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It should be no secret by now that anybody who is a friend of Trump is no friend to the LGBTQ+ community.
And Belle's Smokin' BBQ in Kentucky has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the American right is not only insensitive, but outright cruel in their grandstanding of their "values."
The BBQ joint in Williamstown, Kentucky, made an extremely insensitive T-shirt that said "I support LGBTQ: Liberty, Guns, Bible, Trump, BBQ."
Immediately, people from all walks of life began calling, emailing, and tagging the group on social media for the unbelievably irreverent transgression.
@WNDU @Notmypreside11 https://t.co/dHsX9KBEj1— The Corporal (@The Corporal) 1555822249.0
@WNDU Its douchey.— [A◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️] 🧀✌🌊🤘🌊 (@[A◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️] 🧀✌🌊🤘🌊) 1555809028.0
@Cptnrwrpnts @WNDU I know I wouldn’t eat there. I like it when they self identify.— 🤘 Topsy LaVey 🤘 (@🤘 Topsy LaVey 🤘) 1555809538.0
According to The Hill, Jamie Smith, the owner of the business and his staff have already been wearing these sorry excuses for a joke for over a year. It was only when they tried to capitalize on them on social media that they were called out.
"I posted it at about 6, and at about 10 a.m. is when the threatening calls came."
"Social media went berserk."
So disappointed to see Belle's Smokin BBQ mock the LGBTQ community. There are SO many great BBQ joints in Kentucky.… https://t.co/906RPYslpY— Farrah Alexander (@Farrah Alexander) 1555603830.0
@LEX18News Wouldn't that be LGBTB— Marie 🖤🏳️🌈 (@Marie 🖤🏳️🌈) 1555810712.0
@LEX18News Q stands for BBQ? Damn these racists are stupid.— Adam McG (@Adam McG) 1555711083.0
@courierjournal But the trailer looks so classy? https://t.co/hLehTvAkNv— johnny boy thomas (@johnny boy thomas) 1555709132.0
@courierjournal #OhKentucky 👎🏻— Nathaniel Gardner (@Nathaniel Gardner) 1555733983.0
This is why we DO BETTER.
Of course, not one to be "brought down by snowflakes from the left," Belle's Smokin BBQ posted an extreme non-apology apology:
Chris Hartman, the executive director of the Louisville Fairness Campaign, weighed in to say the shirts are not only offensive, but just a plain old "bad idea."
"What a bad business model, to automatically isolate not just a segment of your potential customer base, but all of their family and friends."
@abc13houston "At the end of the day, we have to stand for what we believe in and like I said, if I offended anyone… https://t.co/aubrtold3i— Rockabye Baby Rentals (@Rockabye Baby Rentals) 1555814194.0
@abc13houston Sad— OpenPrison (@OpenPrison) 1555802112.0
@abc13houston Wow😩😩😩— Texas/Louisiana Pride (@Texas/Louisiana Pride) 1555803363.0
@abc13houston Bible and trump are always a joke when paired together.— Trump'sTie (@Trump'sTie) 1555858574.0
@abc13houston Spelling was never really Team MAGA's strong suit.— Ted Williams (@Ted Williams) 1555800913.0
Hartman also noted that there was no way the shirts were not intended to provoke LGBTQ+ people, and that the truck's wimpy non-apology does not suffice.
"How are they going to be inclusive? Is there going to be a Pride Month barbecue special? The rainbow sliders, or something," he said. "At this point, it's not enough to just say we're sorry. You actually have to take actionable steps to prove that you're going to be inclusive."
Meanwhile, Smith reportedly "has no plans to stop selling the shirts. They're out of stock now but more shirts are on the way, he said, and orders are coming in from all over the country."
Just remember, it's likely that someone you know bought one of these shirts or supports its cruelty.