Al Sharpton alive and kicking at the US Embassy!

[Robert]

What's funny, is the only people that appear to be making any sense in this thread are those that actually live here or spend a considerable amount of time here. Ricardo900, AZB, Mr.Lu, Chris etc.

Nice photo of Al. Didn't I see him wearing that tie at a Lacrosse game recently?

 

[Mr. Lu]

So much respect on your witty commentary. It was sooo funny and original it almost made me forget about racism in general. A baseball metaphor and an added bonus on the Al Sharpton picture. What amazes me is that from one simple post you can deduce that I have no idea about race and blah blah blah blah blaaaaaaaah!

Listen Larry King you ever been thrown on the hood of a cop car because of how you look or have you ever been called a nigger or a spic to your face by a child? or told the only reason you got into college is because you can shoot a basketball??? wait have you ever lived in the DR...

here you and some of your friends on the board could use this...

 

[Mr. Lu]

my last post was for Dakra

 

[DAKRA]

What's Up with the Prep-H ???

Listen Larry King you ever been thrown on the hood of a cop car because of how you look or have you ever been called a nigger or a spic to your face by a child? or told the only reason you got into college is because you can shoot a basketball??? wait have you ever lived in the DR...

Mr. Lu - the answer is YES, I have been thrown on the hoop of a cop car (I am a 40 year old back guy)

and Yes, I have been called a N-*** to my face by a child, 2 children and moms and dads alike (I live in a mostly caucasion neighborhood) aranoid:

and Yes, I hve been told that I got into college cecause of my ability to play basketball (after all, I am pretty damn good at it) :bored:

but, NO, I have never lived in the DR. But I have been there 5 times before and racked-up over 81 days cummulative and 19,000 frequent flyer miles... :squareeye

So, You think I am "Larry King" - Nope, Just a Decent, {Good Looking}, Hard working, African American Guy who cares about Civil Rights.

CHECK-MATE!

 

[DAKRA]

Nice photo of Al. Didn't I see him wearing that tie at a Lacrosse game recently?

Here is Al back in the day..... - - - -

 

[olddog]

Robert...

I presume US bashing is "on" topic.

 

[Lambada]

What truly saddens me is the 'colonial' attitude displayed to Embassy staff (and some Embassy staff are Dominican btw) by, of all people, the Charg?, Mr. Bullen. Yes he is African American - you can check his photo on US Embassy website. He seems to have internalised the 'white man's curse' and is issuing a directive to his staff based on imperialist notions. True, he doesn't seem to know how things are done in the DR, how issues are sorted out etc but worse he is using methods which his forefathers suffered and fought against in the US. Somehow, I would have expected better of him. Ah well..............

 

[DAKRA]

Robert...

I presume US bashing is "on" topic.

I further presume that AL Sharpton bashing is also "on" topic.

 

[DAKRA]

What truly saddens me is the 'colonial' attitude displayed to Embassy staff (and some Embassy staff are Dominican btw) by, of all people, the Charg?, Mr. Bullen. Yes he is African American - you can check his photo on US Embassy website. He seems to have internalised the 'white man's curse' and is issuing a directive to his staff based on imperialist notions. True, he doesn't seem to know how things are done in the DR, how issues are sorted out etc but worse he is using methods which his forefathers suffered and fought against in the US. Somehow, I would have expected better of him. Ah well..............

What should he do? - Make and write the rules himself? - If he did that then he would be a fired.... Think about it!

 

[Chris]

Robert...

I presume US bashing is "on" topic.

Try sticking to commentary. The answer is unequivocally NO! Surely you can discuss an issue without bashing a country for the actions of one Charg??

Anyway, if you can't, then don't.

Racism is not OK in my book. But the actions of a club that has the right to decide who they let in, is fine.

Btw Sholly24, to clarify ... I used your words but my comment was not intended specifically at you ... It was more directed at the Royal You ... the embassy folks!

 

[La Mariposa]

You people are all off topic. Here's the real point, it's a private club and they can do what they want and let in who they want regardless. It's the same if i throw a party in my house, if I don't want you there, I don't want you there. So what's the difference with immigration policies? A sovereign nation can let in who they want, when they want, if they want. And Loft can do the same. They didn't want a Black guy in, fine. Maybe they want a "white" crowd, fine. Maybe it's not racism, maybe its just business and they can continue to have more patrons if they continue keeping a certain type of crowd and that's fine.
You people who are arguing about it as if it were the end of the world, but are just adding to the ridiculous nature of the event. He didn't get in, move on. I'm light skin and i've not been allowed in clubs and been harrased by cops and I haven't shed one tear about!!
And have we not considered the idea that Black Americans are at times more sensitive about racial issues, and will at times misinterpret certain things as being racist when they are not? I mean they come to the DR, and are told its a "racist" country before hand and automatically eveything becomes subject to race...jmmm

Maybe in the D.R. but not in a lot of other countries. It's called discrimination based on race, color and the fine is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[Mr. Lu]

Is this forum a Black whole? Am I in space? Can anyone understand what I am saying. Listen and Read!!! read between the lines. It's a private club and they can do what they want and let in who they want regardless. Do we need a dictionary so we can look up private? How's this I'll start showing up naked at each and everyone of your houses and when you dont let me in I'll sue on the basis of naked discrimination!!!!!!!!

Is it discrimination when you don't let crack whores into your house on the basis that its a crack whore? What, will the National Crack Whore Alliance sue me for not letting them in my house?????? People the whole idea of discrimination is backwards and antiquated. Hundreds of Black people who have been let into Praia, Tao, and Loft and blah blah blah blah....blah blah blah blah....You are all so self righteous, fighting a cause that doesnt exits while missing the real issues at hand.

 

[IslandDreaming]

Really Simple

I realize this does not address the topic of discrimination, bias and so forth, but the original issue seemed to be the US Embassy blacklisting this club and that is a very simple scenario.

US Embassy employees, like US Military personnel are bound by a code of conduct no matter where they are; if the Ambassador or Base Commander (Or Ships XO or whatever) deems a place off limits for whatever reason, thats the end of it.

US personnel are expected, no make that bound to obey the policies of the US Govt. and if the US Govt. feels the Dali Lama is conducting inappropriate actions, they may declare his bar off limits also

The US Embassy represents the United States in foreign countries so it's employees are not only expected to obey the laws of that country but the laws and morality of the US Govt (That's a tough one to swallow) as well

 

[Yarddog]

I'm a person of color that has traveled a fair bit in my life and I have to say that as a black american the DR is one of the few countries that I've not experienced a feeling of racism. Maybe my Spanish isn't good enough to know when someone's calling me a bad name but I think out of the 2 times a month I travel to the north coast for business I would have noticed something by now and I haven't. As for the original persons posting about Al Sharpton I'd really like to know how they would feel if denied access to an establishment solely because of the color of their skin? I agree that Mr. Sharpton is sometimes a bit over the top for the cause of racial equality but at least he keeps us aware of the fact that it still exists. As a kid I often thought that by the turn on the century we'd be living on the moon and taking space flights like a regular airplane flight. It's just unbelivable that now we are still discussing whether is O.K. to be a biggot.

 

[Chip]

As an American living in Santiago I at first wasn't witness to much racism but have learned, mostly throught this forum, that it does exist here. I also know the Dominicans certainly have a penchant for "lighter" skin and are generally anti-Haitian in opinion.

However, my personal experiances have do not lead me to believe that racism is at a high level here in the DR. This could propbably be because the racists, whether white or fair skinned mulattoes are in such a minority here. This is an important distinction that many seem not to grasp - yes the DR has it's racism just like anywhere else in the world but at a very low level.

One example of anything but racist treatment here in Santiago is on a whim I decided to show off to my wife's first cousin, Roberto, the Camp David Restaurant, which is right around the corner from my house. Roberto happened to be visiting from NY and was my best friend here in the DR when I first lived here in the DR. Anyway, Roberto is as black as "Arenque" as they say and I'm white as "leche". Upon arriving we promptly get a table whereupon the waiter tells me that he can't serve me because I was in a tank top - he didn't say anything to Roberto, who had just a tshirt and shorts on though - and the guy was as white as they come for Dominicans.

 

[Mr. Lu]

good post yarddog..and its ok to be a biggot if you want to be. so there shouldnt be a discussion on that...

 

[papinice88]

I cannot believe that this Establishment would come out straiht out and tell this person that he is not allow to enter this club because of his skin color

Because if this is true it is a disgrace. all of us that are Dominican should be embarrass of this incident. there is nothing funny about this incident

 

[Mr. Lu]

Get a sense of humor papinice88, and a new handle while your at it. This is hilarious and who's embarrased? We should be embarrased at our politicians, the metro, the police, our driving skills, corruption blah blah blah blah the dirty streets blah blah blan blah. Some black dude doesnt get into a club and all of sudden the Apocalypse is here? Get a life people.

 

[laurapasinifan]

intersting thread...I am glad robert let it take its own course as long as it didnt drive itself into the ocean!!!

it is tough to say you are opened minded and give an opinion when there are clearly sides....and you are a standout color on one of those sides.

but i try to always take things on with an open mind, and for sure if it isnt on the same wave length as another person they easily see it as biased.....so for now i will leave out the race issue on this thread.

I will address the US Embassy's action..... and I also think it is because of someone in power or connected to power was slighted. PLEASE dont tell us that people in power dont over step their authority.

the US Embassy issues an offical statement because of this ONE CLUB!!!

what about the american who was robbed in Puerto plata, what about the american who was swindled in Higuey, what about the american that was blackmailed into admitting a crime just to be able to go home.....yes these examples are made up....but they happen every week in the DR......and there is no OFFICIAL statement.

I know they recently put up a new warning about crime on the roads between santiago and the north coast earlier this year...but that took many months after certain events took place before that warning was issued.

BUT one event at a night club and wham...we got an offical statement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

no one was shot no ones was beaten, no one was robbed......someones feelings were hurt........

apparently clubs can be biased...if I dont have a collared shirt..I cant get in....I know in some clubs in america, if the door man dont think you look cool or will fit into the clubs vibe...you dont get in!!!!!!!!

it isnt so hard to believe that goes on in the DR.

I dont think race was the intended target in this thread, but the use of it to "get back" at the club puts it in the line of fire.

also dont agree with the embassy applying us laws to the DR as justification to making their "statement".

it just smacks of special treatment given all the problems that REGULARLY happen in the DR to americans that are much more serious than this incident

bob

 

[Mr. Lu]

finally someone gets it! good job laurapausinifan...