Something different: Ladies' Night At Bar Declared Discriminatory (NJ)

[Liberal Classic]

Perhaps this belongs in the Civil Rights/Equality/Privacy section, however I am posting it because Mr. Benchley's from NewJersey and I know he reads here. Maybe he has heard something about his locally that hasn't made national news. Also J/PS needs a frigging change of subject once in a while.

http://www.nbc4.tv/news/3372902/detail.html


Cheaper drinks for women at New Jersey bars could soon be a thing of the past.

The director of the state Division on Civil Rights ruled Tuesday that Ladies' Night at a Cherry Hill bar and restaurant was unlawful.

"The decision makes it pretty clear that this bodes trouble for bars that have ladies' night and similar programs in New Jersey," said J. Frank Vespa-Papaleo, the author of the decision.


...



The complaint that led to Tuesday's ruling was filed six years ago by a male customer, David R. Gillespie, who claimed it wasn't fair for women to get into the Coastline for free while men paid $5 and for women to get discounted drinks while men paid full price.


...



Deborah Jacobs, executive director of the New Jersey chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, conceded that the issue might strike some as silly. But "where there are opportunities to create equality we should do so," she said.



What's with the ACLU? They used to tackle important issue, but ladies night at the local watering hole is not what I consider an equality issue.

Equality for equality's sake? Is this the purpose of Title IX?

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

1. Silly.. but sillier still is....

... cheap ladies getting loaded and the men who go after them.

THATS the sad part of the story! LOL!

[Liberal Classic]

2. Even more sad is

Mr Gillespie doesn't quite grok the concept.

[Warpy]

10. True, now women who make 70 cents to the dollar men make

..will be able to afford fewer nights out, which will further decrease Mr. Gillespie's already slim chances of getting lucky.

Talk about a self defeating lawsuit.

[AlanInDallas]

19. Seems to me

that the problem is not the lawsuit it is that women are making 70 cents for every dollar a man makes. Don't you think we should just work to solve that issue?

[slackmaster]

21. The last attempt to do that was called the Equal Rights Amendment

Back in the 1970s. It died on the vine.

[AlanInDallas]

23. Quitter

Just because something fails once doesn't mean people should give up. The ERA document was poorly crafted and thus died on the vine. I agree. But, does that mean that good people should give up the fight? I think not. I believe in equality, I believe in it to the core of my being. it might not happen in my life time but that wont stop me from championing it every day I live. Equality is not something we are going to wake up one day and "realize". Equality must be payed for in blood and sweat. Equal pay, Equal Rights this is what we are working for and must work for every day. That also means that men get time off when their wives are pregnant.

[slackmaster]

25. Did I say anything to indicate I didn't support equal rights?

I have never given up the fight for equality and I resent the insult.

[AlanInDallas]

26. No insult intended

you tone just sounded rather.... defeatist.

[slackmaster]

28. Thanks

I'd fight hard for a new ERA but I don't have the power to make one happen. It has to originate in Congress. I think both of my Senators (Boxer and Feinstein) would make it a priority if they thought it had a chance at present. I have told them how I feel about it.

[slackmaster]

20. I was shocked about 20 years ago when I heard that figure

At the bank where my now-ex wife worked in South Carolina, 70% pay for women was OFFICIAL COMPANY POLICY.

:crazy:

[mmm]

4. I'm with you on this

Dubbo Bubbo is Dubbo Trubbo!
(Double Bubble is Double Trouble)

[CO Liberal]

3. My Wife & I Were Talking About This Last Night

Since we're from NJ and spend a good deal of our respective young adulthoods in NJ bars, sometimes on Ladies Night.

We decided that David R. Gillespie probably filed his complaint because he couldn't get laid that night. And anyone who can't get laid on Ladies Night in a NJ bar has to be a pretty poor specimen of a human being.

:-)

[mosin]

5. Ladies night

We decided that David R. Gillespie probably filed his complaint because he couldn't get laid that night.

This was the general consensus in my office today when this story came up. It seems to be everybody's first reaction. :)

[CO Liberal]

6. What's Even Worse....

They were discussing this on the morning talk show on KVOR in Colorado Springs today. The general concensus (here in the home of Focus on the Family and Colorado for Family Values) was that David R. Gillespie must be gay.

A lot of hatred and homophobia in this burg......

[Liberal Classic]

7. Gay?

CHEAP!

[CO Liberal]

9. They Don't Hate Cheap People in Colorado Springs

Only gays and lesbians.

And Democrats.

[mosin]

12. gays, lesbians, and Democrats

That's probably considered redundant, isn't it, according to people in Colorado Springs?

[CO Liberal]

13. Close

All Democrats are conasidered communistic, socialistic, psychopathic tree-huggers.....

:kick:

[mosin]

11. Cheap and stupid

If he was just cheap, it doesn't make much sense. Making them drop ladies night isn't going to get him cheap drinks.

[mosin]

8. hatred and homophobia

That is sad.

"Even in Cincinnati," I haven't heard anyone suggest that Gillespie was gay. Everyone immediately thinks "loser who struck out at ladies night."

[AlanInDallas]

17. Lets not make light of this

Okay now Mr. Gillespie has a point, its not fair!
Favoring one group over another with some sort of economic advantage based on race/religion/sex is discrimination. Plain and simple discrimination. Sure you could try and justify it by saying that Mr. Gillespie has missed the point of "Lady's Night", that being the club/bar trying to attract women with cheap drinks thus attracting men who want to prey on liqueured up women. But, is that really the equality we are looking for?
Hell, the way it works now that same woman who is getting all these cheap drinks could be so drunk that her previous consent is not valid. In fact you could find yourself in court on rape charges. Why add fuel to that fire?
Sure it might seem like a silly case to make but lets be honest here if we can't make this simple step toward equality without belittling the person who identified a problem what hope is there for a greater equality?
Maybe its just me.

[Liberal Classic]

18. If you don't want women getting liquored up

BAN DEMON RUM!

[AlanInDallas]

24. Oh come on now.....

no one is suggesting Prohibition, thats just insanity.
What I am saying is that these "Lady's Nights" are discriminatory in its core idea.
What I am also suggesting is that these nights create an environment that could be hostile toward women. Face it we have all seen the drunk girl websites. do you really think they would have said yea post my pic/vids on the Internet for the whole world to see if they were in their right mind? Sure some of them, but not most.

[slackmaster]

14. Moot issue in California

Any discounts (e.g. "happy hour" pricing or featured beverage specials) have to be offered to all customers equally in California, and absolutely no free drinks can be given away. (Samples of beer or wine can be given but not over one fluid ounce. 1/4 ounce for hard liquor.)

Owners, managers, bartenders, and servers can buy drinks for customers with their own money, but they have to pay the price the customer would have paid.

[Liberal Classic]

16. I had no idea this was even a political issue

I must be a neanderthal to believe that a bar owner can have ladies night.

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

30. Actually probably most people don't worry about Lady's Night.

However the reason for the law mentioned above (and two'fers and other nicknames in other states) is to LIMIT people from becoming intoxicated and drinking.

Giving 'free' admittance and 'lower drink prices' =supposedly= leads to increased alcohol consumption.

[dae]

15. Whatever he may be, the nicest thing he will be called is likely to be

rather unflattering.

edited for a little more claritty

[Romulus]

22. Way to go!!

We heard this story on NPR today, which also added that "ladies nights" are banned in several states including my second favorite state, Pennsylvania.

Wife's comment :"Hee hee - Welcome to America!" (my line whenever we cross into PA from MD when visiting her folks).

My response was "Hell, yeah! That IS America - where discrimination is condemned!!"

Anyway, I've been to plenty of "ladies nights" in Jacksonville, NC, and was always confronted with a majority of guys in those dives.

[TexasMexican]

27. Ladies Night at the Gun Range

I dont go to bars too often, I do all my drinking at home or among friends.

However there is a local gun range that I go to and Tuesday is Ladies Night. The cost for using the range is half price if you are a women or bring one with you.

Needless to say I go shooting with my girlfriend on Tuesdays.

[sundog]

29. Why not have men's night & make everything even?

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