STATE COLLEGE/CENTRE COUNTY, Pa — Joe Beddall, the Owner of Honeybaked Ham Company in State College said he wasn’t going to raise his indoor dining capacity in an interview last week, despite Governor Wolf announcing the option to increase to 75% in April.
“My main concern is making sure my staff and my customers remain safe, so I won’t be going to 75% percent to be honest with you and it's not as critical to me as making sure, as this thing goes on, that everybody is safe,” Beddall said last week.
He then received a letter from an anonymous Johnstown sender, evidently ridiculing his decision, which referred to the coronavirus as the quote unquote 'Plandemic', and called it a hoax, among other things.
The letter was postmarked just two days after Beddall's previous comments on March 15th. However, Beddall says the letter actually motivates him to stay the course.
“Oh yeah. I, I am definitely sticking to my guns. If anything, it infuriates me and makes me want to stand up to it," he said. "That's just, in my mind, ignorance. They’re just on the wrong side of history as far as I’m concerned. I am definitely going to stand up to it where I can.”
Beddall didn’t stop there, slamming the content of the letter further.
“You know, it's all based in conspiracy theories and nonsense, you know? 'The thing is a hoax,’ I wish they would ask someone who lost a loved one if COVID is a hoax, you know what I mean?," he said. "That’s just irrational people that are out there right now.”
He then went as far as to deem it an act of cowardice, adding that he is open to discussion with the sender rather than hide behind anonymity.
“Well, if you have an, you know, an adverse opinion and you want to discuss it rationally with somebody, thats one thing but to not put your name on it, to me thats a little bit cowardly," he remarked. "I stand by my word, people can disagree with me thats fine but to have civil discourse over it is something that I would prefer.”
Police are not currently investigating the incident due to the fact no direct threats were made to Beddall’s safety in the letter.
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