Local Bar Owner Under Fire For Tweet On #BlackoutTuesday Movement

While many businesses big and small are getting behind and supporting the #BlackoutTuesday movement, one bar owner decided to use the hashtag to promote "blacking out" at her bar this Tuesday, according to KTSM. The #BlackoutTuesday movement was started by two music executives, Jamila Thomas and Brianna Agyemang, to pause normal business in the music industry and take the day to listen to the issues happening around the United States and work to create strategies to help black people in this country. You can learn more about the movement and how you can help through by reading article at the Rolling Stone website.

Since the #BlackoutTuesday and #TheShowMustBePaused hashtags were supported by some of the biggest labels in the game, other brands have come out to support the movement. Brands and businesses big and small have now put the black square on their profiles, flooding the social media sites including Instagram and Twitter. While many have put up the square and publicly announced their support for the movement, others have used the hashtag to mock the seriousness of the situation in the nation.

According to an article from Borderzine, Veronica Garcia is one of the owners of Beach Bar, located on Delta Drive in El Paso. One the bar's Instagram page, they have posted the black square, showing that they are supporting the cause and the people in this fight. But on her personal Twitter page, Garcia seemed to mock the words. She responded to a tweet that stated they didn't want to see the posts saying to "hit me up for taco Tuesday or $2 tequila Tuesday." Garcia responded back with the following tweet:

On the public Beach Bar Instagram page though, the business has posted the black square showing solidarity with the #BlackoutTuesday movement. Perhaps the person who runs their social media isn't familiar what the purpose is behind Blackout Tuesday, since people supporting are supposed to refrain from posting their normal Instagram feeds and instead use the time to reflect, listen, and help come up with strategies to better this country. Instead, Beach Bar went right back to their regularly scheduled posts about the bar,

While many are angry with the bar and bar owner for their insensitive posts and comments, this could also be a teaching moment for others. While the cause may not be something you are passionate about, you can be empathetic for the others who it affects personally. Mocking the hashtag in a rude and inconsiderate manner can have a lasting effect on some people. If you would like to learn more about the #BlackoutTuesday movement and how you can help, please visit The Show Must Be Paused website.