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Posted on 01/05/2004 10:45:12 AM PST by jim_trent
DES MOINES (AP) - A soldier who lost both legs in Iraq was denied entry to a Des Moines-area nightclub last week because the shoes he wore on his prosthetic legs were too casual, the Des Moines Register reported in a copyright story.
Spc. Robert "B.J." Jackson, 22, who lost his legs in an explosion last August, was wearing black suede Nike sneakers.
"They're actually pretty dressy," said his wife, Abby.
She said she and her husband told club employees that "those were the only shoes he can wear with his prosthetic legs," but they still were turned away.
(Excerpt) Read more at omaha.com ...
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I'm not... however - nothing but profanity comes to mind!!!
The club Crush, in the Des Moines suburb of Clive, prohibits tennis shoes and hooded sweat shirts, but "we make exceptions for people all the time," said owner Tom Baldwin.
"There's no reason why we would deny entry to someone with prosthetic legs."
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Baldwin was one of four nightclub owners who in 2002 paid an undisclosed sum to Duane Pack and Michael Ward, two men who challenged the legality of bar dress codes.
The owners of the three nightclubs, two now closed, had to formally apologize to blacks and pledge to treat patrons equally as part of the settlement for the class-action lawsuit brought against them.
---- If you are going to exerpt, please choose the important quotes rather than just printing the first paragraph.
Dung capitol of the US
Just people wearing shoes that were (subjectively) too casual. "Honest your honor, we were not discriminating against a handicapped person. Just a former military person."
Why? Are you Martha Burke? Not every problem requires reaching for the hammer called government.
Yeah, like most bouncers are real bright:-)
The owner of a Clive nightclub said Sunday that he wants to apologize to the double-amputee soldier who says he was refused admittance into the club over the weekend.
Iowa National Guard Spc. Robert "B.J." Jackson and his wife, Abby, said Saturday they were barred from Crush nightclub because the soldier was wearing tennis shoes. Robert Jackson had both legs amputated below the knees after an ambush in Iraq, and the shoes fit his prosthetics.
"I would like the chance to meet the Jacksons and resolve this issue, including a personal apology about this misunderstanding from me," Crush owner Tom Baldwin said in a letter sent to the Iowa National Guard; U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin; attorney Roxanne Conlin, a Des Moines lawyer who said the issue is worthy of a discrimination suit; and the city of Clive.
Baldwin was adamant that the Jacksons did not explain to the bouncers that Jackson was an amputee. He said the couple left abruptly when they were told Jackson could not wear tennis shoes into the club.
The Jacksons and a friend said Saturday that Jackson showed the bouncers his prosthetic legs.
Baldwin said he has not had any communication with the Jacksons and looks forward to speaking with them, calling the situation a "learning experience."
"I don't want to say, 'Here, let's just forget about it and I'll buy you a drink.' I want to sit down with the Jacksons . . . and see what they want to do," Baldwin said.
He said he believes the situation is a misunderstanding that has been blown out of proportion.
"It's gone from a tennis shoe situation to a disability issue. It's just outrageous and goes against everything I believe," Baldwin said.
He said that he does not know how to contact the Jacksons and hopes that the word will get out that he wants to talk to them.
1. Lawsuit for discrimination
2. Club declared off-limits by military so no servicemen as customers
3. Club boycotted by veterans groups
4. ..... and just maybe, among veterans or people with disabilities or something like that, the newspapermen neglect to mention that club in their media, and city officials schedule it for a full panoply of health dept and fire dept and immigration service and DEA inspections over and over again.
No discrimination took place. No tennis shoes allowed in the club applied to everybody who wanted to enter the club, handicapped or not.
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