Cowboys moving to 5st and 4Ave

[Burninator]

How do you know that because you're not getting into a bar that the reason was based on race? I am just curious, because I have been denied entrance sometimes (mostly when I was younger mind you) and I haven't been sure of the reasoning. I am just wondering what makes you so sure that the reasoning was your race.

[KAI]

Originally Posted by Burninator

How do you know that because you're not getting into a bar that the reason was based on race? I am just curious, because I have been denied entrance sometimes (mostly when I was younger mind you) and I haven't been sure of the reasoning. I am just wondering what makes you so sure that the reasoning was your race.

In high school i hug out with a very viverse group of guys. In my main group there was two asian and 3 white guys. Once we turned 18 we started going to the clubs and we would get denied because of our shoes or because we weren't 25 or because we didn't have 4 pieces of ID. It always seemed to be something. But to be honest i never thought it was because of race, it really didn't even cross my mind. But then as we got older it started to become clear. Once me and one of my white friends went to Outlaws and it was like 11:30 and we never got in that lait before but we gave it a go and it was no problem. Actually a few times one of my friends would call the bouncers of it, and believe it or not they would actually admit to racist policies. One guy said sarcasticlly " Tell me a bunch of your Asian friends aren't on there way hear to meet you" like they all ahng in one big group.

I meen i am a white guy so it does not really effect me directly but it was terrible to realize that these sort of things actually happen, and to see that happen to my best friends was even worse. I was really mad and i can't begin to imagine how they felt.

[Flames09]

Originally Posted by Burninator

Who said that? I hope this isn't in reference to me.

I dont know who said it as I usually don't pay attention to who the poster is and usually just look at the post.

Originally Posted by KAI

I don't buy that at all... I've lived in both Calgary and Edmonton and racail profiling at the doors of clubs is way worse in Calgary. It happens in Edmonton but in Calgary it seems like on any given night any bar will deny you based on race.

You really don't need to buy it because I really don't care if you believe me. You can ask any of my family where they would rather party and every single one of them pick Calgary, that's why there here every weekend, and I have yet to see them denied entry into a bar.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by Flames09

I dont know who said it as I usually don't pay attention to who the poster is and usually just look at the post.

Well I was wondering who said it in the first place. Because I couldn't recall anyone saying that in the previous thread. I am not trying to pick a fight with you, I just don't think it's fair that you are mad at people on CP for saying things no one said.

[urban1]

There was a editorial piece in todays herald.

http://digital.nationalpost.com/epap...7Gv5PTwQ%3d%3d

Last year, I saw firsthand what it is like to be a visible minority trying to enter one of Calgary’s bigger nightspots. My friend, who is black, was singled out of a party of 20 people and asked, by previously friendly bouncers, to produce four pieces of government-issued identification on top of his driver’s licence.


When his jaw dropped with amazement, the doorman sneered: “What? Do you have a problem with that? We do this for everyone . . .” and dared my friend to give him an excuse to bar him from the club.


Because another friend knew the management, the situation was addressed on the spot, sort of. My black friend was “vouched for” and let in by the reluctant doorman who made the comment in the first place.


This was an indignity in and of itself, but when speaking to Calgarians who happen to be visible minorities this story is not the exception — it’s an alltoo-common experience.


Although no one speaks of this in public — just as I’m not naming the club in question since nothing has been proven beyond this “he said/he said” scenario — many nightspots in Calgary have a well-earned reputation of not catering to visible minorities.


When confronted with such allegations, management and ownership always raise security concerns.

[urban1]

I could write an essay length response on this but I dont have the time. Ive worked in clubs back when I was in university, Ive gone to clubs since Ive been 16, and I have friends and family who own bars and restaurants.

Racism exists. I truely believe all cultures are racist and some individuals are more racist than others for a variety of reasons.

But when 99% of people start a club/lounge/restaurant, they dont think to themselves what groups they want to exclude from their establishment. But they may think about what their target market is while not directly considering race.

Once the club is up and running things may change though. In a few cities Ive lived in, Ive seen many popular bars go downhill after minorities started frequenting them.
-Many minorities dont drink a lot. A club needs to sell booze to make money. If youve got large groups who arent drinking then youre not
making money.
-Minorities often times keep to themselves. How many clubs do you walk into and you see whole side or corner filled with one group of mnorities who arent interacting with others? This doesnt make for a fun open environment for the rest of the club goers.
-Continuing on the previous point, once clubs get popular among minorities, often times "whites" stop going and find another hotspot and the original club dies a slow death.
-Clubs dont care about a group of people of different races or a couple of guys. What they dont want is a group of 20 asian wanna be gangsters or 20 gangster brothers hanging out. Soon it will be 40 then 60 then...

Play devils advocate here: Tell me of a club that started as a hotspot for asians or afro-canadians and then got overrun by whites?

Ive lived in Toronto and Montreal (among other cities) and although racism exists, there enough people of all minorities and enough clubs that everyone can find a place for themselves. Theres bars that are black and asian hangouts and theres places where all races get together. In Calgary, theres only one or two clubs that are hot on any given night so everyone wants to go to these clubs and thats why you get the problems you do.

A similar situation is with age. Clubs dont let in a younger because they want a certain vibe in the club. You dont find 25+ club goers trying to get into bars that are full of 18 year olds. But the 18 to 21 crowd tries to get into the oldercrowd clubs. As soon as more and more kids start going to the older crowds bar, the older crowd will find somewhere else to go, and the club is stuck with young kids who will also leave as soon as the older crowd is gone. Ive seen this kill a few bars over time as well.

(I wrote this quickly and after re-reading I dont know if I got my point across. Hopefully I did.)

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by urban1

A similar situation is with age. Clubs dont let in a younger because they want a certain vibe in the club. You dont find 25+ club goers trying to get into bars that are full of 18 year olds. But the 18 to 21 crowd tries to get into the oldercrowd clubs. As soon as more and more kids start going to the older crowds bar, the older crowd will find somewhere else to go, and the club is stuck with young kids who will also leave as soon as the older crowd is gone. Ive seen this kill a few bars over time as well.

That's an interesting point and I suppose it follows that generally, the older club goers have more money and more respect than the younger club goers.

[Torture]

Originally Posted by fotze

It does. Just today at the tacotime lineup, we were in front of the A&W and I remarked to the guy I was with, "damn! A&W is expensive, $8.69 for a combo?". Then the guy in front of me overhears and starts ranting (we are right in front of the counter of A&W 5 feet away). "It's ridiculous how expensive it is. You see, its these fatain' pac--ies here, they buy these businesses then charge more because they can" saying it loud enough for the girls working the till to hear. My jaw and my companion's jaw is on the floor. What the hell is that? That is one theory there Mr. Surly Racist painter guy.

I had a guy tell me at work once that the reason he wasn't leaving the tip on the table and gave it to me personally was because of the yellow people sitting at the table next to his.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Hey, Crack Mac's has character! Don't bash it, it's legendary!! haha......I've been working across the street from that place, and the funniest crap always happens in there and on the corner. Always some fun to be had!!

Do you ever walk by Beaver Legs? That's the name for him around our building, I don't thnk I've ever seen anyone with fake legs as beat up and knawed as his are....

FYI - the crack mac's at 4th and 5th will be disappearing soon. This 45 storey mixed use development is replacing it. Developed by LaCaille.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by josh white

FYI - the crack mac's at 4th and 5th will be disappearing soon.

Just to clarify- that one is hooker Macs. Crack Macs is at 7th ave and 8th street.

[jammies]

Perhaps we can fuse the Mac's together, so you can get your hookers and crack all at one convenient location! How sweet would that be!

[urban1]

Another bad Mac's is on 1 St and 11 Av SW.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by Flames09

Right. First of all you have no right to say that I dont care how people are treated, you dont know me and I dont know you.

A bunch of people complained about Cowboys because of how it has treated them or others. You then asked whey do people care, because there's places like that everywhere.
Since you can't understand why people do care, I assumed you don't care.
Unless you do care, but can't understand yourself either?

I'm not going to lie and say I believe Cowboys is racist, how can I if I or no one I know has been at the recieving end of it. Thats as immature as going into Rexall place getting into a fight with an Oilers fan and saying everyone in Rexall is a scum bag who has nothing better to do then act immature and pick fights with a rival fan. We all preach how we hate that assumption and how a few bad apples shouldn't be used to judge a place alltogether. I'm not saying Cowboys isn't racist THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND, and I'm not 'ignoring' the problem.

Fine I guess. If you need something to happen to you firsthand before you believe it happens, then fine.

My comment about not understanding why people care if there is a Cowboys in Calgary was more-so directed towards the whole Cowboy and Calgary association. Of course I would want places that are representative of Calgary to not be racist,....

what's hard to understand then? If peole think it's racist, why would they want it associated with Calgary?

I still stand by what I said if you want it too stop don't give them your money, of course one person not going there won't make a difference but 100 people not going there will make a difference, even for Paul. Again I should have been more clear as to what my commented was directed towards....

Great in theory, but there's 2 issues I have with that.
1- A lot of young asian guys like myself do (or did) really enjoy clubbing. It's easy to say don't go there if they're racist, but when every club in the city does that same thing to you, you can't just go somewhere else.
2-It's not true. If every coloured person in Calgary stopped going to Cowboys, it wouldn't hurt there business whatsoever. There's a large segment of people in Calgary who love bars like Cowboys and prefer a crowd with few coloured guys. Whether it's a comfort, safety, or image thing, I don't know, but that's how it is. Until the minorities can get the majority on their side, a boycott would be useless.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by urban1

-Minorities often times keep to themselves. How many clubs do you walk into and you see whole side or corner filled with one group of mnorities who arent interacting with others? This doesnt make for a fun open environment for the rest of the club goers.

I agree this happens, but I find it interesting that no one notices it going the other way. Go to a club/mall/uni or anywhere and make a conscious effort to observe how many large groups of white people you can find without any minorities with them. It just doesn't get noticed because it's so common.

There's a double standard that if you're a minority you should make an effort to have white friends, but if you're a white guy with all white frineds that's ok.

-Continuing on the previous point, once clubs get popular among minorities, often times "whites" stop going and find another hotspot and the original club dies a slow death.
-Clubs dont care about a group of people of different races or a couple of guys. What they dont want is a group of 20 asian wanna be gangsters or 20 gangster brothers hanging out. Soon it will be 40 then 60 then...

I think this is bang on and is the biggest reason for the racist bars. The problem is that the bar owners/doormen make no effort to differentiate between the gangsters and any other minority. They just treat them all that same and many suffer because of the actions of few.

Play devils advocate here: Tell me of a club that started as a hotspot for asians or afro-canadians and then got overrun by whites?

doesn't happen. Many white people don't want to go where there's a bunch of coloured people for the reasons you've already listed. Also because they'll look like better dancers in a club with all white guys.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Anyone know what that building is called?

[The Goon]

Originally Posted by josh white

FYI - the crack mac's at 4th and 5th will be disappearing soon. This 45 storey mixed use development is replacing it. Developed by LaCaille.

Fantastic - that plaza is an eyesore. I figured it would be disappearing sometime.

[KAI]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Just to clarify- that one is hooker Macs. Crack Macs is at 7th ave and 8th street.

I go to that mac's all the time it isn't too bad during the day

[KAI]

Originally Posted by Flames09

I dont know who said it as I usually don't pay attention to who the poster is and usually just look at the post.



You really don't need to buy it because I really don't care if you believe me. You can ask any of my family where they would rather party and every single one of them pick Calgary, that's why there here every weekend, and I have yet to see them denied entry into a bar.

If you don't care if i believe you then why would i ask your family. Further more, your friends may pick Calgary as their city of choice but i garentee that unless they know the owners or dooreman at all the bars they will get denied. Reality is that many of the bars in the city fallow racist policies and you are just to blind to see that.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by urban1

Another bad Mac's is on 1 St and 11 Av SW.

Oh man, yes. That whole strip mall is a black hole. I can't wait for the day that bloody thing to be redeveloped into some nice condos or something. There is something about Mac's and strip malls that just attract the sketchiest activity and hanging about.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by josh white

Oh man, yes. That whole strip mall is a black hole. I can't wait for the day that bloody thing to be redeveloped into some nice condos or something. There is something about Mac's and strip malls that just attract the sketchiest activity and hanging about.

Unless the Mustard Seed relocates away from there, it will always be a black hole. That's where the homeless people buy their cigs.