Posted on 02/06/2006 7:10:33 AM PST by Rebelbase
WILMINGTON -- An upset woman came to NewsChannel 3. Her boyfriend is a marine and was told he could not go to a local bar because of it.
In downtown Wilmington there's more than one bar that doesn't allow marines or other members of the military in.
Ashley Kidd says her military boyfriend was denied bar access. "They are being denied access to even enter a bar. It's just not right. It's discrimination. It's wrong," Kidd said.
Ashley Kidd's boyfriend is a marine at Camp Lejeune. She says he recently tried to get in a popular Wilmington bar and a bouncer told him "no marines allowed."
One of the managers at Rum Runners says they aren't the only bar that has strict rules about entry when dealing with the military. He says they were actually one of the last to allow them in until things started getting out of hand.
Dan Dalessandro is a former downtown bar owner who says it's a common practice downtown and there is good reason.
"I can see their frustrations sometimes. But we have to do what's best for the business. There is liability," Dalessandro said. He says more military usually means more fights.
A WWAY employee who served in the military before working as a bouncer agrees. "These guys are, you know, taught to be that they are invincible and then that's what happens when they get drunk. And a lot of them are young too. And they have just come out of basic."
Both bar workers had problems with underage marines trying to get in and others disturbing the bar's environment.
Charles Stewart is a former downtown bar bouncer. "We would get a lot of girls coming up to us saying they didn't feel comfortable because these guys wouldn't leave them alone. Or they would go and destroy stuff in the bathrooms. Break the mirrors. Punch walls," Stewart said.
Ashley Kidd says there is a simple solution: tighten security.
"When an incident happens they should be able to handle it and ban those individuals. Don't punish all marines for a couple bad eggs. It's just not right," Kidd said. The "no military" mandate is unfair in Kidd's eyes because these guys put their lives on the line for our freedom.
I'd love to see the ACLU take this one.
Former Marine, spent 3 years at Lejeune with gf in Wilmington. This is not about discrimination, its about devildogs getting out of hand when drunk.
Not unusual. Many bars in the eastern part of the state have done that. The Jolly Knave in Atlantic Beach used to keep them out.
This is a tough story. On one hand, I don't like seeing our fighting guys getting locked out of places. That's wrong. On the other hand, if there's been a problem with these guys, the private business has a right to do as it pleases.
If I ran a bar, and continually had problems with some group of people coming in, trashing the place, picking fights, and annoying my other customers, I guess I'd think about banning that group. I wouldn't like it, but I'd sure consider it.
Young guys just out of basic training can get out of hand. There's no question about it. It's a problem for bar owners especially.
Again, very difficult situation for all involved.
I am sure they are welcome at the "Mickey Ratz". ;)
On what grounds, the civil right to enter a private establishment?
It's been a long time since anyone put up the "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone" sign. It wasn't welcome then and it isn't now.
Don't be a jackass.
Spent time at Lejeuene 25 years ago and never had a problem. I think it was Court Street or something like that. I did get irate when I was at Kadena AFB and was told while I was with a squid that I couldnt enter the NCO club because I was a Marine.
Marines aren't choirboys. Many of them like to fight. Thank heavens they do. But we need not worry. Marines will adapt improvise and overcome and create their own drinking and carousing "establishments".
Simple solution: have the guys surrender their IDs when they enter. That way if they act a fool, you know who they are and can contact their command and let them deal with them. I'd be willing to bet that the threat of having to fact the 1SGT would go a long way towards keeping them calm.
ping
??
You have to ask yourself one question: How does a bouncer know if someone is a Marine? Bouncers have done this type of thing before. Remember Studio 54? They would refuse people on looks.
My fraternity initiated a bunch of Gulf War 1 vets who came to school after the war. They were forever picking fights with the fraternity next door. How are you going to tell a bunch of war vets they can't rough up a house full of Sig Eps after they have duked it out with T-72's?
Phocking morons.
Its just profiling. Just like stores can keep hispanics out because they just know that when hispanics come in, more stuff gets stolen.
Oh wait, that's discrimination, and it's illegal.
So, can you discriminate against patrons on the basis of their profession? How about based on their appearance, or how they dress?
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