[dropcap size=big]I[/dropcap]f you found out one of your favorite and best taqueros in Los Angeles advocated for #AllLivesMatter and not #BlackLivesMatter and continued to defend the police during the country’s biggest uprisings since the Civil Rights Movement of 1964, would you still eat that delicious taco?
This is the new ethical taco conundrum that many of Carnitas El Momo’s fans are pondering after Juan Carlos Acosta, aka Billy, posted a now-deleted image on Instagram earlier this week reflecting this sentiment.
As thousands of folks take to the streets to demand justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many Black people have lost their life due to police brutality, conversations about anti-Blackness continue, and linger within communities around the country.
Many businesses have taken to Instagram to denounce anti-Blackness, posting #BlackLivesMatter in solidarity and donating proceeds from food sales to countless organizations who do work to support the movement to hold the police system accountable. As we see a rise in solidarity from community businesses, we have also seen either the silence or opposing views. Many establishments fear that they will lose business and support from their loyal fans if they begin posting their political views on social media. After all, we are still very much in a pandemic, and folks are struggling to stay afloat, so steering free of community conflict seems like an easy option.