Name: How a Trump sign in a neighbor’s window ignited a social media storm against a central Pa. bakery
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How a Trump sign in a neighbor’s window ignited a social media storm against a central Pa. bakery

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NEW!12,651sharesEmployees at the were creating and selling delicious treats last week when they started seeing messages pop up on their Facebook page calling them racists.“I was looking for a bakery to order a birthday cake from but I think I’ll use one that doesn’t hate black people,” one message said. “And isn’t associated with white supremacists.”Another message said: "I refuse to ever do business with a store that is affiliated with white supremacy. And you shouldn’t either.”The negative comments and reviews blindsided bakery managers who didn’t know what prompted them.Turns out, a woman had visited the bakery June 4 intending to order a cake but saw Trump campaign posters in the window of an attached building that has the same brick façade as the bakery. She took photos of the bakery and the neighbor’s window, cropped them side-by-side and blasted the message across Facebook, where it was widely shared.“I’m sure going to miss ya,” the woman posted. “Guess I’ll be taking my business elsewhere. I will also be encouraging my network friends and family to also take their business elsewhere.”The woman didn’t talk to anyone at the bakery to ask about the signs before posting the critical, and erroneous message, said Rachelle Schenk-Womer, the bakery’s sales manager. She said using two photos taken from two different locations on the brick building made it appear as if the bakery sign was right next to the political signs when that wasn’t the case.Negative comments peppered as bakery employees scrambled to respond to some commenters and post a response explaining the signs weren’t owned or displayed by the bakery.“We were completely blindsided by all this," Schenk-Womer said.The bakery is sandwiched in between two other rental properties that include residential and office space. The rental properties are located next to and behind the bakery. The signs had been posted in one of those windows, not a window belonging to the bakery, Schenk-Womer said.While some people who had shared the original post noted later that the bakery didn’t post the signs, those posts did not go viral or generate the same number of comments as the information shared originally.The original post has been deleted, and PennLive was unable to reach the woman who put it up.The renter who posted the political signs also took them down, not wanting to create more problems for the bakery, Schenk-Womer said.The bakery’s response on Facebook said:“Our family &amp; staff consider it one of our greatest joys to bring smiles to your faces &amp; ‘sweeten’ your days with our baked goods, especially during these uncertain times. We are committed to creating a community that fosters unity among all races, treats everyone equally and with dignity, &amp; speaks against discrimination &amp; racism.“It has come to our attention that some misrepresented information is being shared on social media and we stand by the fact that our business has no political affiliations. We thank you for your continued business &amp; support.”Even after the bakery posted a notice letting customers know the sign wasn’t theirs, the onslaught from some people continued online.Some commenters didn’t think the statement went far enough to denounce racism or clearly explain the bakery’s political views. Some falsely claimed that only white people work at the bakery.“We have a very diverse staff. There is no prejudice here,” Schenk-Womer said. “The bakery is apolitical.”The posts generated spirited debate among commenters, some of whom pushed back on the notion that supporting Trump would automatically mean someone is a racist and others who said people need to “pick a side,” considering the recent racial unrest.The kerfuffle represented a first in the bakery’s 34-year-history, she said.“We’re always just posting about baked goods,” she said. “That’s our wheelhouse. We wanted to respond to this in a way that kept things positive.”The bakery’s strong customer base and others who learned of the situation rallied to support the business, posting hundreds of positive comments to flood out the negative ones.The misunderstanding and ensuing firestorm isn’t surprising in this highly charged political and racial atmosphere after the killing of George Floyd while in custody of Minneapolis police, said Terry Madonna, director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs at Franklin and Marshall College.“It strikes me as not uncommon,” he said. “Once a point is made on social media, and shared, it can be hard to correct. It fits the dynamic of what’s going on right now where there is this heightened and justified sensitivity to racism.”While the bakery didn’t post the political signs, Madonna said it shows why businesses should refrain from anything that appears political in this “highly engaged environment.“You’re going to get a reaction,” he said. “We’ve got a very, very important problem with racism and it’s historic.”Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider .Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission.

NEW!12,651sharesEmployees at the were creating and selling delicious treats last week when they started seeing messages pop up on their Facebook page calling them racists.“I was looking for a bakery to order a birthday cake from but I think I’ll use one that doesn’t hate black people,” one message said. “And isn’t associated with white supremacists.”Another message said: "I refuse to ever do business with a store that is affiliated with white supremacy. And you shouldn’t either.”The negative comments and reviews blindsided bakery managers who didn’t know what prompted them.Turns out, a...

How a Trump sign in a neighbor’s window ignited a social media storm against a central Pa. bakery

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