Miami Bookstore Targeted by Fox News Commentator Forced to Close

In January 2023, conservative analyst Gianno Caldwell was asked to leave the leftist bookstore called Paradis Books and Bread. Caldwell went on a public rampage against the store, provoking a massive harassment campaign that was partly responsible for the store shutting its doors for good a year later.

Forced to close

“To our haters,” the cafe stated, “we suppose congratulations are in order, so you can go ahead and stop reading now!”

Sad goodbye

Illustration. Image credit: Shutterstock

“But, to those who have loved us, supported our many changes, laughed with us, danced with us, and maybe even cried with us,” the cafe’s statement continued, “we wanted to give you this parting explanation, as well as a wholehearted thank you.”

Extensive reasons

The cafe explained that two of its founders had left, the business had shifted to be more focused on food rather than books and wine, and members were dealing with family-related issues. Then, of course, there was the year-long harassment campaign against the store.

Protecting themselves

Illustration. Image by Depositphotos.com

The harassment was so bad that the store managers had to purchase privacy screens for the cafe’s gates. They also changed the schedule to “make sure no one was working alone.”

Awful campaign

The cafe’s owners reported receiving “alarming messages,” including ones sent to their personal phone numbers. When the campaign of harassment first began, the cafe was forced to close temporarily, and now it has shut its doors for good.

Inciting incident

It all began when Caldwell sat down with some friends and ordered food. At one point, the group began talking about politics.

Notorious conservative

Warning, whisper, stop, secret — Illustration. Image credit: Depositphotos

Caldwell is one of the figures accused of being part of the misogynist culture at Fox News. In July 2020, two women sued the network. One said that Caldwell “inappropriately asked her to lunch in exchange for a meeting with [a] star pundit,” according to the New York Times.

Inappropriate language

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According to the cafe’s owners, Caldwell and his friends discussed “women in degrading ways” and employed “eugenic arguments around their thoughts on Roe v. Wade.”

Polite request

“Once it was clear that they were finished with their meal, we told them that our views don’t align, and that the language they were using was unwelcome in our space,” the cafe explained.

Freaking out

X twitter social network on laptop screen. — Photo by Depositphotos.com

Caldwell ranted about the incident on social media and on Fox. “There’s a target on the backs of people who happen to be Black, who happen to be conservative,” he raged. “It needs to come to an end. This should not be the case at all.”

Slight problem

In fact, the cafe in question is Black-owned. That didn’t stop Caldwell from claiming that race played a factor in him being politely asked to leave.

Escalating the situation

Illustration. Image credit: headlinephotos via Depositphotos

Caldwell went as far as to state that he hoped Florida Governor Ron DeSantis would investigate the situation.

Hate campaign

Caldwell’s freakout prompted conservative friends, allies, and fans to bombard the cafe with hate comments and promise to boycott it. “The owner is a socialist,” one person said in a poor review, “and doesn’t support the first amendment.”

Freedom of speech

Houston, Texas / United States of America – 08/2/2019: Photograph of The New York Times landing web page displayed on computer screen

As many, including writers for the New York Times and the Brookings Institute, have repeatedly noted, freedom of speech does not mean freedom from the consequences of that speech.

Totally constitutional

“When the Bill of Rights was enacted, the First Amendment was construed mainly to shield speakers from imprisonment for antigovernment views,” the Brookings Institute explains. “That expression could have other costs—denunciation, ostracism, loss of employment—was assumed.”