Note: We are republishing this story, originally from June 2018.
Victor Fiorillo went to the Old Philadelphia Bar for a drink one night. When he saw a sign on the window that read, “If you’re not proud to be an American, do not bother to come in,” he hesitated but decided to stay. While there, a man walked to the jukebox, declared he was a former firefighter and Mexican (jokingly), then played “God Bless the USA.” As the song blared, everyone in the bar sang along.
The bar, a neighborhood staple, recently added the patriotic sign to welcome like-minded patrons. It’s also known for its cheap beers, including $1.50 pints and $1 beers during televised sports. The bar prides itself on being free of “hipster douchebags,” with one review calling it “not overrun with hipster douchebags.”
When the sign was noticed by a passerby, it sparked outrage on a local Facebook group, with some locals, especially non-white individuals, expressing fear about the bar’s values. A woman from Fairmount said she wouldn’t go because she has an Indian boyfriend.
The bar manager defended the sign, saying, “If you’re in this country, you should be proud to be an American.”
