[Crimson Dynamo]

An Italian restaurant in New Mexico has come under fire for a punny billboard playing off the Black Lives Matter slogan amid nationwide outcry over the recent fatal shootings of black men by police officers in the line of duty.

Paisano’s in Albuquerque posted “Black Olives Matter, Try Our Tapenade” on a marquee last week advertising one of its specials and reportedly posted a picture of the sign on social media.




People on the restaurant’s Facebook page called it “offensive,” “tacky and hideous” and “in very bad taste.”

The restaurant has since taken down the sign and removed the photo of it from social media.

“What is happening in America saddens so many, even all the way in the southern hemisphere,” one wrote. “I love a good joke, but there are things that you just don’t joke about.”

Another added: “As a woman of color I find your posting offensive and in very bad taste. You simply wish to rub salt in an ugly festering wound which evil minded people refuse to allow to heal. The civilized world No longer has any tolerance for your hateful public display of what passes to you as humor. Young men and women are dying have a shred of humanity.”


Still, the owner said he has no regrets.

“I think it shows an interesting state of affairs of where our country is that people, first of all, can be offended by a statement about a vegetable,” Camuglia told KOB. “Black olives matter, and it does matter in our tapenade.”



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Funny or disgraceful?