MAGA-coded candidate’s visit to Black-owned restaurant prompts outrage in Atlanta

On Friday, a popular Black-owned Atlanta restaurant responded to outrage over a photo circulating of the establishment’s owner with Georgia Republican gubernatorial candidateRick Jackson, declaring that it was not a political endorsement.

The restaurant, Toast on Lenox, made this assertion on Instagram the day after a photo was posted by the Jackson campaign, which showed the candidate at the restaurant with owner Tamara Young. The photo prompted calls to boycott the restaurant, and has since been taken down by the campaign.

According to local outlet the Grio, “The billionaire businessman and founder of Jackson Healthcare just won the Republican nomination on Tuesday, beating out Donald Trump-backed Lt. Gov. Burt Jones. He will now take on the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, in the general election this November. Though he did not receive the president’s endorsement, Jackson has compared himself to Trump, according to the Georgia Recorder, saying he ‘will stand up to the radical left, the media, the bureaucracy and anyone else that tries to take advantage of Georgians.’” He's also been a vocal supporter of Trump's immigration crackdown, saying that undocumented immigrants should be "deported or departed."

It seems that not all Georgians are on board with his message, as his appearance at the restaurant made clear.

“Welp another one bites the MAGA dust,” wrote one angry poster, receiving thousands of likes and hundreds of shares. “How can a black woman allow herself to be associated with an administration that has it out for black women. Don’t believe me look up the numbers. At some point we have to take a stand. Even if that’s means cutting off those close to you.”

“Toast On Lenox is CLOSED,” posted another. “We the people are shutting it down. Stay out of there spending money. The street interviewers of the internet will be filming yall walk in and they will post the footage. They’re already out there. If you’re seen in there it’s because you support a white man named Rick Jackson, that’s vowed to be Trump 2.0. The owner saw no issue in having him there to campaign. I guess she’ll have no problem with the loss of clientele.”

After the photo of Jackson with Young was posted, the restaurant’s initial response came from co-owner Virgil Harper, who posted an image of text reading “A Discussion is not a Vote!!!!!!” over a series of fist emojis and #Staywoke. Outrage continued to build to the point where Toast responded with a clearer statement.

“Toast on Lenox does not endorse Rick Jackson,” read the post. “We did not do a campaign, nor are we affiliated with Jackson. Any statements made in that post were his own and do not represent our personal beliefs or the position of Toast on Lenox.”

The post seemed to do little to quell the anger. By Monday, it had received hundreds of comments from jilted Atlanteans. As one declared, “Y’all align yourself with people actively trying to sow division and diminish our community. Then act obtuse when backlash occurs. Practice discernment and stop always trying to set tables for your enemies to sit at.”