By Howard Packowitz
A Downtown Bloomington business owner accused new City Council member Jenn Carrillo of orchestrating an online harassment campaign against the owners of a new downtown business because she believed the establishment’s name was racially offensive.
The owners of what was initially called The Gypsy Room will open their bar and bistro at 306 N. Center St. under another name.
Carrillo threatened a boycott, noting Gypsy was a term the Nazi’s used to justify murdering hundreds of thousands of dark-skinned Romani people during the Holocaust.
At Monday night’s council meeting, Bloomington Spice Works co-owner Ruben Granados said the name of the business is no longer the issue, but rather Carrillo’s methods in forcing the name change.
“When you use a fist to convince people of your beliefs and ideas over an open hand, you will never succeed,” Granados said.
“All you will do is join the heap of oppressive individuals who always get taken down in the end. Right now, Alderman Carrillo, you are the fist and you need to be held accountable for your actions,” Granados also said.
Carrillo said she’ll meet with small business owners Tuesday night, and consider a kinder, gentler approach. Carrillo believes she can be a strong advocate for racial justice, while at the same time advocating small business and downtown development.
Mayor Tari Renner urged patience for Carrillo to learn the ropes.
“Come on,” Renner told reporters after the council meeting.
“Nobody is harmed. Everybody’s learned a lesson. We all have got to move forward. Alderman Carrillo certainly wants to make sure we have strong economic development downtown, and all other things,” said Renner.
“She’s only been in office a month. Give her some time to learn.”
Renner himself came under fire Monday night from a couple of residents who want the council to censure him for saying at a recent open house that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas does not act like an African-American.
Renner said he poorly communicated his thoughts, but he claimed his comments were taken out of context during a discussion about diversity on the Connect Transit Board.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]
