Ross Levitt and Susan Candiotti, CNN, October 26, 2009
Students from Washington University say they have complained to state and federal agencies that a Chicago, Illinois, nightclub barred six African-American members from their senior class trip celebration while admitting nearly 200 white classmates.
Bar personnel cited dress code violations—specifically baggy jeans—when barring the African-American students, according to Washington University senior class president Fernando Cutz, who was among students admitted to the bar.
A white student and a black student exchanged jeans to see what would happen, and the white student was admitted while his classmate still was kept outside, Cutz said.
Cutz said his group from the St. Louis, Missouri, school filed complaints with the Chicago Human Rights Commission, the Illinois Attorney General, the U.S. Department of Justice and other organizations after the incident on October 17. The school planned to hold a town hall meeting Monday night to discuss the incident and a possible protest, he said.
{snip}
But a representative of the bar told the Chicago Tribune on Thursday that security concerns, not racism, guided the decision. One day later, a bar representative told the paper the club was taking the issue “very seriously,” conducting an internal investigation and that disciplinary action would be taken if necessary.
{snip}
Cutz said he was already inside the bar with some 200 other students, none of whom are African-American, when the first group of African-American classmates arrived. He said he learned that the manager of the bar denied entry to the six students, and he said the manager told the students their baggy pants violated the bar’s dress code.
Cutz, who is white, said he confronted the manager.
{snip}
Roberts approached the same manager who had turned away the African-American students, paid the entry fee and was allowed in, Cutz said.
{snip}
Students also contacted the Anti-Defamation League and the Chicago Urban League. The two organizations jointly sent a letter to the bar, writing that they “strongly suggest that Mother’s re-examine its dress code, conduct immediate retraining of all employees to avoid any future racial discrimination or appearance thereof, and issue a formal letter of apology to the six students who were denied entry.”
Original article
(Posted on October 26, 2009)
Comments
Disclaimer: Washington University is my alma mater.
I suppose in their years of education at Wash. U., they didn’t learn that private clubs don’t have the same civil rights regulations that most public places have, because they either didn’t attend or slept during the proto-law classes that were required of students, at least when I was a student there.
Wow! I can’t wait for the national outcry from the race hustlers that is bound to follow this and then for years Blacks will point to this incident as evidence of White racism. I remember these same cries of racism when the NBA tried to implement the new dress codes. This has become the new standard in American society. If Blacks do something, no matter how repugnant or anti-social it may be and even if it’s just a subset of Blacks that do it, then to criticize them is racist. Remember folks, only racist Whites try to impose their superior standards on non-Whites.
In the early 60s the ‘Blacks” achieved a great “civil rights victory” by sitting in at Woolworth lunch counters. This “victory” ensured the demise of friendly lunch counters, places where shoppers and diners could enjoy friendly get-togethers discussing those things they held in common and engaging in pleasant social interaction.
Because “progress” is never ending, most friendly neighborhood places of public accommodation and social interaction - especially neighborhood bars and eateries - also went the way of the Woolworth lunch counter. Most that remain are overpriced dangerous places that are under constant surveillance by armed guards and security cameras.
The Original Mother’s Bar should be commended for keeping the concept of free association and free choice alive. Because of the power of those forces arrayed against it, though, it too is likely to be - while kicking and screaming - dragged into this brave new world.
Ronald
How about places that have signs “No shirts, No shoes, No service”. Can double leg amputees in wheelchairs sue over that because they have no need for shoes? Don’t laugh, stupid stuff like that is being promoted throughout the USA.
I’m sure there were other blacks inside and I’m sure the bouncers were black. A nightclub is allowed to deny entry to anyone for any reason. Any business is allowed to refuse service to anyone for any reason. We all know what happens when black people get into a crowded room and start drinking.
There is a ‘gotcha’ photo on the original article with a black woman at the bar behind the white guy who got in wearing the jeans of the black guy. How did she get in if this was racism?
That being said, the clothes don’t look very thuggish but the guy in the photo denied entry looks like an ‘aff-lete’ type - so a borderline risk in my book.
I’ll be sure to swing by Mother’s next time I’m in Chicago.
Shouldn’t privately owned establishments be allowed to exclude whoever they want to?
I hope the brothers sue these racist crackers for millions!
you mean they will let White kids with baggy pants and outandish clothing attire on, but not White kids?
This was racism pure and simple. They sohuld be sued.
ask any bartender or waitress who has worked in a (formerly white) nightclub that has “changed” into a nightclub patronized by large numbers of blacks and/or hispanics and they will tell you it was the end of that nightclub…100% of the time.
Is it just me,or does this whole uproar strike anyone else as having a smell that’s suspiciously close to a planned out incident?
Every time a bar or bar/restaurant here in Saginaw, MI has had Rappers/Black music/ in our nice white areas, they always end up with shootings and murders of black-on-black. These businesses have gone out of business never to rise again. No name changes, no owner changes can ever bring them back again. Even more outrageous is the shootings, black on black, at the roller rink that is located in a lovely white residential area that enjoyed family fun for years with nice white families. Everything they touch is destroyed, even their own homes and communities. Why can’t the blacks accept the fact they are not wanted anywhere and they cannot get along with anyone. Everything that is white and nice is totally destroyed by their presence.
I’m no law student, but from what I’ve seen over the years, this most surely qualifies..
“A white student and a black student exchanged jeans to see what would happen, and the white student was admitted while his classmate still was kept outside, Cutz said.”
If there were many witnesses, or if this Cutz is of impeccible character, why wouldn’t this hold up?
Concernicus:
Probably the same thing when a group of rowdy out of control White guys get together and start drinking too much!
I am a White Amrener, but for the life of me like Techno Dan and someother posters have stated I wish that some of you would stopstereotyping and bashing all Blacks as a group!
It is foolsih and counterproductive to our movement!
What are they bellyaching about? They left Chicago alive! Not many people can make that claim.
What if I, as a white man, travel to downtown D.C. or Atlanta to an all black bar? They might let me in but I might also not leave alive. Besides, any place of business not run by the government should be able to bar or admit whomsoever they please.
Anyone here who has ever been to the diversity-paradise of Chicago knows this story stinks to high heaven of cynical opportunism, or at the very least a bunch of brainwashed kids who see(or want to see) “racism” all around them like witchcraft of old!
Students these days: Childish moralizing parasites who think “work” is a 4 letter word. If this Cutz creep had “confronted” me, he’d have got a drink thrown in his face in a New York second. The Renaissance begins when we confront and then defeat Medeivalism in our midst,Progressivism’s Cathedrals, the Universities.
I used to attend a heavy metal/hard rock club regularly about ten years ago. My band even played there multiple times. The club had been in operation for at least 20 years. I can’t remember a single incident taking place that involved the police. Everyone was friendly and it was huge numbers of WHITE people having fun. Then the genius club owner decided to turn it into a rap/hip-hop club. The very first night there were so many black faces you’d think they were giving away menthol cigarettes. Of course that very opening night there was a HUGE gang war inside the club. The following two weekends- two fatal shootings. The club was closed by the city within 3 weeks! THIS is what large groups of black people bring.
“The party had been arranged with the bar in advance by the student class board, which includes two of the African-American students who were later denied entry, Cutz said.”
The school made arrangements with the bar in advance. It shouldn’t matter how they were dressed, just as long as they had a student ID card. Sue the bar for breach of contract.
I don’t think Black college students from St. Louis would have much in common with Black street thugs from Chicago. These college kids would very likely be the victims of Black on Black crime. Blacks hate other Blacks who are trying to better themselves.
In my city, a popular, cosmopolitan seaside resort in Southern England, there was a bar. One day, someone decided to have “R’n’B” nights. These lasted a mere three weeks, as they tended to attract a lot of Blacks from London, and there were several gun and knife incidents. This city is not noted for gun crime. If I owned a bar, and could get a way with it, I would have a huge flashing neon sign saying ” No Blacks Allowed”. In fact, I might even call it that. Business would boom.
As one poster stated…this was a planned event so as to show how “racist” Whites are and to SUE! Blacks and their filthy lawyers love the White man’s hard cash! Keep those hate crimes a-comin which btw, is only directed at Whites. If Whites do not start getting out in the streets and protesting their own demise, then there is no hope for this nation. Can you imagine what the USA will be like without the Whites that formed and built it? Heaven forbid! We need segregation and NOW!
I’d love to just see one case where the owner would stand up and say “Yeah I don’t let black males in my club, they cause too many problems.”
I bet we’d stop hearing about it shortly afterwords, as racist whites are only news when they grovel and apologize. When private owners of businesses say ‘yeah, and what are you going to do about it’ they are completely within the law and race hustlers know it.
I am with Marnie and Rob on this one. If the story is true, this sounds like a clear case of racail discrimination to me.
Joseph:
Assuming you are Black, you need to realize quickly that While there are indeed Blacks andother non-whites who poast on this board, (in fact some of their comments tend to be the most thought provoking at times) they do so with a degree of civility.
You will not get any sympathy or support by posting ignorant , racist slurs on this website.
If every retail establishment would just play country,folk,
unreconstructed
This isn’t racism,
it’s pants’ism.
It will become racism if they get to be ‘above the law’ because of their race.
As was noted here awhile back, blacks can’t stand certain types of music (especially classical and C&W). So any bar that wants to keep blacks out just needs to play that kind of music. No need to put up a sign (anonymous #21); the music will do the job. Their white friends can either stay or leave with them — their choice.
If this were true, and I doubt in this day and age, any bar would risk a huge lawsuit, I don’t agree with keeping someone out because of their age. As has been said, it’s the music that determines the crowd.
America still the same. things like this happen in the late 70.i worked for AMTRAK.most of the railroad workers back then took pride on how we look. we wore suits and ties.all the clubs around the gold coast,and rush street did the same.you walk to the door , they would not let you in.so its not about what you had on .because all the white customers had on suits and ties. CHICAGO,has been that way for a long time. just new owners.same mentality.at 54 years old its sad that things like this still happens.more info email me at newmaneddy@yahoo.com
Well let’s see… I live in Chicago and I am familiar with Mothers. They do have a pretty strict dress code and I’m surprised they let in any college student. I was turned down for wearing a very nice preppy outfit but having flip flops on and I am a white medical student. They let tons of professional looking black people in that night. Like, sorry to the ghetto black kids that Mothers doesn’t want ghetto kids in its doors, but it has nothing to do with your skin color it has to do with how you choose to present yourself. The white kid who just so conveniently was willing to trade jeans probably had on a nicer shirt or maybe was attractive to the bouncer. I am a male and gay bouncers let me in places either for free or whatever because they think I’m good looking. Just because this bouncer didn’t vocalize every neuron in his thought pocess does not mean he is racist. Ghetto black kids: get over it. Go to another nightclub, get involved in gun violence or set the place on fire with everyone in it or beat up a kid and have it youtubed like you always do.
Chicagoan:
Your post betrays your dishonesty. If you had followed the story closely and it has been on the news for several days, these students were college students who attended Washington University. This is one of the best univeristies in the nation. Secondly, it was a racially integrated group of students. There were no to sue your snide term “ghetto blacks” in the group.
Finally, your last sentence is just ridiculous. It is these sort of outlandish bogus posts that cause the website to lose credibility and gives ammuition to our critics.
I don’t see any problem with racial discrimination towards Blacks. Almost all people do it, the major exceptions being ignorant young Whites and old foolish Whites. Even many older multi-culturalists, like the people at NPR, are practicing segregationists.
