The Trib’s story is generally good, but one of the key points gets ignored in there:
The black students offered to change clothes in their hotel, but the bar told them it wouldn’t matter, students said. They also said a white student traded pants with Murayi and got into the bar without trouble. Benson said the manager nearly let the black students in until they crowded him, shouting, and the situation went downhill.
Essentially by having the white student trade pants and enter, there are incredibly strong grounds for complaints. This is essentially the same as housing tests to determine if a landlord is discriminating against individuals. So the claim he almost let them in is pretty much discounted. He let a white student in without any ‘special’ consideration. Usually these kinds of cases are essentially word against word, but the students acting smartly performed a legitimate test that can then be demonstrated in a court of law with the two students modeling the two different pairs of pants.
I don’t know…. It is a private business – a tavern, which is not regulated like an apartment complex.
Had no idea the place moved to Division. The last time I was in Mother’s it was on Rush. I was turned away from Mother’s once because the person I was with was wearing gym shoes (circa 1979; yeah, I’m old). On the way there, I warned him he wouldn’t get in. He said he would get in because he had “clout.” LOL!
Actually taverns are regulated since they hold liquor licenses. More important than that however is that the story has gone DRUDGE!!!!!!!!. (Can’t do a flashing light)
Arch—someday you will tell your grandchildren about the time you first reported a story that made the Drudge Report. Kind of like Ernesto Miranda or Linda Brown.