Legal Question in Discrimination Law in Pennsylvania
Is this considered discrimination?
My boyfriend and I were attending a resturaunt festival which was held on in my local area. We went into a pub where at the time he went in with me for a 2 minutes then proceeded back outside because it was too crowded. After about 10 minutes he decided to come bak in. Upon re-entry to the bar the owner told him that he could not go in with a white t-shirt on. Meanwhile when we were inside there were about 10-15 caucasion guys inside with white t-shirts on. Reason why I put that in there is because my boyfriend is a caucasion male with cornrows in his hair and I am african american. I calmly informed the owner that there were about 10-15 people that I saw inside with white t-shirts on. In a nasty and very rude manner the owner informed me that they should not be in there. I asked if they are in there,can my boyfriend go in and he told me no he couldn't go in and I asked why when there are other obvious people inside with white t-shirts on and he told me because he was the owner and he was not going in with a white t-shirt on. Meanwhile the other gentelmen with the white t-shirts on remained in the bar. I felt that this was very unfair, Especially because I have been in that bar a numerous amount of times and it was never an issue.
2 Answers from Attorneys
Re: Is this considered discrimination?
You asked what could happen regarding discrimination in a public establishment.
Are you suggesting that you were discriminated against? I think you are suggesting that you or your boyfreind were discriminated against. I think it's appalling that such still happens in this day and age, but it does.
You can and should follow this up. You will probably have a hard time proving that you were discriminated against on that particular night unless you ahppen to have gottent the names of witnesses. But if you can develop a case there is money to be made and action to be taken.
On the other hand, you could make claims with the state and local authorities regarding a claim of discrimination. You could also speak with civil rights action groups such as NAACP or the ACLU. Both are fine institutions that have strongs records of rooting out and handling discrimination matters.
Or you could even organize grassroots campaigns, such as recommending the establishment to every non-caucasian person you know. Maybe stage a dine-in, have dozens of people go there all dressed to the nines and enter the establishment and spend as little money as possible. Maybe establish a picket line or boycott the place.
You were offended and rightly so. I think people who act like that in this day and age do not deserve to be in business and you should go after them. If you don't, who will? It could also prove an interesting education in civil rights.
There could have been another reason but I think you are on the right track.
Please keep mae appraised of how this matter plays out. If I can be of assistance I would be happy to help.
Regards and good luck,
Roger Traversa
Re: Is this considered discrimination?
Atty. Traversa is right, and has many creative ideas that you should execute.
In terms of this particular evening, if you have witnesses, particularly the guys in the white shirts, you would likely be able to effectively pursue it.
If you use some of Mr. Traversa's suggestions, I'm sure that you would be successful at getting the owner to do something else stupid, and then you could pursue it at that time.
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