Western Massachusetts members of the Communist Party publicly rebuked the Boston Globe on Thursday for its article about Last Ditch, a lesbian bar in Greenfield, Massachusetts. The bar sparked local controversy after it announced that Saturdays would be mask‑optional, prompting accusations of ableism and calls for a boycott.
CPUSA statement frames story as political manipulation
The party posted a statement on X and its website, urging solidarity with “the queer and transgender people of our region facing heightened national scrutiny.” The graphic accompanying the post labeled the Globe as part of “MAGA Media,” claiming the newspaper had shifted from endorsing Rep. Seth Moulton’s Senate campaign to courting “the outrage of the national extreme right.”
The CPUSA argued the September 22 article was “not newsworthy, except in the context of the upcoming midterm elections in which transgender rights are a central political issue, as well as a far‑right national consumer base which makes the scrutiny of transgender lives profitable.” The statement added that the party “rejects the use of conflicts among LGBTQIA+ people and organizations as a tool of division by the extreme right” and reaffirmed solidarity with those “struggling against the genocide of transgender people.”
Globe and bar respond
Boston Globe director of communications Adam Bagni responded, emphasizing that the newspaper is locally owned and that editorial decisions are made independently, guided by a commitment to fair and accurate reporting.
Last Ditch defended its decision, noting that the venue had not reported a COVID‑19 case in more than two months and that state and local masking requirements had been lifted years earlier. The bar’s Instagram post explained the change as a gesture of “love” toward immunocompromised patrons, while also stating that “nobody will be barred from entry due to lack of funds.”
Some online commenters escalated the dispute, with one writing, “I hope your venue gets firebombed for robbing my fellow immunocompromised people of their Saturday plans,” and others labeling the policy a “mass disabling event.” The bar later apologized for its tone, describing it as “passive and dismissive,” and issued a call for donations, highlighting that owners work on a volunteer basis.
Context
The controversy occurs years after the federal government declared the COVID‑19 pandemic over in 2023, and after most businesses and governments lifted masking mandates. Greenfield had not reported a COVID‑19 case in over two months at the time of the bar’s announcement.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
