Fed-up shop owner under fire over store sign about pipe bombs to Democrats: 'We need to lighten up

A Texas business owner faced heavy backlash after she featured a hand-drawn store sign about the pipe bombs sent to prominent Democrats last week.

What are the details?

Rene Torrez — who runs the Pecan, an antique shop in Keller — posted a chalkboard sign outside her store that read, "If Trump sent 'em, they would have gone off," KTVT-TV reported.

Torrez said she posted the message because she was frustrated hearing that President Donald Trump was responsible for pipe bomb suspect's actions.

"I was trying to make light of a situation," Torrez told the station. "All day long, I heard that it’s Trump’s fault and Trump’s people. I got so tired of this. I know bombs are not funny. I’m not saying that. But we need to lighten up."

Torrez noted that she's never had difficulty expressing her beliefs: "I have no problem standing up for myself or explaining where I stand on anything," she added to KTVT.

She also said that while much of the feedback about her sign was positive, she did receive her share of criticism.

"What's interesting is how many people came in here and knuckle-bumped me and high-fived me," she revealed, adding to the station that backlash was dealt with "head-on."

"I would never want to do anything that hurts anybody," Torrez explained to KTVT. "I said, 'So if you're offended, I'm going to go there right now and erase it.' And I did. Immediately, I did."

Anything else?

Torrez addressed the controversy on the shop's Facebook page Saturday.

A portion of her explanation read, "As you all know I am very opinionated & passionate about things I love & hate. I love our Heavenly Father our Lord Jesus Christ. I love our country & I love people."

"It's interesting to me when people say I am a woman filled with hate, a bigot, or a racist for nothing could be further from the truth," Torrez added.

She went on to wonder about a time in history when it was OK to laugh and joke about things, when situations were less volatile and people could be much less politically correct out of fear of offending someone.

"I do not understand in this country how we can disrespect our president. You don't have to like him but you have to respect the office & the system in which he won. The right had to endure Obama for 8 years so you all will have to get used to Trump for 8," she wrote.

Torrez noted that she expects there always will be those who attack others over their convictions, but that doesn't deter her from staying true to herself.

"[T]hey do not get me down they do not shake me or break me because I know who I am in Christ & I know who I am as a person," she wrote. "What I am sick of in this country no matter which side you're on is the need & desire to throw such hatred lies & false accusations against good people."

"Trump is no angel but he is anointed & appointed for this very moment in time," Torrez later added. "And may I remind all Christians on both sides that God uses & has used in the Bible some of his most broken people to change the world & serve the [kingdom]."

You can read her lengthy post in its entirety below: