A Missouri bar is facing a wave of backlash after a photo of two NFL jerseys used as doormats went viral.
The photo shows Marshawn Lynch and Colin Kaepernick jerseys placed side by side on the ground outside S.N.A.F.U. Bar in Lake Ozark, Missouri, so that the names read “Lynch Kaepernick.” A customer named Taylor shared the picture on social media and told local station KOMU it left a bad taste in her mouth. She said she would not be back.
Bar owner Jason pushed back on the criticism. He said the jerseys were laid out the way they came out of the box, that there was no ill intent, and that it was not about race. He said the display came from his support for the military and the NFL anthem protest debate. He also noted that he respects the right to protest.
After the photo spread, Jason switched the order of the jerseys. Reports say Kaepernick himself retweeted a post calling the display racist, and the bar’s Yelp page was flooded with one star reviews.
Taylor said the issue is bigger than one bar, pointing to how racism can be disguised as patriotism.
What do you think? Was it an honest mistake or a message?
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