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Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
16,259 posts, read 24,750,914 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Redshadowz
Why not? And why should private member only establishments be able to discriminate in who they allow to become a member? If this coffee shop required a membership registration before you could buy a cup of coffee, should they be allowed to reject any applicant that was a police officer? In fact the only requirement for registration could be that you hit a button whether or not you were a cop. Do you see the sillyness of your argument?
In reality, you aren't saying that private companies/groups have any right to discriminate at all. You are just tip-toeing around the issue. And in truth, you don't believe that private individuals should be able to discriminate at all. But is that what you really believe?
There are plenty of companies that are for children only, or for women only that are not membership based. There are negro college funds, and hispanic groups, and asian groups, and you-name-it groups. But you don't care, you just want to choose which groups should have the right to free speech/free choice and who doesn't based on your view of the world. And I have absolutely no respect for you or your opinions.
But I do think its kind of hilarious that a generally left-leaning group would want to actually uphold its constitutionally-protected right of discrimination(free speech). Sounds a little hypocritical though don't you think?
It would have to be a "bona fide" private club. One that requires a membership application, board approval and a fee to be paid. And does not advertise to the general public as a business. Not walk in and push a button. In that case, they have the right to select who they want as a member. Otherwise you should be required to serve all comers unless you can make a compelling argument as to why you excluded somebody.
The office in this story seems far less disturbed by this episode than many people posting here, who may have only looked at the Fox coverage of it.
Portland: Vegan cafe asks police officer stopping for coffee to leave | - NEWS UPDATES - The News Tribune (http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/06/04/1212522/portland-vegan-cafe-asks-police.html - broken link)
There's actually about 3 completely non "radical," non-political coffeeshops in the immediate vicinity. This being Portland, there's scores more in the general neighborhood.
That's when John Langley, one of the co-owners of the collectively managed shop, approached the cop and asked him to leave...."
"The coffee shop attracts homeless individuals and activists, the newspaper reported, and Wheat said it is known to be "not friendly" to officers who work the area.
"Most officers would know that this is not a coffee shop that's friendly to police," she said. "It's obviously discrimination to police. He works that area and he can't go in for a cup of coffee -- it's not fair."...
Its a private business, and they have a right to ask officers not to be there.
My Dad and Grandfather own a bodyshop back home. Every now and then, highway patrolmen and city cops sit in their parking lot, to clock speeders.
My Dad finally asked them not to do that anymore, because its bad for business. Somewhere in peoples minds, people were relating speeding tickets with their business. There was nothing discriminatory about it, and it wasn't about hating the police.
When you operate a business, you've got to look at your clients. The "vegan coffeshop" probably has a bunch of progressive people who go there. Many progressives don't like, and are distrusting of the police. Allowing officers to come in their store all the time, could hurt their business.
It may not look good on the surface, but there is more to think about. Also, its a private business, and they should be allowed to serve whom they want, and ask people to leave, for whatever reason they want.
As a police officer, if that were me, I wouldn't have left. I don't drink coffee, however, I would have got whatever I was drinking, sat down, and enjoyed myself. Everytime that owner walked by me, I'd smile and be overly nice. What would he do? Call the police? I personally could care less, I wouldn't be doing anything wrong, illegal, etc. So, screw him.
He doesn't like the fact homeless people come in and it "conflicts." Well, doesn't he realize police only enforce laws THE PEOPLE inact? I've never once, in 20 years, sought out a homeless person, just to enforce some law. I have, MANY times been SENT to a homeless person or encampment, because a CITIZEN has called in and complained.
This is just another example of liberalism gone wild.
Hey, maybe the officer had given the owner a parking ticket?
I'll tell you how they handle that in Chicago, give him free coffee.
End of parking tickets.
About homeless people, they are a surefire way to clear out a restaurant.
One walks in and the room fills up with such an odor that you can't breathe. We give them free food just to stay outside.
Sad but true.
As a police officer, if that were me, I wouldn't have left. I don't drink coffee, however, I would have got whatever I was drinking, sat down, and enjoyed myself. Everytime that owner walked by me, I'd smile and be overly nice. What would he do? Call the police? I personally could care less, I wouldn't be doing anything wrong, illegal, etc. So, screw him.
He doesn't like the fact homeless people come in and it "conflicts." Well, doesn't he realize police only enforce laws THE PEOPLE inact? I've never once, in 20 years, sought out a homeless person, just to enforce some law. I have, MANY times been SENT to a homeless person or encampment, because a CITIZEN has called in and complained.
This is just another example of liberalism gone wild.
Actually you would be trespassing. I'm surprised a police office officer would not know this.
What is it about the northwest that brings out the worst in people? Hate America, hate the military, and hate the police but support islamic terrorist and enviromental terrorist.
"Actually you would be trespassing. I'm surprised a police office officer would not know this."
I would? Really. I was waiting for this. Show me the law, in California where I work, the WRITTEN law that says I'd be trespassing? Not your opinion, or what you heard from a friend, the law. By the way, those signs that say, you can refuse service to anyone, are worth about as much as the paper they are written on. Again, what LAW backs up your "right" to say this?
So, Joe walks into your coffee shop and you don't like him and say, "See. I have sign get out." "He says, "I'm not leaving." What are you going to do? First thing you are going to do is call the police. Next thing I am going to do is say, "What do you want me to do?" You are going to say, "Make him leave."
Ok, sure right, all you criminal law experts. I'm going to, get into a knock down fight with this guy, Taze him, maybe even have to shoot him, because some guy has a sign? Yes, that will go over real well in the court of public opinion. It will be a nice thread on this board, how police went overboard, doing what, wait for it, the OWNER of the business wanted me to do. But, not one single person will see that, bring that up, and/or defend it. It will be, "You were excessive. It was just a homeless guy and owner didn't want him there. You didn't have to forcibly remove him." And if he didn't leave, then what was I supposed to do?
And before any of you say, yes. I've been in this situation MANY times. There is no real answer for it. You try and mediate it, however, remember one thing: Homeless people have nothing to really lose. The will fight you, on purpose, knowing they will go to jail. A roof over there head, medical, etc.
So, what would all you know it all's do? Show it too me, in writing, what law I can enforce, to forcibly remove someone from their coffee shop. Again, not opinion, not what you saw, not what your uncle's brother's husband, twice removed, who was a Kentucky State Trooper in 1960, what current, on the book's law, could I enforce?
That's when John Langley, one of the co-owners of the collectively managed shop, approached the cop and asked him to leave...."
"The coffee shop attracts homeless individuals and activists, the newspaper reported, and Wheat said it is known to be "not friendly" to officers who work the area.
"Most officers would know that this is not a coffee shop that's friendly to police," she said. "It's obviously discrimination to police. He works that area and he can't go in for a cup of coffee -- it's not fair."...
Its a private business, and they have a right to ask officers not to be there.
My Dad and Grandfather own a bodyshop back home. Every now and then, highway patrolmen and city cops sit in their parking lot, to clock speeders.
My Dad finally asked them not to do that anymore, because its bad for business. Somewhere in peoples minds, people were relating speeding tickets with their business. There was nothing discriminatory about it, and it wasn't about hating the police.
It's sad as the cops would always sit on my dad's business lot. He didn't want them there but knew if he asked them to leave they would throw 'get backs' at him. Cops are famous for that type of behavior in our area. It's sickening.
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