A restaurant manager flew a Ukrainian flag. Hateful messages followed.

The 41-year-old normal supervisor of a Colton’s Steak Home & Grill franchise figured that was it.

It wasn’t. A couple of half-hour later, hate began coming from all fronts — the restaurant’s cellphone, Fb web page and evaluations on Google. Over the previous week, the firestorm has saved raging in Bardstown, a metropolis of about 13,500 in central Kentucky. Ashlock, describing himself as an uncontroversial individual, stated he had deliberate to maintain the flag up till Russia left Ukraine.

“I might like to take the flag down … as a result of that might imply that they are not at struggle anymore,” he stated.

Adopted from Russia, raised in America, now watching a struggle in Ukraine

Ashlock and his spouse of 19 years, Darrci, cast lifelong friendships in Ukraine whereas there to undertake their son. The 16-year-old is likely one of the couple’s 13 youngsters — eight organic and 5 adopted or within the means of being adopted.

When the Russian navy attacked on Feb. 24, Ashlock felt helpless. The proprietor of the steakhouse, who’d helped Ashlock elevate cash for the adoption and paid for all three of the journeys he took to Ukraine, despatched the nation’s blue-and-yellow flag days later. Ashlock determined to fly it outdoors the restaurant. As soon as it was up, he took pictures and despatched them to his associates in Ukraine.

“You simply allow them to know, even in little outdated Kentucky, we see you, and we’re supporting you,” he stated, including that he didn’t assume it will be an issue.

And for greater than a month, it wasn’t.

Till April 9 — what Ashlock referred to as “that fateful Saturday.”

That afternoon, Ashlock was working when somebody despatched the Colton’s Fb web page a direct message: “My household eats at Colton’s steakhouse, however won’t eat there once more till the Ukrainian flag is changed with our nationwide Flag.”

Ashlock replied about half-hour later, explaining that Ukraine’s flag hadn’t changed an American one however one in every of two Texas state flags the steakhouse makes use of to domesticate the chain’s Wild West, outdated saloon theme. Ashlock additionally advised the person about adopting his son “whose hometown is now in ruins and below occupation.”

“I’m sorry you’re feeling this fashion, although,” Ashlock wrote. “And I hope you’ll rethink.”

He thought that, at worst, they resulted in an agree-to-disagree stalemate.

A pair was in Ukraine to undertake a toddler. As troops closed in and flights received scarce, they narrowly escaped.

A couple of half-hour later, his workers began noticing Fb customers swarming the restaurant’s web page to tar employees as disrespectful and unpatriotic. Some vowed by no means to eat there once more.

Then the cellphone began ringing. Ashlock took the primary name, a person asking why he “took the flag down.” Once more, Ashlock defined what had occurred earlier than meals orders pulled him into the kitchen. He handed off the cellphone.

However it saved ringing. At one level, one of many restaurant’s hosts got here to him crying. “I felt horrible,” he stated.

In the meantime, the adverse feedback saved coming. Many have been eliminated, however earlier than they disappeared, Ashlock took screenshots, a few of which he shared with The Submit.

One stated: “Take that trash flag down! Could Ukraine be leveled to the bottom!”

One other learn: “It appears the one factor you achieved flying this overseas flag is to additional divide your fellow individuals. One can’t even [sit] all the way down to a meal lately with out having politics flown in ones face.”

“I hope that Ukrainian flag is gone,” one consumer stated, including a face-with-monocle emoji. “I choose my steak with out a facet of Nazi.”

Over on Google, somebody left a one-star evaluation of Colton’s: “meals tasted woke, administration is a struggle monger”

“I hate to say it, as a result of I attempt to be thick-skinned,” Ashlock advised The Submit, “but it surely was hurtful.”

Ashlock stated he tried a compromise. After the blowback and misunderstanding that they’d changed an American flag, Ashlock swapped out the opposite Texas state flag for the Stars and Stripes. He consulted with navy associates to verify he was working towards correct flag etiquette by flying it increased than the Ukrainian one.

Doing that wasn’t a “disaster of conscience” — Ashlock stated that’s who he’s. Twenty 5 years working within the service trade has skilled him to be the primary to apologize, to defer to clients, and to confess when he or the restaurant has made a mistake.

“I’ve by no means been in a predicament earlier than the place I could not make somebody comfortable and never, like, violate my conscience.”

Till now. Whereas Ashlock stated he was comfortable to fly the American flag, he didn’t assume it will be proper to collapse to calls for to take down Ukraine’s as individuals there — together with his associates — battle for his or her freedom.

At a steakhouse chain in the course of Kentucky — greater than 5,000 miles away from its mom nation — the Ukrainian flag nonetheless flies.