Fresno bar kicks out two black women — and it turns out they are attorneys for the ACLU

[NWCorona]

Source: Rawstory

A Fresno, California bar is under fire for kicking out two African-American attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union who were trying to have a night out singing karaoke, according to the ACLU.

Attorneys Abre’ Conner and Novella Coleman went to a bar called Brig. The two women were hoping for a night of karaoke and planned to sing the R&B classic, “Waterfalls,” by TLC.

But before our song was called, a bar employee came up and said we had to buy drinks to sing karaoke,” they wrote on the ACLU’s website. “Another bartender lunged at us within inches of our faces and shouted ‘Buy drinks!'” This despite the fact they had already bought drinks, they wrote.

“A second bartender — a very tall and large man — shouted louder and louder that we were loitering and that the bar wasn’t a hangout place,” they wrote. “Over and over again he pushed his body up against Abre’ — who is just 5’4” tall — to force her out of the bar.”

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/2016/03/fresno-bar-kicks-out-two-black-women-and-it-turns-out-they-are-attorneys-for-the-aclu/

---

I have a feeling that these two women aren't ones to be playing with!

I hope they end up owning that bar lol!

[Gregorian]

1. They call me Mr. Tibbs

[NWCorona]

3. Sidney Poitier the man!

Some people just can't stand to see a strong black person.

Thanks for that clip!

[blackspade]

51. Fantastic film.

[Press Virginia]

2. I have a feeling they won't even get an apology

[NWCorona]

5. Nope!

If it was me, I wouldn't want a hollow apology anyway!

[sarge43]

6. At best, they'll get a "sorry you were upset". n/t

[Oneironaut]

48. "I'm sorry to anyone who was offended"

You know, the biggest non-apology ever. It's like when you broke a window when you were a kid and your dad forced you to go apologize to your neighbor - that sort of thing.

[sammythecat]

58. Don't forget the even more despicable variation:

"I'm sorry if anyone was offended."

[iandhr]

4. Re: "I hope they end up owning that bar lol!"

You took the words right out of my mouth.

[NWCorona]

12. Let's just hope it happens!

[JudyM]

63. Drag em through a long PITA lawsuit at least.

[KamaAina]

7. Ah yes, Fresno, where the police chief had a special ringtone for an AA city council member

Care to hazard a guess?

"Mammy's little baby loves short'nin', short'nin', Mammy's little baby loves short'nin' bread!"

[NWCorona]

11. Did not know that!

Crazy!

[KamaAina]

17. Here you go.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x547414

A lawsuit, filed in Fresno Superior Court on Thursday (February 24, 2011), says that Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer’s ringtone for Cynthia Sterling, an African-American former counsel member is a slave song: "Mammy's little baby loves short'nin' bread." The lawsuit also alleges that Dyer mimic's stereotypical slave dialect, making comments including; "yessa massa, I is yo pet" and "Um hum, I'm the mayor's boy, I'm the mayor's boy, yes'um, I'm the mayor's boy".

Dyer is alleged to have repeatedly made derogatory and racial comments and/or actions relating to different races, including, but not limited to African-Americans and Japanese, which include:

1. "You know brothers can't resist watermelons"
2. "You know brothers love melons"
3. Routinely refers to African-Americans as "Brothers"
4. During a meeting discussing fist strikes to the face, Dyer commented that fist strikes to the face should never occur, unless it is a brother, because brothers don't have bones in their noses.”
5. Dyer’s cellular phone ring tone for Blong Xiong, a Southeast Asian counsel member is an Oriental sounding ringtone.
6. Dyer refers to a female Japanese Police Department employee as his little Geisha Girl.
7. Dyer makes offensive and demeaning comments about women, including but
not limited to:
a) comments about police department employees clothes and cleavage
b) commenting that the employee, must be out looking for a husband.
C) comments about certain female police department employees never having to pay for drinks when they go out socially.
8. Dyer has made offensive remarks, relating to charging the County of Fresno an administrative fee for administering a grant, stating "Good, rape them, (laughing), and make them feel they liked it".
9. Dyer on numerous occasions, has demeaningly referred to City Hall being run like a "sorority", since the Mayor and her chiefs of staff are primarily women.
10. The Deputy City Manager required Police Department employees to place their hands upon Chief Dyer and pray over him in order to cast away evil spirits while at City Hall.

[NWCorona]

19. Thanks!

The sad thing is we know he's not the only one with this mindset in power.

[nadine_mn]

28. why does this stuff continue to surprise me?

Good lord I live in a progressive little naive bubble. That this shit happens everywhere, everyday blows my mind. I am astounded that there are so many small minded idiot people in positions in power.

[Thespian2]

42. Thanks for this...

What the hell kind of 'Murica is this?...

How many heads would explode if you explained to people like this a simple fact...

According to DNA historical studies, ALL homo sapiens sapiens are related...the bartenders would go crazy if anyone tried to explain this to them...

[Ccarmona]

43. There's a Good Reason

It's referred to as Fresneck.

[KamaAina]

44. That one I never heard!

[onecaliberal]

54. I've lived in the city next to Fresno for 30 years and I've never heard that. Who refers to it that

Way? Per capita it is the second poorest city in America, it's about as red as it comes in California. They'd fit right in the south.

[beergood]

61. "I've lived in the city next to Fresno for 30 years and I've never heard that."

same here, lived in tulare.

the entire central valley is the most conservative area of ca.

[Ccarmona]

68. Lived In Patterson

And worked in Modesto for five years and it was a common referral among my co-workers, including a couple who graduated Fresno St.

[Hekate]

45. Those are all offensive as hell, but #10 is just plain weird.

I might be inspired to start speaking in tongues.

[potone]

13. Is that the current police chief?

Please say that he got fired!

[KamaAina]

18. Alas, no.

Still feeding at the trough (oink oink).

[reddread]

72. no, but his second in command got busted for being at the center of many drug deals

and his nephew(?) the son of his sister (?) who is/was a cop, got busted for dealing.
the 17 year old girl?
he found jesus dont sweat it.
the fix is in.
morale is screwed.
racial discrimination complaints and lawsuits are relentless.
dont undersell his accomplishments.
oh yeah-
http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/crime/article68036527.html

[potone]

76. Good lord!

They have got some cleaning up to do. How does that man stay in office when he allows such things, in addition to his own racist behavior? And what the hell is wrong with Fresno? This is not the kind of story that I would expect to come out of California.

[reddread]

77. crime needs looking after

I gather the history of police chiefs here (previously) is fairly colorful. One may have married the madam of a brothel back when, IIRC. Highly recommend Mark Arax's book In My Father's Name (and other works) much Fresno history brought back and telling a riveting story. Especially if you know many of the names within.
the Sheriffs just as much sometimes. Selling vehicles dirt cheap and unbid to security companies that were paying a consultant fee? Spying on Peace groups with anti terrorism funds? Installing DMV computers where they shouldnt be. He was invited not to run for reelection and no major spanking occurred.

The BIG crooks, who choose our elected officials and make things work to their advantage, seem to appreciate
a little dirt on their servants.
they must have a LOT on this guy.

OH.
yeah.
I forgot the guy who committed suicide outside the Chiefs residence.
media made the three hundred feet distance sound like a looong way.
they didnt tell the rest of the story.
but city workers do.

[potone]

81. Oh dear!

It's worse than I knew. Thanks for the book reference; it sounds interesting.

[LeftyMom]

78. California contains multitudes.

It helps to realize that the southern valley is mostly run by the descendants of Okies, who brought their religion and various subcultural quirks with them. It's not at all uncommon to find rural white people in that stretch who have totally unaffected accents that don't sound Californian at all (and very common to hear atypical pronounciations for the rest of California, like "warsh,&quot the region has it's own subset of country music, etc. It also served as the birthplace of the new religious movements of the early twentieth century in much the way that upstate New York's burned-over district did in the nineteenth century.

[potone]

80. Interesting.

I didn't know that. Thank you!

[MrMickeysMom]

60. GTF out!

WTF, indeed.

[AxionExcel]

8. Republican strategery, Stupid-style

Fearless Leader (R) is showing the way (to the cesspool).

[NWCorona]

9. That was excellent!

[philosslayer]

14. Snopes addressed this

He never said it

http://www.snopes.com/1998-trump-people-quote/

[Wounded Bear]

38. It's pretty believable, though...

given that it's exactly what he's doing.

[LiberalLovinLug]

70. Don't forget the more recent:

"I love the poorly educated"

[thesquanderer]

10. A bar is not a hangout place??

Good luck with that defense. I think it's pretty much the definition of a hangout place.

[NWCorona]

16. Yeah that stuck out to me too

Bigots and racists aren't the smartest bunch.

[Wounded Bear]

39. I wonder how well the "you have to buy a drink" defense will work?

Sounds like they did, though, so we'll see.

On the one hand, a place would have a right to exclude non-paying customers, but the extreme treatment is never justified.

[Blus4u]

15. I can see it now:

"Welcome to Abre' & Novellas where there's never a minimum to sing"

& I bet they would have done "Waterfall" justice too !

Peace

[Bubzer]

20. May those two ladies hand them their asses.

[shenmue]

35. Amen

[Duval]

36. I sure hope so. nt

[Hortensis]

82. Hope so.

[SoapBox]

21. When I think that America cannot get any dumber...

These dumbass guys prove me wrong.

Although...one question (don't yell at me)...why in heaven's name did they go to a "dive"? Sheesh, even I wouldn't do that.

Were they from out of town and just didn't know?

[valerief]

22. Man, I hope they end up owning it, too! nt

[SCVDem]

23. I would love a happy ending!

Own their asses!

I am so tired of racism. I'm white.

[mountain grammy]

24. I'm kind of glad this happened to these two women

who have the means and ability to fight back and make an issue of this. I can't imagine how many people they've intimidated and humiliated before these two women showed up. The owner must be accountable, he is breaking the law. The right to refuse service to anyone is bullshit and no one calls it out like the ACLU.

[NWCorona]

25. I'm a big believer in fate and karma

Everything happens for a reason.

Think of all the stories we didn't hear of from this establishment? You don't get that bold from jump. This wasn't the first time.

[grasswire]

26. Fresno? That's freeper country.

Let justice roll down.

[Mendocino]

53. That was my thought

California may be generally liberal, but some places..oh boy. I had a relative that lived in Fresno for two years for work. She was appalled at KKK level of RW nuttiness that went on there.

[TipTok]

27. It will be difficult to show that it was driven by race or gender...

... short of an explicit statement by bar employees.

[Chakab]

29. Not surprising at all. Plenty of bars and nightclubs try to restrict the number black patrons.

Usually, they just refuse to let you in.

[NWCorona]

30. Truth!

I learned that in Boston.

[cstanleytech]

31. Really? I didnt know that but then again I dont go to bars or nightclubs. nt

[Chakab]

32. I can speak from personal experience. It's rampant, and it happens all over the country.

I don't like going out either, but I've been dragged places by friends/S.O.s.

[cstanleytech]

55. I havent been in one in ohhh about 30+ years. nt

[Chakab]

56. Lucky you. I hate being in loud, confined spaces with a bunch of

drunk/drugged up strangers.

It's a grossly overrated experience.

[Xithras]

33. Black patrons, latino patrons, biker patrons....

Bars and nightclubs usually try to establish a "scene", and openly discriminate against anyone who doesn't fit the stereotypes for that scene.

[KamaAina]

37. A long-ago friend busted several bars on Bourbon Street

in his capacity as head of New Orleans' Human Relations Commission.

http://blog.nola.com/bourbon/2005/05/bourbon_street_bar_bias_detail.html

Beware: Something as trivial as a baseball cap can get you kicked out of a Bourbon Street bar -- if you're black. And your drink may cost more, maybe a lot more if you're dunned for a phony cover charge.

Those are some of the everyday alarms sounded in the long-awaited city report of alleged racial discrimination in Bourbon Street bars, a study that initially was kept secret as public uproar over the death of a young black man at the hands of white Bourbon Street bouncers drew international attention to the famous entertainment district.
.
Fifteen Bourbon Street establishments either hassled black customers more than white ones, or charged African-American "testers" more than white ones for the same drink, according to the report prepared by the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Network, a copy of which was obtained from the city by The Times-Picayune....

Some Bourbon Street managers said they felt blindsided by the report, which the city's Human Relations Commission did not want to make public. Larry Bagneris, the commission's executive director, said Monday he deliberately avoided learning the identity of nightclubs that allegedly discriminated because he hoped to change behavior through education, not punishment.

Had his campaign listened to me, Larry might have become the first openly gay elected official in the country. Instead he lost the runoff to Patricia Clarkson's mom Jacqueline. True story.

[Roy Rolling]

34. "Waterfalls" can be annoying, but really . . . n/t

[DrBulldog]

40. Have you heard this one?

Two black female ACLU attorneys walked in a bar . . .

[NWCorona]

41. Too funny!

And they walked out like this!

[TowneshipRebellion]

46. I don't think that was close to their body language

when they walked out. I hope they take these assholes to the cleaners.

[NWCorona]

47. No they knew they were right

[Dr. Xavier]

49. Yeah, I just love feeling like a stranger

in my own home... and I'm white Latino, whose families have been in the Southwest for four hundred years... I can only imagine what those poor young women are feeling... I hope the ACLU backs them all the way...

[blackspade]

50. What a bunch of assholes!

The 'Brig' sounds like it needs to close...permanently.

[raging moderate]

52. The racist bullies picked on the wrong women this time!

Maybe next time they'll show better manners when dealing with customers.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

57. See how Trump inspires?

"Trump" is becoming a verb synonymous with, "Kick their asses outta here!!!"

i.e.: I was trumped out of the bar by the bouncer.

[Duckfan]

59. Oops

I kicked them out by mistake.

Did he really mean to say "cut it out?"

[malthaussen]

62. I hope they sue him for every penny he has.

This stuff is way out of line.

-- Mal

[libdem4life]

64. Who knew black women could be attorneys?

Go get 'em. ladies.

[Old Vet]

65. Why is everybody so quick to judge a altercation in a BAR?

Being a bartender for many years I've met many professionals who turn into assholes when you add alcohol, Be it black, white, any color. Currently theres only these ladies story out there, Would like to hear a sober fair witness side to this story before I rush to make such harsh opinions.

[Iggo]

67. You've never seen an asshole bartender?

[cigsandcoffee]

69. Personally, I've seen more asshole lawyers.

I'll reserve judgement on this one at least until hearing both sides of the story.

[Old Vet]

73. I will try real hard not to take that personal..........

I treated EVERYONE with respect, Even when I was on many occasions the target of a angry drunk asshole. have a nice day
.

[TipTok]

74. Nope. Only one possible explanation...

An entirely racist bar staff against two angels...

Nothing else could possibly explain this.

[djg21]

75. I agree.

If you go to a restaurant, take a table, and then decide not to order anything and just sit and talk, you'll likely be asked to leave irrespective of race, gender, etc. What makes everyone so sure that this incident had anything to do with race?

[heaven05]

66. WTF!!!!!!!!!

Fresno has a race problem? Oh wait, sorry LOL, Amerikkka has a race problem.

[Orrex]

71. Whoa! They've been disbarred!

[Liberal_in_LA]

79. Yelp reviews are taking a hit