Racism at Calgary Bars?

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Originally Posted by if.away

I actually caught that on TV today and I have to say that one of the two dudes was dressed absolutely horrible. I’m referring to the dude with the white shirt that was about 5 sizes bigger than necessary, unzipped and untucked along with baggy jeans. I recall a bouncer saying that his clothing was unacceptable and I fully agree with it, however I won't deny the obvious the racism in the other cases

Going to have to agree with you, the guys hip-hop attire probably skewed the results. They should have dressed exactly how bars like it, and taken that excuse away.

I'd love to say vote with your wallet and don't support their business, but that's exactly what the bar owners want....

[White Doors]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

In before the lock.

haha

me too!

[White Doors]

haha agreed.

Those places are so pretentious and fake. Who wants to go there? Go to a pub meet some real chicks that will sleep with you for other reasons than your nice wheels.

[Cowboy]

Well I have had a couple instances with my friends as with one group of my friends I am the token white guy. It is pretty sad, and a little 1960'sish.

The funny thing about that broadcast, and what leads me to believe they really did not do their research is that the Whiskey is a really diverse bar. They let everyone in. That guy clearly was not dressed for the whiskey, his shirt could have covered the whole group behind him. The Whiskey is the only bar my brown friends and I will attempt because we have not been shot down. I am embarassed every time it happens.

I wonder, if we were to take the last 100 instances at a bar, not one on one fights but brawls, stabbings and so forth, what the racial correlation would be.

My personal oppiniion is that they should restrict the bars to 20 and older because there is nothing worse seeing some little bitch trying to stare you down because he has 20 friends that are all at the bar together for the first time, and they seem overly angry because of it...

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by Igottago

pure bull...i'd love to see a similar undercover news story whereby you and your white friends are turned away the way those 2 black guys were. Nice try buddy.

Honestly, dress me and a buddy up in the clothes those two clowns were wearing and we wouldn't get into any of those bars. I've tried to get into the Mynt many, many times and it's always a pain in the arse. Last year on my birthday they told me and about ten friends to take a hike and when I think of the money we would have spent there it makes me wonder how the hell they can do that on a nightly basis and still stay in business.

Those guys were lucky, they actually made it into cowboys wearing sneakers.

Let's see them get two guys that are African Canadians, over 25 and wearing fancy clothes and do the same report.

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by CalgaryDesi

Yup, Calgary has a LOT of growing up to do. I've been rejected along with buddies on at least 25 occasions.

The excuses:

"I need 5 pieces of ID"

" 25+ only tonight"

"Your shoes don't fit our dress code"

"You're dressed too formal"

"Sorry guys, it's full tonight"

Multicultural city my @ss. More like segregation. Great business decision to paint a brush on all brown or Asian coloured citizens of Calgary.

Give me a break, I've been rejected with buddies on more then 25 occasions. Wear sneakers to a bar with a dress code? Expect to get turned away. Wear baggy clothes or a wife beater? Same thing. Under 25? Find a club that doesn't have an age policy.

[Uncarved]

Originally Posted by CalgaryDesi
Yup, Calgary has a LOT of growing up to do. I've been rejected along with buddies on at least 25 occasions.

The excuses:

"I need 5 pieces of ID"

" 25+ only tonight"

"Your shoes don't fit our dress code"

"You're dressed too formal"

"Sorry guys, it's full tonight"

Multicultural city my @ss. More like segregation. Great business decision to paint a brush on all brown or Asian coloured citizens of Calgary.


Heck i've turned away for wearing my Team Canada Jersey... a freakin' TEAM CANADA Jersey!!! It was one week before the olympics... maybe i just look like a gansta. i don't go to the bars because of the dress codes they have, and if they don't like the look on your face. Im not saying the racism doesn't go on, but as for getting into a bar they can be a**holes to anyone!

[J pold]

Reading the thread is just really sad, it’s just a solem reminder of how backwards this city really can be, if you just stood in front of some of those awful clubs on a Thursday night you would see large amount racism

Terms like “you people” or “them” is just a way of othering people, reinforcing the idea that Calgary is a white blue color corporate city, and that if you don’t’ fall into a certain category your different. Its just awful, I was born and raised in this city but the stories I have read in this thread about racism almost makes me ashamed to call this place my home

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

Give me a break, I've been rejected with buddies on more then 25 occasions. Wear sneakers to a bar with a dress code? Expect to get turned away. Wear baggy clothes or a wife beater? Same thing. Under 25? Find a club that doesn't have an age policy.

Exactly I really don't think race has as much to do with it as how people dress or act when they're in line. I went to the Whiskey on Saturday and they weren't going to let me in because I was wearing sneakers. The only reason they did is because I was with 3 FOTP Irishmen and they knew they were going to be losing big bucks.

I remember one time when I went to the Back Alley and I had to give them 3 pieces of ID and a credit card before they let me in. Bars are stupid for that so either you deal with it or you go to the pub.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Pagal4321

Well let me throw in my 2 cents...
Birthday was back in January, called up Tantra

Why the hell would you want to spend your birthday at Tantra? Crowded, small, and full of wanna-be gangstas dancing poorly to bad music. I'd rather sit at home for my birthday than go to Tantra.

[snappyk]

Originally Posted by J pold

Reading the thread is just really sad, it’s just a solem reminder of how backwards this city really can be, if you just stood in front of some of those awful clubs on a Thursday night you would see large amount racism

Terms like “you people” or “them” is just a way of othering people, reinforcing the idea that Calgary is a white blue color corporate city, and that if you don’t’ fall into a certain category your different. Its just awful, I was born and raised in this city but the stories I have read in this thread about racism almost makes me ashamed to call this place my home

It happens in every city not just this one. Calgary is a great city to live in, sure we have problems but what city doesn't. You are going to make a statement like that because of people not being allowed into bars because some owners have problems with ethnic people? I am proud to be a Calgarian, sure there are racist people out there, deal with it, I really don't think that it will ever go away and that is sad.

[Uncarved]

Working in the oil buisness you see a lot of racism go on. It's sad that people get labled based on the colour of their skin. I don't want to be labled to tightly packaged into catagory, and neither should anyone else. People need to get out and see different cultures / races for themselves instead of basing their opinons on the media, or some guy in a forum. And it is sad to see people getting discriminated against. It ****ed me off when a mosque was vandalized in our city after these arrests in Ontario. I hope that at the rate this city is growing that people can manage to live together with out racial profiling.

[J pold]

Originally Posted by snappyk

It happens in every city not just this one. Calgary is a great city to live in, sure we have problems but what city doesn't. You are going to make a statement like that because of people not being allowed into bars because some owners have problems with ethnic people? I am proud to be a Calgarian, sure there are racist people out there, deal with it, I really don't think that it will ever go away and that is sad.

Agreed Calgary is a great city, the greatest in the world, but racisms is just ugly for any city and I just hate to see it hear because its such a great city, and its not just the bars racisms exists more more all around this city

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by snappyk

Maybe I'm just gettng to old for the bar scene.

Well, you are in your (gasp) thirties.

[calculoso]

Depending on where you go, the age thing is real.

Before I knew that fridays at the Whiskey was 25+, I went with a few friends younger than 25. I was allowed in just fine, but they weren't. They were all white and a couple were even fine looking females. We had to go somewhere else.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by Phaneuf3

if nobody is willing to budge even the slightest bit and even consider the fact that all forms of racism that have been brought up in this thread (and i hope that any one of you have experienced first hand) have been extremely minor - but all wrong none the less - when compared to most crimes or racially motivated actions then what's the point. if nobody is willing to open themselves up to the possibility that a lot of the common views on racism is rather hypocritical than i just give up.

So the standard you are setting is based on racially motivated crimes? Only that is serious racism? So when African Americans weren't allowed to sit at the lunch counter? Or when they had different water fountains? That was all just minor stuff eh?

A disturbing perspective.

This type of racism is VERY disturbing where a business has made a decision NOT to serve customers of a particular race. Its is serious.

But please do just give up.

[ken0042]

I have to agree with Reggie- the best way to beat this is to take your business elsewhere- and also make sure all of your friends do the same thing.

Should it be happening? No, of course not. But use the power that you hold; the power of the consumer. Look for a place that wants you as a paying customer.

The other thing I will say on behalf of those of us who are a little older; in time you will learn that most of the time it doesn't take a crowd of strangers to be able to have a good night out with your friends.

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Exactly I really don't think race has as much to do with it as how people dress or act when they're in line. I went to the Whiskey on Saturday and they weren't going to let me in because I was wearing sneakers. The only reason they did is because I was with 3 FOTP Irishmen and they knew they were going to be losing big bucks.

You're wrong..race has a lot to do with it. Any time I go to one of these places (which isn't often these days), I dress appropriately, and its not like i'm being a jerk off in line. I'm standing, waiting, like anyone else would. Yet more often than not, I'm given some bogus excuse. You're in denial if you think race doesn't play a factor. I can tell you that it 100% does.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Igottago

You're wrong..race has a lot to do with it. Any time I go to one of these places (which isn't often these days), I dress appropriately, and its not like i'm being a jerk off in line. I'm standing, waiting, like anyone else would. Yet more often than not, I'm given some bogus excuse. You're in denial if you think race doesn't play a factor. I can tell you that it 100% does.

Well I guess I just haven't witnessed it. I can tell you that I've had the same things happen to me when I'm not being an idiot, etc. Is it because I'm white?

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Well I guess I just haven't witnessed it. I can tell you that I've had the same things happen to me when I'm not being an idiot, etc. Is it because I'm white?

Like I said earlier..until I see a news report proving that you and your white buddies get put through the exact same BS at the doors that I do time and time again, I'm gonna continue to look at it as a racial issue. And its not 'cause I want to be the victim minority, I agree that a lot of minorities are way to quick to pull out the race card. But in this situation, it is what it is.