Who is Jeanene Paulino? Restaurateur slams outrage over playing national anthem in restaurant every day
FALLBROOK, CALIFORNIA: A TikToker reportedly mocked the patriotism of a California restaurant owner online, but she has persisted in playing the national anthem every day despite the outrage. The Rainbow Oaks restaurant's owner Jeanene Paulino, recently spoke about the trolls on 'Fox & Friends First'. "I come from a long line of patriots, so I was thrilled to keep the tradition going. No, we won't be stopping," she stated.
On April 24, a video taken inside the restaurant was uploaded to TikTok with the caption, "The most dangerous situation I've ever been in," showing customers standing with their hands clasped over their hearts for the restaurant's daily rendition of 'The Star-Spangled Banner'. Paulino criticized the TikToker for wanting publicity and wished they would understand that those battling to protect the right to free expression were the ones who granted them that freedom.
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Who is Jeanene Paulino?
A section of netizens were thrown into a tizzy after seeing the video of diners inside the restaurant, including the TikTok video's creator. Many others joined in with comments such as, "That's terrifying," "Would've been their worst nightmare," and "This feels like a horror movie." People included hashtags like #godblessamerica, #getout, #illegal and #whitepeoplethings.
According to Paulino, the TikToker entered the restaurant after watching the custom on television, recorded her own video and posted it online. Even commenters from other nations questioned why Americans were engaging in such bizarre displays of patriotism and that it looked "dystopian." The influencer was also criticized by Paulino for her caption, saying that they should be thankful that such a harmless incident made them feel intimidated.
How did Paulino respond?
The objections, according to Paulino, were simply just another ploy to grab attention. "I feel like, if we take a few minutes out of our day to be grateful for the men and women who have made the sacrifices so that we can stand up and say how we feel and she said how she felt. And I wish she realized that it’s because those men and women who made those sacrifices that she was able to do that," she said to hosts Todd Piro and Ashley Strohmier on 'Fox & Friends First'. She added that she wished people would understand that the freedom of speech they have comes from those who work to protect it.
The online commentators, according to Paulino, were "privileged and disrespectful" to those who made so many sacrifices in the past. "I think maybe they're not focusing on gratitude," she said, adding, "This particular TikToker had seen a local news post, so she probably did it for attention."
Rainbow Oaks has stood for the national anthem every day for years, a custom established by past owners that Paulino was happy to continue.