4 ms·
Yep, this is illegal. From an article in the Houston Press( http://www.houstonpress.com/2011-02-10/news/getting-past-the-bouncer/full/ http://www.houstonpress.c
by slykat 13y ago
Yep, this is illegal. From an article in the Houston Press( http://www.houstonpress.com/2011-02-10/news/getting-past-the-bouncer/full/ http://www.houstonpress.com/2011-02-10/news/getting-past-the...)
Although they are private businesses, in the eyes of the law — specifically the Civil Rights Act of 1964 — bars and nightclubs are "public accommodations" like hotels, restaurants and movie theaters, and thus forbidden to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin. Private clubs, institutions such as country clubs that are selective in membership and only open to members, are generally exempt.
However, "Even if you have a doorman, a bar is more like a restaurant than a country club," says Dale Ho, Assistant Counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in New York City. "So, generally speaking, a bar that treats patrons differently on the basis of race is in violation of federal law."
- angersock 13y agoThere's a fine point between good and bad discrimination when it comes to bars and clubs and the like--a great deal of the attraction of many bars is having a particular vibe or culture, and if an owner wants to cultivate that in a particular way they should be free to do so. It's thorny. EDIT: Why do you disagree?
- bdisraeli 13y agoIt ia not thorny. Discriminating on the basis of race is immoral. Period. You cannot determine someone's character or how they fit into an establishment's 'vibe' simply based on the color of their skin.
- jonmrodriguez 13y agoIf your notions of "vibe or culture" include race, it's illegal and wrong. If a white guy and a black guy are dressed the same, and the black guy gets turned away...