Discrimination at "The Power &White District- Who would thought? (Independence: crime, buying) - Kansas City - Missouri (MO) - Page 3 - City-Data Forum

skrizzle · 11-09-2009, 08:38 AM

I still don't know the full situation, so not sure if I would call it discrimination, but if they were told it was because of what they were wearing, it really doesn't fly:

The people in question:

http://media.kansascity.com/smedia/2009/11/05/23/power_light_family_11-06-2009_501CEK09.standalone.prod_affiliate.81.jpg (broken link)

From P&L website:

"profanity on clothing; sleeveless shirts on men; excessively torn clothing; undershirts; undergarments; teeshirts of an inappropriate length; excessively baggy or sagging clothing; workboots; sweat suits or athletic apparel (sleeved jerseys are permitted in conjunction with Chiefs or Royals games or sporting events in the Sprint Center). Management reserves the right to deny entry or remove any individual who does not comply with the code of conduct. Please note that the dress codes of individual venues may vary."

Depending on the interpretation, I suppose they could say the guy in greens pants were to baggy... but thats still kinda ridiculous.

Now go to their website: :: Mosaic | Kansas City ::

There are people in untucked T-shirts on their picture page (You don't need to really sign up I just put in a made up email address and got in).

Still i'm not convinced it was racial discrimination (as I said before i've known white people denied entry wearing similar things)... but it definitely seems more of a possibility when comparing these things. Like I said... maybe I just don't care, when I look at whats going on and see so many people ignore things happening and then getting pissed they don't get into a club... theres more important issues out there right now.

RjRobb2 · 11-09-2009, 08:49 AM

If this were a one time incident then you could possibly say that it wasnt discrimination. But, there have been dozens of reports of similar incidents. There is probably enough people that they could file a class action lawsuit against Cordish. It is a pretty known fact that Cordish does not want hip-hop culture within their entertainment districts. This isnt their only one and similar incidents have been reported everywhere Cordish is involved.

I have been let into Mosiac with an untucked shirt. In fact, it was a t-shirt. I wasnt dressed nearly as nice as they were and was let right in.

I really dont know how you can say that there are many more important issues than racism and discrimination. I would say that is one of the bigger issues in society. But, I guess it is easy to say that when you are not the one that is the victim of it.

skrizzle · 11-09-2009, 09:04 AM

I've heard the news and know it's not a one time incident, but as my previous post show... is it possible because of the history we have in America that some people interpret things differently?

I didn't find the situation with my ex-latina girlfriend to be racist, but she did. How many white people get turned down from clubs and probably don't assume it's racism, while a black person might?

I've never complained about cops discriminating against me, but every single time I get pulled over I get asked to step out of the car, they ask to search my car or me, etc... one time they did this after pulling me over for the sticker on my license plate being put in the wrong spot, it was a black cop, and I didn't think he was racist at all... I just thought he was a dick who let authority go to his head.

I'm not some suburban outsider who doesn't see things going on, i've lived in the city, i've lived in the worst areas, i've been in situations where I am the minority. I'm a turntablist so i'd think I know a bit about the hip hop culture but who knows... the P&L district has had plenty of hip hop acts so I doubt they are trying to keep out hip hop culture....

but I do believe they are trying to keep out ghetto culture just as much they want to keep out trailer trash redneck culture....you don't see white guys in sleeveless shirts and mullets getting into these places either. Keep in mind, I don't think those people in the picture look ghetto at all, they were dressed fine.

And yeah, racism/discrimination are big issues... but getting turned down from a club and believing it to be about race is a lot different then being denied entry into a school or job. I'm sorry but its petty.... every single race is guilty of racism throughout history, and discrimination is not an American problem... it happens to people in Asia, it happens in Europe, and it doesn't matter if its race (in Finland people hate gypsies for example)... when the news is covered with issues such as people not getting into a club but ignoring the shrinking middle class, the fact that the wealth is controlled by so few in this country, that we are losing our soverignty and its effecting every single person in the US.... I think thats a bigger issue then some people who couldnt get trashed at a club and believe it may be discrimination...

Versatile · 11-09-2009, 10:28 AM

skrizzle: You have some very valid points. Although valid the points are just generalizations. imo What You have said doesn't mean squat to those in the trenches so to speak.imo We all know that they do discriminate. Who is capable of deciding who is Ghetto culture or trailer trash?

green_mariner · 11-09-2009, 10:48 AM

I read the article for myself. If there was a dress code, that is one thing. What I found was that it was only enforced upon Leapheart and other African-Americans. That is indeed discrimination. What needs to happen is a boycott.

TabulaRasa · 11-09-2009, 01:16 PM

Last week's KC Star article (think it was on Thursday) noted that the reason given to the group for admittance was the man in the plaid shirt's untucked shirt (same picture ran with the story). When he tucked it in, still no admittance to their party.

I don't really see the merit in saying, "Oh, since it's just a social event, I shouldn't be angry if I was discriminated against. I should only be angry if discrimination crops up in some other context." You can't have certain contexts where discrimination is no big deal. It's always a big deal. Racial discrimination and otherwise.

TinaMcG · 11-10-2009, 08:40 AM

Well, why the heck do you have to have your shirt tucked in??? those people in the photo look just fine, including the man with the untucked (GASP!!) shirt! The people who devised this stupid dress code need to pull the sticks out of their backsides.

TabulaRasa · 11-10-2009, 11:11 AM

Don't you know you can hide GUNS under shirttails?????

kcmo · 11-10-2009, 11:43 AM

Who cares. Don't go if you don't' like it. Go if it doesn't bother you. The rest will take care of itself.

I like the district and would not punish myself by avoiding an important and vibrant part of the city just because.

The dress code ONLY APPLIES TO THE KC LIVE BLOCK LATE AT NIGHT. It does not apply to the entire district. The restaurants, theaters, etc outside of the LIVE! block are not under a dress code and the LIVE! block only has a dress code late at night. The LIVE! block has 5000 people walking around with open alcohol containers. There has to be a very serious level of control to maintian such an environment.

Call it racial if you want. There are dress codes like this all over the country and the Midwest is really the only place people freak out over it because raical tension is much worse in large midwestern cities. Trust me, the dress code effects white people as much as black people. There are just as many white in metro KC that wear the same kinds of clothing that are supposed to be racial profiling toward blacks. Dress nice before you go clubbing. Should be a given anyway...

OneKC · 11-10-2009, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcmo

Who cares. Don't go if you don't' like it. Go if it doesn't bother you. The rest will take care of itself.

I like the district and would not punish myself by avoiding an important and vibrant part of the city just because.

The dress code ONLY APPLIES TO THE KC LIVE BLOCK LATE AT NIGHT. It does not apply to the entire district. The restaurants, theaters, etc outside of the LIVE! block are not under a dress code and the LIVE! block only has a dress code late at night. The LIVE! block has 5000 people walking around with open alcohol containers. There has to be a very serious level of control to maintian such an environment.

Call it racial if you want. There are dress codes like this all over the country and the Midwest is really the only place people freak out over it because raical tension is much worse in large midwestern cities. Trust me, the dress code effects white people as much as black people. There are just as many white in metro KC that wear the same kinds of clothing that are supposed to be racial profiling toward blacks. Dress nice before you go clubbing. Should be a given anyway...

I think most of the criticism in this thread is not that they a dress code, but that it is written so ambiguously and enforced so arbitrarily that it is silly, and could easily be misused to be racist.