Nowadays, almost anything can transform into a viral sensation within minutes. With outlets like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and even Snapchat, the entire world is always up to date with the latest of the latest. Recently, Twitter is what seems to be the ultimate source of news and even debates between users from all over the world which usually leads to conflict (just ask our president). Most users have been on edge since the start of the presidential campaign and are quick to jump at anything Trump related. However, among the hundreds of Trump and politics tweets lately, one has stood out a bit more than the rest this past weekend.
my dad’s friend owns a restaurant and he got this today in one of the receipts.
This is Trump’s America, disgusting. pic.twitter.com/u0E9ZNbPmu— Luis Botello Faz (@luisbotello41) February 4, 2017
The tweet comes from a frustrated young man that used Twitter to share the “disgusting” note left at a small restaurant in San Antonio, Texas. This simple tweet reached a greater audience than expected and now has over 11,000 re-tweets, 20,000 likes, and dozens of comments. The feedback seems to be divided since most are disgusted while others call the note fake. There really is no way around the fact that the note says what it says and proves the obvious. But what about the actual person attacked, did anyone care to tweet HIM?
Fernando Franco, 40, migrated to the U.S. in 2012 with an investor’s visa that allows him to reside here with an assumed plan to expand his business. He owns multiple restaurant locations in his hometown back in Mexico and has run the business for the past fifteen years. After growing and expanding in his homeland, he decided to further his growth in the land of the free– where the American dream exists. Franco came to the United States in 2012 and eventually opened his very own and very first restaurant in American soil in June 2015.
Ironically, the restaurant Di Frabo is Italian and does not display any type of Mexican culture or distinctions that could stand out or offend any customer. Of course, being in the heart of Texas where many Mexican immigrants are known to migrate, it is no surprise that the owner of this Italian restaurant is, in fact, Mexican. According to Mr. Fernando Franco, the area is high-end where “white customers” and wealthy sports players are common. Despite this, he has never experienced any dilemma because of his background. He, himself is still astonished that anyone would have felt the need to leave such a note as if his race interrupted their eating.
He recalls that Friday afternoon as a regular 3pm post lunch atmosphere with only a few tables in use and mainly elderly couples dining in. Nothing strange happened, everyone simply seemed to be enjoying their meal and minding their business aside from a few straying eyes. Nothing out of the ordinary caught his attention as he busily walked around his restaurant speaking Spanish to employees and giving them instructions. No one looked bothered by his Mexican accent or his hastily walking like a good owner is expected. Obviously, Franco was surprised and a bit confused when that short note was left by one of these white, elderly customers. He does not know for sure which table left the note but does recall that all the few tables in use were filled with white adults in their 60’s.
Franco is admirably calm about the incident and the attention he has been receiving. He does not plan on making changes to his business and is just hoping for the best for his wife and two kids. He says that 95% of the people reaching out to him have been positive and supportive and the others have just been unnecessarily critical, making false accusations of him writing a fake note as a secret activist move against Trump and the Republican party.
“What concerns me is all these people saying that I’m an activist against Republicans…”
He has repeatedly clarified that is not the case at all and even been honest about his true political views. The truth is that he has none…not for the United States since he claims the topic does not concern him. He acknowledges that he is here for business and not to meddle in the country’s affairs.
Although Franco’s incident sounds like a one-hit internet wonder via twitter, the action’s roots stretch further. The fact that the note claimed “America First” and clearly states that there was nothing wrong with food or the service is the worst. This act depicts an extreme mentality against migrating workers that serve and invest in this country legally. Even though President Trump cannot be directly accused for such an act, what he preaches is responsible for hate acts like this one. He has been clear in the past about the “forgotten people” that have been invaded by “others” and has stated immigrants basically take jobs away from the rightful. Some of his supporters may have actually started to believe that depleting a hardworking, legal immigrant’s business is the way to Make America Great Again.
