Restaurant Takes Down Artwork Displaying Confederate Flag

Nashville restaurant Acme Feed & Seed came under fire recently for displaying a piece of artwork that features an image of the Confederate flag. According to USA Today, the large image is of a cartoon caricature of a woman wearing Confederate flag bikini bottoms. The image made headlines after someone anonymously created a Boycott Acme Facebook page featuring a doctored photo of mayoral candidate (and Acme Feed & Seed investor) Charles Robert Bone next to the painting. The image is captioned: "This is offensive and should have no place in Nashville!"

Bone promptly requested the removal of the painting, noting, "Anyone who knows me knows I don't support any symbol, gesture or word that is offensive to any community." Tom Morales, the restaurant's owner, confirms that he took the art down Saturday. Morales notes, "In light of the recent events, Acme Feed & Seed has removed the piece of artwork so as not to confuse anyone about Acme's, our investors' and our supporters' commitment to all people of Nashville." He adds that the art is merely supposed to be a "satirical commentary on Southern culture."

The Confederate flag has been at the center of many debates as of late due to recent events in Charleston. Last week, a white gunman killed nine black church-goers in a racially motivated crime. Many are upset that Governor Nikki Haley will not take down the Confederate flag flying high over the South Carolina Capitol.

This isn't the first time a restaurant has come under fire for displaying the Confederate flag. In 2013, a barbecue restaurant in Canada called Hillbilly Heaven faced serious backlash for flying the flag. Upset over Hillbilly Heaven's decision, protestors decide to vandalize the restaurant.