For the third Sunday in a row, a demonstration is planned in front of a resale/antique store called Boho Barbie in the far northside of Chicago neighborhood of Rogers Park. The aim of the demonstrators is to drive the store out of their neighborhood. The stated reason: social media posts by the owner’s fiancée “which include satirical memes pertaining to transgender-related issues, personal opinions against COVID-19 vaccinations, seed oils and birth control.”

Boho Barbe’s modest storefront (credit: Google Maps)

The organizer of the rally, one Karen Rose, told The Loyola Phoenix that she “researched the owners once they came to Rogers Park. They said they do this with all new businesses moving in to make sure they’re “safe” for queer members of the community.

In other words, opinions of people close to a business owner are subject to scrutiny for ideological purity, and if those opinion are objected to by anyone, that is ample reason to try to destroy a business.

Some of the demonstrators clearly lack any sense of irony:

Rex Cassidy, a protestor who identifies as transgender, became aware of the protest through neighborhood Facebook groups. (snip)

“I would like people to know that that is not welcome and this diversity is what makes Rogers Park beautiful,” Cassidy said. 

Diversity apparently only means people with whom Cassidy agrees, which is another way of saying not diverse at all.

The first protest occurred May 1 and featured tense back-and-forth chanting between Kazanowski and protestors, eventually leading to one group member spitting on Kazanowski, which is documented on his livestream. 

Spitting on someone is assault, a crime. It can potentially make sick or even kill someone. If it is documented on video, the Chicago Police ought to be notified, though with its severe shortage of officers that began with the “defund the police” movement, there may not be staff resources to pursue the crime. But given that many protestors decry “hurt” that comes with social media posts they never saw until Karen Rose dug them up and publicized them, tolerating an actual assault is yet another irony of these tyrannical, self-obsessed bullies, in my opinion.