day. Losing a tip is hardly worthy of mention, but getting your message across to a captive audience is priceless.