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Chris Rock's Mom Claims Discrimination
Associated Press ^ | October 17, 2006 | BRUCE SMITH

Posted on 10/17/2006 5:15:23 PM PDT by Livin_large

Rose Rock, the mother of comedian Chris Rock, claims she was racially discriminated against when she was seated but ignored for more than a half hour at a Cracker Barrel restaurant along the South Carolina coast. Rock said Tuesday she planned to sue the Lebanon, Tenn.-based company. A Cracker Barrel spokeswoman said the restaurant chain was investigating and taking the complaint "very seriously."

Cracker Barrel has in the past faced numerous lawsuits and a federal inquiry over complaints of refusing to serve black customers, discriminating against minority workers and firing gay employees. The company has taken steps to rebuild its folksy image and reach out to minorities.

Rock, who is from Georgetown, said she and her 21-year-old daughter were the only blacks at the chain's Murrells Inlet restaurant in April. She said when she asked the manager about the delay she was told they could have a free meal.

"He never called over the waitresses and asked, `Why did these people sit here for an hour without service?'" she said. "The only thing he said was we could have a free meal and neither of us wanted to eat."

Cracker Barrel spokeswoman Julie Davis said the company doesn't "tolerate any form of discrimination."

"It has always been a violation of our policies and procedures and it is neither condoned nor allowed," she said. "We do not allow the type of behavior you are describing," Davis said.

Rock said she contacted the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission and was told her complaint would be handled, but "nothing ever happened."

The head of the commission, Jesse Washington, said Tuesday that after initial discussions, the complaint was finalized Aug. 7 and his agency also was investigating. He would not comment on the complaint.

"We get thousands of charges coming through here in the course of a year," he said. "It's not out of line _ the time frame on this. It is being investigated and we will be in touch with her when we have a report."

The Rev. Al Sharpton will join Rock on Wednesday in South Carolina to announce that Sharpton's Action Network will finance the planned lawsuit.

"I'm getting reports from all over the country about Cracker Barrel," Sharpton said from New York on Tuesday.

He also said state officials are slow to act on such complaints.

"When people are talking about there is no more discrimination, a lot of it is because they are not following this stuff up," Sharpton said.

Cracker Barrel, established in 1969, operates 547 restaurants in 41 states, according to the company's Web site.

Georgetown is about 60 miles northeast of Charleston.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; US: South Carolina
KEYWORDS: crackerbarrel; discrimination; sharpton
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To: CindyDawg

Oh, the food is great, which is why we would go. However, the waits were always way too long for a road trip.


141 posted on 10/18/2006 8:11:53 AM PDT by Texas_shutterbug
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To: CindyDawg
I know there are real cases where people of all skin color are discriminated against ...

They must be real funny looking to have all skin colors on them.

142 posted on 10/18/2006 10:55:22 AM PDT by mountn man (The pleasure you get from life, is equal to the attitude you put into it.)
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To: mountn man

:')


143 posted on 10/18/2006 11:12:28 AM PDT by CindyDawg
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To: AppyPappy

Or Whataburger


144 posted on 10/18/2006 11:30:27 AM PDT by CindyDawg
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To: CindyDawg

I've won starting from the corners, the middle and along the edges. The middle seems the hardest. More often than not, two pegs mock me at the end of a game. I suppose one could analyze it and take all the fun out of idling away my Cracker Barrel wait time, but that would be too much like counting cards.


145 posted on 10/18/2006 8:47:38 PM PDT by skr (We cannot play innocents abroad in a world that is not innocent.-- Ronald Reagan)
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To: John Williams

Uh-huh. Blacks and Cracker Barrels simply do not mix. And at any rate, the closest one in my area is about 45 miles away.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The closest one to me is about three miles away and next to what is reputed to be the intersection with the greatest number of motel rooms on I-95 between Florida and New York. The only time I have been there is when out of town visitors wanted to go there. I never even think of going.


146 posted on 10/19/2006 3:32:59 AM PDT by RipSawyer (Does anybody still believe this is a free country?)
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To: Livin_large

Jesu Christo. Bad service at a cracker barrel? If thats valid grounds for a lawsuit then two million Americans should sue.


147 posted on 10/19/2006 6:25:16 PM PDT by SmoothTalker
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To: mom4kittys

Yup, that is part of why they make you wait so often. They hope you will buy something in the shop.


148 posted on 10/20/2006 5:45:16 AM PDT by flib
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