By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-09-26 14:53:49 | Updated at 2024-09-30 21:28:53
4 days ago
A political-themed bar in Washington, DC, is facing backlash only a few days after opening its doors, specifically centered around its logo - a Democratic donkey and a Republican elephant.
Political Pattie's, a new three-story bar on U Street in northwest DC - a predominantly liberal city - quickly began stirring up controversy after many locals took offense to the GOP elephant on the bar's exterior logo, Fox News reported.
A wave of woke retaliation followed soon after on social media. Some called the bar's theme 'dangerous.' Others called it 'tone deaf'.
However, the owners, Andrew Benbow, 41, and Sydney Bradford, 40, opened the bar with the hope of creating a bipartisan space for political discourse.
Political Pattie's, a new bar in Northwest DC, has received backlash just days after they first opened their doors - specifically due to their logo
The owners, Andrew Benbow, 41, and Sydney Bradford, 40, opened the bar with the hope of creating a bipartisan space for political discourse.
'Because DC is such a political city, I thought it just made sense that we set up a political bar... little did we know that was not the case,' Benbow told Fox.
Voting for different parties themselves, they wanted their establishment to be a safe space for conversations where everyone would feel included.
'It represented our partnership and what we were trying to do with the space,' Bradford told The Washington Post.
Benbow, a moderate Republican, and Bradford, a Democrat, viewed their own relationship as living proof that people can still connect no matter what side they take.
'If we can be of different political views and still fall in love, surely, two people of two completely different worldviews can come together and have a conversation and get to know one another,' Benbow told Fox.
The couple themselves vote for different political parties, but they feel as though their relationship is living proof that people can connect despite political differences
Political elements are woven into the space - including a DJ booth on the second floor which resembles the presidential lectern
Their slogan? 'Putting the "lit" in politics.'
'We're trying to get people to come together and learn about each other without casting judgements,' Bradford told Washingtonian.
But these are deeply partisan times - especially in the months leading up to Election Day. And the current division was even more pronounced through the objections to the bar, both by residents of DC and users online.
The complaints initially took the couple by surprise.
'People are taking sides and they are entrenching themselves on either side,' Benbow told The Washington Post.
'And they don't care about the other person's values. They don't care to get to know them. All they care about is, "This is what I believe. And I don't want anything to do with you if I think you believe anything different."'
Framed portraits of presidents are hung throughout the three-story bar
After social media users told the couple to 'read the room', they had an idea - installing a library of different kinds of political books that customers can borrow, keep and contribute to
But the couple have tried to hold their head up high - making humor about the situation and crossing their fingers that 'any publicity is good publicity', the Post added.
Jokes amongst users online gave the couple inspiration for their staff uniform: khaki pants and a blue T-shirt accompanied with a red tie - all meant to bring the standard Hill 'uniform' to mind.
Social media users telling the couple to 'read the room' sparked another idea - books.
Bradford and Benbow installed a library of different types of political books in the bar that customers can either borrow or keep for their own use. Bringing your own favorite to add to the collection is also encouraged, the Washington Post added.
Although politics may define the very essence of the bar, Benbow said that it doesn't define him.
'I don't walk around with an elephant on my forehead,' he said.
The couple has an extensive background in politics and law, which was a blueprint for the project.
They met at Hampton University as political-science majors. Bradford is now an attorney who has worked on the Hill, and Benbow is a retired Army Reserve officer and lawyer with experience in working with multiple federal agencies, Washingtonian reported.
The bar is intended to serve as a safe space where different opinions are accepted and not judged - even though DC is a predominately liberal state
The political-themed bar also has quotes on the walls that can resonate with either party
After years of experience in their own civil service jobs, they hoped to integrate what they learned about compromise in regard to ideological divides and bring it into their own space to share with others.
The decision to open the bar felt like an easy one. The couple regularly spends their weekends around the city together while enjoying live music and sipping on some cocktails.
The only thing that was missing in their city was a bar with good prices, an energetic happy-hour scene and polite discussions.
But the outcry to the logo was taken into consideration as they realized just how powerful certain imagery could really be.
Bradford and Benbow decided to change the logo, removing both political animals to avoid any further controversy. They also didn't want to feel as though they were harming their community.
Benbow (far right) considers himself a 'moderate Republican' while Bradford (not pictured) considers herself a Democrat
The couple ended up changing the logo of the bar as a response to the outcry - but plan to keep the bar politically-themed throughout - hoping that people give the place a chance
'It may just look like a GOP elephant to some people, but to others, they may have a real visceral reaction to it that makes them feel unsafe,' Bradford told Fox.
'What we want to do is create a safe space for people to come in and have political discourse or any type of conversation they want,' she added.
'But it’s important for folks to know that we don’t support debating anyone’s existence or discrimination of any kind – that is not going to be tolerated here at Pattie’s.'
The couple believes that the situation has perfectly highlighted that this is exactly what Washington needs - a place where all opinions are welcome.
But despite the logo change, the name of the bar will remain the same.
The bar also plans to keep the 'political vibe' of the space - offering cocktails with names such as the 'Filibuster Fizz' and the 'Gerrymander Martini'.
The walls remain covered with political quotes and framed portraits of numerous presidents, including Kennedy, Obama, Bush (the son) and Lincoln, The Washington post added.
There's even a DJ booth on the second floor that resembles the presidential lectern.
'Political Pattie's aims to be a fun, inclusive space that pokes fun at politics, not the pain politics often causes,' the couple told Washingtonian.
'Pattie's will continue to strive to do better. And we charge you to do the same.'
In the end, the pair hopes that people will give their bar a chance, despite the initial backlash.
And with Election Day quickly approaching, maybe we all do need a drink.
