A Milwaukee bar owner has announced plans to temporarily close his establishment during the Republican National Convention (RNC) this summer, opting to steer clear of serving supporters of former President Donald Trump.
Scheduled from July 15 to 18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the RNC is set to formalize Trump’s nomination as the Republican Party’s candidate, following his attainment of the required 1,215 delegates.
The Mothership, a cocktail bar situated on Logan Avenue in Milwaukee’s Bay View neighborhood, boasts a colorful persona on its Facebook page, often sharing vibrant posts. Despite the anticipated influx of roughly 50,000 visitors to the city during the convention, bar owner Ricky Ramirez is resolute in his decision to distance himself from the crowd.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Ramirez shared his upbringing as a child of first-generation immigrants, emphasizing his sensitivity to discrimination in a city grappling with segregation.
Expressing discomfort with what he views as racist and anti-immigration rhetoric embraced by many Republicans, Ramirez articulated his decision, stating, “if there’s an influx of those kinds of people, then I’d rather just be closed.”
“I don’t f****** care who comes into my bar on the norm, but it’s such a heightened event where people are very proudly going to be confirming that Donald Trump’s the nominee for the party again,” he asserted.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, The Mothership publicly disclosed its intention to close during the RNC week, eliciting mixed reactions ranging from condemnation to praise.
Part of the bar’s social media announcement read, “I’m not trying to get involved with or actively take money or rent the space out to that tomfoolery HOWEVER if anyone wants bar for private event wedding reception wet tshirt contest idk whatever private people wanna party about do hit up our DMS for free to dirt low prices we’ll f****** do anything for money except be a part of THAT s*** show.”
Ramirez reaffirmed his decision in an email to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, asserting that he would take the same action if the Democratic National Convention were held in the city. “The No. 1 reason is we are a bar and alcohol and politics don’t mix,” he stated. “It’s a rule in any bar no matter what kind of bar it is, so that’s the simple gist of it.”
“We want to represent the entire city and include all, especially our friends who don’t have equal access to this part of city due to the segregation caused by the history of this city. Both parties do little to mitigate the ongoing issues, so screw them both. We don’t want to throw a party for either side because they both suck (in my eyes, the RNC a lot more).”
Responding to Newsweek’s inquiry, Steven Cheung, Trump’s campaign communications director, dismissed the decision as “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
Although critics have raised concerns about the impact on The Mothership’s staff, Ramirez emphasized that the decision was collective, and employees will be compensated during the closure.
In likening the backlash to his “Bud Light moment,” referencing a conservative boycott over a social media collaboration with a transgender influencer, Ramirez remained undeterred. “I think a lot of people that have jumped down our throats are people that have never been to our bar,” he remarked.
