Wow, Racist Bar Policies Ok with Police and Mayor?

I’m not even talking R Place. I’m talking about the policies where you have to have a state DRIVER’S LICENSE (ID not ok) or passport. Just call us little Arizona. I’m embarrassed.

[Note: Speaking of embarrassed. I wrote this, and then someone pointed out that this also impacts people without disabilities who don’t have driver’s licenses. They were sooooo right, and I should have thought of that. So, add that to the list as well. And my humble apologies for not thinking of that myself, I know better!]

The article from the State Journal is here. And here’s my comments.

1.

Mayor Paul Soglin said the city researched the legal implications of the policy and found that state law allows it.
“Our understanding is that any establishment, bar or otherwise, can do whatever it wants in terms of entry rules as long as it’s not discriminatory,” he said Thursday.

Wow, its legal, so its ok? Even when it CLEARLY has a disparate impact on people of color.

A 2005 UW-Milwaukee study found a vast racial gap when it comes to who doesn’t have a driver’s license: Just 17 percent of white men and women in Wisconsin lack one, compared with 55 percent of black men and 49 percent of black women. The numbers are similarly high for Latinos, the study found.

And of course, it will have a huge impact on the Latino community.

2. And the police encouraged it.

Hahn said he knows of five Downtown bars that have implemented the new policy in the latter half of the summer or this fall after consulting with police. Madison police spokesman Joel DeSpain confirmed his department was consulted and supported bar owners implementing the policy.

And when the police “encourage” something, you don’t really say no to a guy with a gun (yeah, I know there are some women, but they aren’t in the leadership positions), especially when they have huge impact on your liquor license. And as we learned with R Place, if you try to “negotiate” with the police you are labeled obstructionist.

3. Now, before you jump all over me for using the “R word” – yes, I said racist. There are two kinds of discrimination, one is where you discriminate on someone individually. The second, which is also racist, is when you implement policies that also have a discriminatory impact or disparate impact. This policy is clearly one of those given the study above. Happy to hear Verveer has concerns:

Ald. Mike Verveer, whose 4th District includes numerous bars, said that while some of the bars’ problems with violence “largely went away overnight” after the policy went into effect, he has concerns about it . . . .
“My concern is that it be used in a fair and equitable manner,” he said. “Establishments have to apply it consistently.”

Are the east coast kids and others from large cities with decent public transportation so a driver’s license isn’t a necessity without driver’s licenses being denied? Oh, wait, they probably have passports . . .

And this doesn’t cut it if it has a disparate impact.

The policy, Wanserski said, “is cut and dry. Either you have (a driver’s license) or you don’t.”

4. This is just classic:

“It’s not racist,” he said. “I turn away every race that has a (state) ID card.”

State-issued IDs, as well as those issued by colleges or other entities, don’t cut it for entry.

It’s good enough for even Fitzwalkerstan to allow undesirables us to vote, but can’t get you into a Madison bar? With the blessing of the police and mayor? What the hell? That’s just offensive on so many levels. And, how many low income people have a passport? Seems like another policy to discriminate against people of color and low income people. And the police and mayor seem to be encouraging it!

If it cuts out 50% of one race, its still racist.

5. I’d like the list of bars that are doing this. Wando’s seems to be one. Who are the rest of them? I hope people boycott them.

6. Move it around!

Soglin called a meeting of Downtown bar owners in September to address concerns about the heightened summer violence, which some bar owners attributed to young men coming Downtown after Scatz Sports Bar and Nightclub in Middleton was shut down by the city because of a history of violence involving patrons and police visits.

Here we go again . . . just move the problem around . . . instead of addressing the problem. And in the meantime, innocent people also get the pleasure of being discriminated against because they have the same color skin or culture. If there are bad actors, go after the bad actors, don’t deny access to entire classes of people.

7. R Place Update

Meanwhile, a black-owned South Side bar that was stripped of its liquor license this week is for sale, Al Lynk, the real estate agent handling the listing, said Thursday. The city revoked the license after a series of violent incidents at R Place on Park. The bar at 1821 Park St. catered to a clientele that was largely black.

Which bar will be targeted and shut down next? And what new racist policies to “encourage” can the police come up with next? This is absolutely disgraceful. Will any alders stand up to this? We need our legislative branch about now!

8. Or, someone file a complaint with the EOC. Please.

Equal Opportunities Division Complaints:
Discrimination complaints against private/non-governmental programs in the areas of Housing, Employment, Credit, Public Accommodations, and, for some protected classes, City Facilities.

• Complaint Processing

This is a public accommodation complaint. Please, someone file. Many someone’s file.