A New Jersey Facebook group recently released a “blacklist” and urged people to boycott businesses whose owners allegedly supported President-elect Donald Trump in the 2024 election. The Facebook group has shut down following significant backlash from the community.
According to NJ.com, the liberal Facebook group, called “Indivisible Blue Two Rivers,” recently shared a spreadsheet on social media with a list of businesses in Middletown, New Jersey, that allegedly support “MAGA (Make America Great Again), Fox, or alt-right radio” and encouraged people to boycott the businesses. Indivisible Blue Two Rivers, which had roughly 435 Facebook group members, also shared a list of “progressive” businesses to support instead of the MAGA-supporting businesses.
NJ.com reported that Jason Bauer, the owner of Middletown’s Head Over Heals child dance studio, said he was shocked when he discovered that his business had been placed on the MAGA “blacklist.” “The position of Head Over Heels is we’re non political,” he said. “We’re a children’s activity center. We’re focused on that.”
Eric Taliercio, the owner of Taliercio’s Ultimate Gourmet Deli, explained that he was included on the list after offering free t-shirts to customers with an “I voted” sticker. “To be listed in such a negative light, it was definitely disappointment,” Taliercio stated. “I know we’re a food place, and I know politically it doesn’t matter my opinion. I’m just selling food.”
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NJ.com reported that the liberal Facebook group received significant backlash after sharing the MAGA “blacklist,” especially from Monmouth County’s political leaders. Not only did the backlash lead to Indivisible Blue Two Rivers deleting its initial post, but it also resulted in the Indivisible Blue Two Rivers deleting its Facebook group.
According to NJ.com, Middletown Mayor Tony Perry, a Republican, described the liberal Facebook group’s decision to release a MAGA “blacklist” as “outrageous” and emphasized the importance of the many businesses in the community that were included in the boycott listing.
“What bothers me the most is that the political party of self proclaimed tolerance is trying to hurt our friends and neighbors who might have a difference of political views,” Perry said. “And these businesses, they’re the individuals that sponsor our Little League teams, they volunteer as first responders, they employ our residents and they’re part of the fabric of Middletown and we appreciate everything that they do for our town.”
State Sen. Declan O’Scanlon, a Republican, also released a statement condemning the actions of the Indivisible Blue Two Rivers group.
“We are better than this,” O’Scanlon said. “I strongly condemn these divisive efforts to damage the livelihoods of Monmouth County small business owners and their employees over political differences.”
