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Bigotry Returns To Virginia
Townhall.com ^ | June 26, 2018 | Cal Thomas

Posted on 06/26/2018 10:24:26 AM PDT by Kaslin

As a longtime resident of Virginia, I am well aware of its sordid history when it comes to slavery, racism and discrimination. I can still remember "colored only" restrooms, water fountains, poll taxes and African Americans forced to ride in the back of the bus. Virginia public schools in the 1950s were mostly segregated, as they had been since first established in 1870.

Segregation was so bad in my home state of Virginia that even Native Americans were largely excluded from public education. It wasn't until 1963, nine years after Brown v. Board of Education, that public schools were open to them. It took another five years before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Charles C. Green et al. v. County School Board of New Kent County, Virginia, that the New Kent School Board had to "convert promptly to a [school] system without a 'white' school, and a 'Negro' school, but just schools." This ruling quickened the pace of desegregation in Virginia.

What happened last week to White House Press Secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders and her friends at the Red Hen restaurant in Lexington, Virginia, brought back memories of those unpleasant days, except in this case it wasn't race, but ideology that led to Sanders and her party being expelled from the establishment.

A waiter had served their meal, but after learning that Sanders was there, the owner asked her to leave. Sanders tweeted, "...Her actions say far more about her than about me. I always do my best to treat people, including those I disagree with, respectfully and will continue to do so."

Will the owner begin screening future patrons based on their political ideology and who they voted for in the last election? Those who claim to be defenders of free speech and free association have been strangely quiet about the incident, leading one to believe they support the restaurant owner's decision.

Liberals and civil rights activists criticized and filed lawsuits against Jack Phillips, the Colorado baker, who refused on religious grounds to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple, even though he had baked other kinds of cakes for gay customers. Phillips, who never threw gay customers out of his bakery, later won his case before the Supreme Court.

The left was so incensed over last year's demonstration by a white supremacist group in Charlottesville, Virginia, that they stepped up their efforts to remove Confederate statues from public places.

Last week, after three years of dawdling, the Alexandria City Council voted to expunge the name of Confederate States President Jefferson Davis from the highway, changing it to Richmond Highway. In neighboring Arlington County, Davis' name will remain for now, but I suspect not for much longer as that county, too, is dominated by liberal politicians.

One doesn't need to have much imagination to predict what would have happened if a gay person, an African American or even a liberal politician had been asked by a conservative restaurant owner to leave because of their sexual orientation, race or ideology. The outcries would have properly come from just about everywhere and lawyers would be lined up to file anti-discrimination lawsuits. Demonstrators outside the restaurant would have quickly followed, probably forcing the place to close, or requiring the owner to issue an apology.

As in the case of "comedian" Michelle Wolf, who made remarks about Sanders' smoky eye at this year's White House Correspondents Dinner, Sanders continues to demonstrate more class than her critics.

Some on the left blame President Trump for the increase in political invective. Sorry, but that doesn't wash. People are responsible for their own behavior and if they think someone is behaving badly, they should demonstrate classier behavior, like Sarah Sanders continues to do.`


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: bigotry; calthomas; deadhen; freespeech; liberalfascism; redhen; sarahhuckabeesanders; segregation; stephaniewilkinson
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1 posted on 06/26/2018 10:24:26 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

It’s always the left who does this. Always.


2 posted on 06/26/2018 10:26:42 AM PDT by EdnaMode
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To: Kaslin

One doesn’t need to have much imagination to predict what would have happened if a gay person, an African American or even a liberal politician had been asked by a conservative restaurant owner to leave because of their sexual orientation, race or ideology.


The restaurant would have been shut down within two days, if not burned to the ground. The police and DAs officer, even if they had an on camera confession would refuse to prosecute because an army of protesters would descend upon the place demanding justice and freedom.


3 posted on 06/26/2018 10:27:40 AM PDT by qaz123
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To: Kaslin

Dr. Ben Carson should walk into the Red Hen Lex.

If he gets shamed out? BOOM! Civil Rights Violation.


4 posted on 06/26/2018 10:27:45 AM PDT by LiveFreeOrDie2001 ( Thank GOD Hillary didn't get elected!)
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To: Kaslin
Sounds like the Old South or San Antonio way back in the early-to-mid part of the 20th Century when selective restaurants might turn away patrons because of race or nationality.

Now, with the so-called "Progressive" politicians and the hate cults they attract, we have Progressive business owners in America looking right through the color of a person's skin and into their conscience (that's Progressivism gone wild) and denying service because of their political beliefs or their political associates! How disgusting and anti-freedom is that?

If the tyrannical and oppressive Progressive ideology continues to invade and conquer minds and actions of citizens, then individual liberty will disappear and, with it, the light of freedom may be extinguished from that place which birthed it over 200 years ago.

“Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present Generation to preserve your Freedom! I hope you will make good use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in Heaven, that I ever took half the Pains to preserve it.”- – John Adams

5 posted on 06/26/2018 10:30:31 AM PDT by loveliberty2
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To: LiveFreeOrDie2001
Dr. Ben Carson should walk into the Red Hen Lex.

If he gets shamed out? BOOM! Civil Rights Violation.

Nope. Wouldn't happen.

6 posted on 06/26/2018 10:32:47 AM PDT by mbarker12474
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To: Kaslin
Perhaps Virginians might prefer the ideas of Jefferson over those of this little Lexington restaurant owner:

"The rights of conscience we never submitted, we could not submit. We are answerable for them to our God. The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg. ... Reason and free enquiry are the only effectual agents against error." - Thomas Jefferson

7 posted on 06/26/2018 10:34:00 AM PDT by loveliberty2
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To: mbarker12474

By the way, a business owner SHOULD be able to vet and refuse service to persons based on ideology.


8 posted on 06/26/2018 10:34:04 AM PDT by mbarker12474
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To: qaz123

“One doesn’t need to have much imagination to predict what would have happened if a gay person, an African American or even a liberal politician had been asked by a conservative restaurant owner to leave because of their sexual orientation, race or ideology.”

A hardware store has posted a “No Gays Allowed” sign.


9 posted on 06/26/2018 10:34:46 AM PDT by Blue House Sue
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To: mbarker12474

Which wouldn’t happen?

Shamed out? Or Civil Rights Violation?


10 posted on 06/26/2018 10:36:34 AM PDT by LiveFreeOrDie2001 ( Thank GOD Hillary didn't get elected!)
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To: nutmeg

bookmark


11 posted on 06/26/2018 10:36:41 AM PDT by nutmeg
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To: Kaslin

My first encounter with Jim Crow laws was in Virginia.

I had read about them, but this was the first time I saw them.

“We are sorry, but due to our limited facilities, we are unable to accommodate our colored patrons.” (sign on a diner door)

“Colored” and “White” restrooms and “White Only” drinking fountain (I never saw the “Colored” fountain) Natural Bridge visitors center


12 posted on 06/26/2018 10:38:21 AM PDT by Roccus (When you talk to a politician...ANY politician...always say, "Remember Ceausescu")
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To: Blue House Sue
“One doesn’t need to have much imagination to predict what would have happened if a gay person, an African American or even a liberal politician had been asked by a conservative restaurant owner to leave because of their sexual orientation, race or ideology.”

You can realistically turn every argument into a political one. The restaurant debacle shows as long as you politically disagree and don't put out any race, sex, orientation bias, you should be able to refuse service. I hate the politics of BLM, gay activists, genderbenders etc. Doesn't mean I am violating their civil rights as this Red Hen issue seems to prove, just means I don't agree with their ideals so I don't have to cater to them. This could be fun as it unwinds and the libs try to untwist the semantics involved of 'I was acting on MY morals' like the Red Hen owner.

13 posted on 06/26/2018 10:42:15 AM PDT by redcatcherb412
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To: Kaslin

” I can still remember “colored only” restrooms, water fountains...”

Okay, then let’s just make “whites only” restrooms, water fountains....


14 posted on 06/26/2018 10:42:43 AM PDT by Bonemaker (invictus maneo)
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To: Kaslin
This current ideology is, IMHO, brought about by the most divisive president and his wife, America has ever had. Because he has some black blood, his discrepancies towards the US Constitution, money for countries who spawn terrorists, his part in the Bengahzi lies, too many to put here but this should give a hint as to how our non-muslim sees his library.


15 posted on 06/26/2018 10:46:07 AM PDT by yoe
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To: qaz123

Some things are protected by law against discrimination, other are not (including political views). You would do well to learn the difference before posting.


16 posted on 06/26/2018 10:50:53 AM PDT by bigbob (Trust Sessions. Trust the Plan.)
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To: bigbob

What in the Lords name does that have to do with the situation? You seem to think the Left would take some sort of legal action like they do with Christian bakers and florists. Meanwhile, an army of radical protesters, who would work each other up, would handle the situation far more differently. IE Ferguson, Baltimore, OWS, any ANTIFA rally/demonstration/protest.

The Left, regardless of the law, would have destroyed that business in more ways than one. The Left does not care about laws. The Left only cares about the results they want, how they get there, does not matter.


17 posted on 06/26/2018 10:58:18 AM PDT by qaz123
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To: Kaslin
One doesn't need to have much imagination to predict what would have happened if a gay person, an African American or even a liberal politician had been asked by a conservative restaurant owner to leave because of their sexual orientation, race or ideology. The outcries would have properly come from just about everywhere and lawyers would be lined up to file anti-discrimination lawsuits. Demonstrators outside the restaurant would have quickly followed, probably forcing the place to close, or requiring the owner to issue an apology.

I'd love to see Hillary or Beyoncé thrown out of a restaurant.

18 posted on 06/26/2018 11:02:20 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: EdnaMode

The Left goes low, we go high - just like Moochele says.


19 posted on 06/26/2018 11:06:35 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: EdnaMode

Personally, I believe a store owner should be able to deny service anytime he/she pleases. But isn’t the left against that?


20 posted on 06/26/2018 11:16:01 AM PDT by sparklite2 (See more at Sparklite Times)
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