BBQ Restaurant Takes Heat for 'White Appreciation Day'

The new owners of a barbecue restaurant in Milliken, Colorado, are getting a little more publicity than they bargained for, thanks to a "White Appreciation Day" stunt that began as a joke and is now a reality. The owners of Rubbin Buttz BBQ are Hispanic, and they tell KUSA-TV that they will give white customers a 10% discount on June 11. "We have a whole month for Hispanic Heritage Month, so we thought the least we could do was offer one day to appreciate white Americans," says Edgar Antillon.

The move is drawing flak from some locals, with community organizer Ricardo Romero calling it a "perpetuation of racism." It's also generating a vigorous back-and-forth on the restaurant's Facebook page, reports the International Business Times. The owners take note with a post, though one that doesn't specify the name of the event: "Although we've had overwhelming support for it, there are a few who are filled with hate and/or misunderstanding. People full of hate and negativity want your attention, don't give it to them. Stay happy!" (More race relations stories.)