Tail Trying to Wag the Dog at Taco Haven

Citizens of San Antonio may or may not fully understand the impact that the Non Discrimination Ordinance that was passed September 5th by the city council will have in their future. A Southtown restaurant is experiencing the effects first hand. Taco Haven, a well established 45-year-old restaurant has been the target of the LGBT local community for allowing the Recall Team to be out on the front sidewalk. Taco Haven is owned and operated by a very well-respected and loved family in the same community, the Torres family. No one can deny that the Torres family has been a pillar of strength and a generous contributor in their community. In fact, if you venture into the restaurant there are signs of their active participation in the community. In 2010 the restaurant was awarded ‘Best Breakfast’ by the Food Network Magazine.

The Torres family made a public statement through the Express News columnist Gilbert Garcia in Friday’s paper. This same statement is taped to the glass doors entering the restaurant. You would think that the activist liberal bloggers would appreciate their effort. But instead one very liberal blogger felt a need to list how the Torres family should conduct themselves and their business. The following is a list of steps he believes will help the situation move forward. Let’s keep in mind that the restaurant has always been owned and operated by the Torres family.

The liberal blogger instinctively dismisses the fact that he personally has ‘no skin in the game’, at Taco Haven. We still live in America and one of our 1st Amendment rights is ‘Freedom of Speech’ and ‘Freedom of Expression’ which includes ‘Freedom of Religion’. I don’t know of any ‘code words’ for ‘religious liberty’. Last but not least ‘host a coffee with Councilman Diego Bernal’. I wonder if Bernal has even visited the restaurant and tried to squash the attacks by the LGBT local community; after all the NDO was his idea. And just in case the liberal blogger missed it, Taco Haven has been opening its doors to every one in the community for the last 45 years.

LIBERAL BLOGGER: My path forward included the following five steps:

1. Terminate the relationship with Allan Parker as spokesperson since his prior history sent the wrong signals to the community. His language with Ryan Loyd on Sunday was just more code words for “religious liberty.” 
2. Discipline the manager who allowed the recall petitioners to remain on property and exhibited a supportive attitude of them when questioned by patrons. After all, he had damaged the brand by his actions. 
3. Issue a statement supporting the ordinance and publicly opposing the groups attempting to recall city council members. Include in that statement apologies to the community for the message communicated by prior actions, stating those actions were not supported by the restaurant. 
4. Have Jerry Torres communicate all messages to the community directly, instead of through a third party spokesperson, to avoid misleading statements. The spokesperson should be present but not speak for the family. 
5. Host a Coffee with the Councilman to demonstrate public support for CM Diego Bernal and allow the restaurant to open its arms to the community and invite dialogue.

An LGBT aficionado sent me more information than I care to know. In his tweet he lists the Rivard Report as publishing an article by another liberal blogger. And while I am not quite sure what this blogger was trying to convey: that he started the whole incident, that he is accusing his girlfriend of starting the incident, that it was not his fault, or that he wants to take credit for the incident…not too clear. The last sentence of his article reads as a warning, “Surely, similar incidents will occur in the future with other businesses, and it’s important to gain as much insight from this one as we can.” He may be correct giving the business community something to think about. What struck me was the fact that in his short bio, it is very clear that he teaches at the University of Texas in San Antonio and happens to be a native of Chicago. Enough said!

If you are not engaged in local politics, you need to ask yourself, ‘why not’? Local politics is where it all begins. The liberals understand this concept all too well. San Antonio is not the only large city in Texas that has a Democrat running its council. As concerned citizens we must all take the responsibility to engage in local politics because if we continue to ignore the political aspect, the local elected officials will eventually become our state elected officials.

It’s time to take back our cities and actively engage in local politics. Visit Taco Haven in Southtown San Antonio on Presa St and enjoy a delicious taco and listen to live music on Friday nights. If you live in San Antonio, why not make it a point to come by any time! All are welcome!

RED SONJA2013 ©
PRAY, FIGHT, NEVER GIVE UP!

On Thursday, the Torres family, the restaurant's owners, provided the following statement exclusively to the San Antonio Express-News: “Throughout our history, we have openly welcomed people of all religious beliefs, political backgrounds and sexual orientations. If you have eaten here, you know this to be true! Recently, an employee expressed personal comments that do not reflect our views as a family and as the owners of a business. That employee has been reprimanded. We try to stay out of politics, but when friends have asked us to place their campaign posters up or to allow them to sign petitions, we have sometimes accommodated those personal requests, as well as requests by a wide variety of organizations to sell items on our property for fundraising purposes for educational and community causes. Now, because of our open attitude to community requests, we find ourselves caught in the middle of a volatile political debate going on here in San Antonio.

We stand by our 45 year history of equal service to all! We, the Torres family, want to make clear that we have never denied service to anyone! Our business is open to all people, and we both welcome and embrace the diverse people who walk through our doors.”

http://www.expressnews.com/news/news_columnists/gilbert_garcia/article/2... What did Taco Haven Really Say?

http://www.concernedinsa.com/2013/11/15/taco-haven-really-say/

After Taco Haven, a Reflection

http://therivardreport.com/taco-haven-yelp-review-author-reflects-on-ndo...