A dining visit at a Richardson, Texas café took an unexpected turn for Andy Ternay when the political message on his T-shirt drew strong reactions from patrons. Ternay, who visited First Watch Café with his partner, said the two had just taken their seats when a manager approached to address growing concerns from nearby families. According to Ternay, the manager explained that several guests had complained, noting that parents were especially troubled by the explicit language visible on his shirt.
Ternay later recounted the exchange online, writing that he responded by pointing out the discomfort he faced as a parent when explaining certain public statements to his own child. Specifically, he highlighted the line “grab ’em by the pussy” and references to “golden showers” as examples of phrases he had once been forced to explain, saying the manager’s concern felt familiar.
The front of Ternay’s shirt read: “F* TRUMP AND F*** YOU FOR VOTING FOR HIM,” while the back stated, “F* THE RACIST ALT-RIGHT.” The bold wording quickly became the center of attention in the family-style restaurant, prompting what the manager described as complaints about “indescribably poor taste.”
Ternay said that shortly after he and his partner received their drinks, a cook stepped away from the kitchen to ask them to leave. Hoping to avoid making a scene, the couple requested to tip their server, transfer their drinks to go, and exit quietly. As they walked out, Ternay recalled hearing applause from one table seated nearby.
Outside the restaurant, he was approached by a server who identified himself as Black and said he had resigned his position immediately in protest of how the situation was handled. The server reportedly told Ternay, “You should hear these people asking not to be seated near Muslims.”
Before the couple left the parking lot, Ternay encountered a police officer. He asked whether she had been called because of his shirt, and she confirmed that was the case. When she began addressing the shirt’s message, Ternay referenced the Supreme Court’s ruling in Cohen v. California, which upheld the right to wear apparel containing strong political language — including a jacket reading “F*** the Draft.” The officer ultimately told him, “Just leave, okay?”
The incident would soon draw national attention, sparking widespread discussion about free expression, public spaces, and the boundaries of acceptable language in family environments.
