I am compelled to write in support of all black and brown people, continuing to suffer never ending injustice in an unjust system built on the backs of slaves in the name of white supremacy.
I am scared to write about it for so many reasons. I am not worthy. I will upset people who will judge me harshly. Some will think I have no right. I am part of the problem. I don’t have the right words. Words are not enough. I have no good answers.
And as one angry and beautiful blog post I read today stated: What is left to say?
Action is needed.
(It was written in 2016)
I am grateful for all those trying to express support, to add to the momentum, to seize the moment. I am also saddened that it’s not enough, efforts don’t sustain, words are wasted on so many, so many cannot hear it, see it, understand it. And for all of my twisted feelings, I could NEVER come close to imagining what this shit is like for people of color. I do try.
Thank you Danielle and the Lowell Chamber of Commerce for posting:
“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”
– Martin Luther King Jr.
Still, words are not enough.
Great restaurant! 7.5% tax ? Angel ? Who is this helping , the waitresses and barbacks? Or u? Then cut actual tips because people know they are already getting hit with 7.5%? Go back to Lowell Massachusetts USA great song . Turnover ? Good product raise prices , don’t cop out.
Thanks Tony–for your kind words and your challenge. Sorry for the very late response. As our restaurants came under assault from COVID I turned away from this forum and the feelings that challenged us everyday. We are still here and growing slowly….thankfully. As to the Angel’s Share–it presents problems in understanding, as we only have people’s attention for seconds to explain it. It’s no cop out–it’s merely a 7.5% menu increase–to keep us in business during the highest cots of food and labor that our industry has ever experienced–while sales are challenged daily/weekly…for the past 21 months!!! The 7.5% menu price increase is SIMPLY separated out, so as to achieve (3) goals:
1. YOU are not charged 5% tax and another 18% for gratuity
2. We can legally distribute that increase directly to increasing industry wide kitchen wages
3. Due to the 18% NOT being added to the (actual) menu price, the disparity between servers and kitchen is not furthered, helping our industry find better equity and THEREBY better help, better product, better sanitation, better consistency…and so on… We ask for your trust, that this is a good thing! I hope you are well. Happy New YEar.
Sounds suspiciously like communism
Jamie. See above… Happy New Year!