Fort Worth mayor wants feds to look into Rainbow Lounge raid

momzilla, says:

Arresting adult patrons for PI who are inside a bar and not disruptive seems ridiculous. As long as they have a designated driver or take a cab home, I don't see why anyone cares if they get drunk. Seems kind of the point, in fact. But what do I know? I also think that adults should be able to smoke in bars.

BUT ... I've been told by several people who have visited that location in the past under one of the previous owners (also a bar primarily catering to gay patrons) that at that time they rarely if ever checked ID and were known to serve minors. Certainly, that isn't the current management's responsibility. However, it might tend to make law enforcement crack down a little more in the beginning to ensure that the new place doesn't follow in the old one's path.

SocratesSocratis, says:

TEXAS WOULD NOT DARE TO ATTACK JEWISH PATRONS IN A JEWISH LOUNGE, BUT GAYS ...?

Replace the label GAY with the label JEW and the entire western world would be in an uproar. One Jewish organization after another would threaten a boycott of Dallas/Fort Worth as conference centers for professional organizations (physicians, lawyers, teachers, librarians, etc.).

And what do we get? No apology from the police chief and a lecture from the local newspaper, the fairly influential FW Star Telegram. By throwing in a few crumbs, the Public Relations Dept. knows only too well that time will probably work in their favor with gay people being grateful that a little education program may get started some time in the future, and then it’s back to a subtler form of homophobia.

The local press has much to answer for. Imagine the following editorial in the Star Telegram:

“The Police Department informed THE STAR OF DAVID Lounge management in advance that an inspection would take place the night of PASSOVER. Why didn’t the managers educate the officers about the date’s significance? That’s need-to-know information for uniformed law enforcement officers showing up at a JEWISH bar on that date.

It’s also need-to-know for any JEWISH bar patron that laying a hand on a police officer will result in a quick trip to jail.

Drinking to the point of intoxication is a crime even in a bar. Officers tasked with enforcing alcohol laws must make sure local and state statutes are observed regardless of the date on the calendar, PASSOVER OR NO PASSOVER. The residents of Fort Worth who share the streets with bar patrons throughout the city expect as much.

Law enforcement officers also must follow agency procedures to make sure inspections are conducted professionally and legally.

Why would a police supervisor, six officers and two TABC agents knowingly risk their own careers, the reputations of their departments and a public relations nightmare WITH THE JEWISH COMMUNITY by engaging in targeted or overly aggressive enforcement against a RELIGIOUS minority group? We’re not sure they would, but as we said, there are more questions than answers at this point.”

Excuse me while I go throw up my breakfast–INDEED.

For the original editorial from the Star Ledger, courtesy of Mark Reed, posted on July 3rd, 2009 at 7:27 am, click here:

http://www.dallasvoice.com/instant-te...