Dallas diner criticized by NRA to donate $15,000 to anti-gun violence group

The Dallas diner that came under a boycott threat from the National Rifle Association )NRA) over an anti-gun violence message on its receipts during the NRA’s convention in the city says it is donating $15,000 to a gun control group.

Ellen’s Restaurant will present Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense in America with a check during a Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday, Culture Map Dallas reported.

“I put a significant amount of personal money into it, but the rest came from patrons of the restaurant as well as people calling us from South America, Asia, from countries all around the world,” said Joe Groves, Ellen’s owner.

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The controversy began when Groves added a note to receipts during the NRA’s Leadership Forum saying that a portion of the week’s proceeds would be donated to “organizations dedicated to implementing reasonable and effective gun regulations.”

The restaurant faced immediate backlash from gun advocates. 

The NRA also tweeted on Friday for attendees of the annual meeting to “steer clear” of Ellen’s.

Attn @AnnualMeetings attendees. Steer clear of Ellen’s in downtown Dallas! Why go there when there are so many other great choices. #sorrynotsorry #StandAndFight #DefendTheSecond pic.twitter.com/joX7pPoPm4

— NRA (@NRA) May 4, 2018

“We’ve had people calling and say they’re going to shoot the place up, one that implied he would be burning us down today. Ridiculous people,” Groves told BuzzFeed News last week.  

Groves claimed that the wording on the message was changed on the receipt because there had been “quite a bit of confusion and anxiety” over its meaning.

It a later message on its Facebook page, Ella’s said its original message was not advocating for gun control.

“Reasonable and effective” was misinterpreted by some as support for gun control, the restaurant said in the posting.

The message now reads that a portion of proceeds will be donated “to organizations dedication to implementing reasonable and effective gun regulations that protect citizens’ 2nd Amendment rights and also help reduce needless gun violence. Welcome to Dallas!”