Get A Taco But Don't Kiss At Chico's Tacos/OR KISS IN SALT LAKE CITY

I hope they make a big fuss

Since the city has an anti-discrimination ordinance, it was the security guards who were violating the law.  They should be fired.  And the restaurant should be boycotted.

Also, how does El Paso have police officers who clearly don't even know what the law is?

Also, why does a taqueria need security guards?

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by: JosephineTx @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 12:10:57 PM CDT

Chico's your dumb ass security guard just bought you HORRENDOUS PR

Now i have to figure out how I'd boycott a Texas restaurant I'd never eat at it.

What have you done today, to make ya feel PROUD?


~Heather Small

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by: peteyPornpig @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 12:14:55 PM CDT

Here's more coverage of the story, which has 7000+ google news stories

   http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_...
The rationalizing and hiding and lawyering up has started

"An assistant manager at Chico's Tacos declined to comment Wednesday, except to say the owners of the restaurant were out of town and could not be reached. An official with All American International Security, the firm contracted by Chico's Tacos to supply guards, said one member of the security crew was contacting a lawyer. He would say no more.

El Paso police Detective Carlos Carrillo said a more appropriate charge for what happened at Chico's Tacos would probably be criminal trespass.

"The security guard received a complaint from some of the customers there," Carrillo said. "Every business has the right to refuse service. They have the right to refuse service to whoever they don't want there. That's their prerogative."

Briana Stone, a lawyer with the Paso del Norte Civil Rights Project, disagreed.

She said the city anti-discrimination ordinance protects people on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation in public places. Perhaps more troubling, she said, was that the police officer chose not to enforce that ordinance and might have contributed to discrimination.

"This is such a blatant refusal to uphold the law on account of discrimination," she said. "The result is devastating. The Police Department is allowing that and even participating in it by refusing to enforce an anti-discrimination ordinance, which is what their job is"

What have you done today, to make ya feel PROUD?


~Heather Small

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by: peteyPornpig @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 12:22:31 PM CDT

I assume this rathole has a drive thru

Wouldn't it be amusing if 300-400 cars lined up and each driver got to the window and asked the price of the HETERO-TACO and can you get it with sour cream and discrimination on the side?

What have you done today, to make ya feel PROUD?


~Heather Small

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by: peteyPornpig @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 12:56:06 PM CDT

I wouldn't have left.

Until I received the citation for homosexual conduct.

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by: sammyseattle @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 13:31:01 PM CDT

Police

I believe that most of the police force in the U.S. consists of the 50% of the population that has less than a 100 intelligence quotient.  They are about the dumbest people around and they are supposed to protect and serve the public?  OMG

The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. - The U.S. Constitution Article IV.Section. 2. Clause 1

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by: Mbarber @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 14:39:08 PM CDT

Horrible

If I lived in El Paso, I'd take my boyfriend there and make out until we got arrested

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by: shaz4005 @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 14:56:07 PM CDT

exactly!

The protest should repeat the offense.  Nightly.  Scads of same-sex couples kissing.  Not groping and mauling, just kissing.  But again and again—in line, on the way to the table, between bites, between sips.

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by: 555catnap @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 17:53:12 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

another protest

Have folks get take out food from surrounding restaurants and eat it on the sidewalk in front of this place, moving like a protest, and not lingering long enough to be arrested for loitering....then dump  your empty food bags in THEIR trash containers.
This will visibly show them the loss of business they might have had, and annoy them too.
The simple pleasures really are the best.
Sit Ins where each person places their hand on the knee of the next person, gets the message across without any allegations of groping, or inapprpriate behavior.

What have you done today, to make ya feel PROUD?


~Heather Small

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by: peteyPornpig @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 18:14:51 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

"another story"

Since this has been front paged here, could you post a link or two to your sources?  Thanks.

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by: Pollyanna @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 14:56:56 PM CDT

I had no problem finding links to this story on google news

search....Chico's, El Paso TX

What have you done today, to make ya feel PROUD?


~Heather Small

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by: peteyPornpig @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 15:00:03 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

To expand on my comment...

1.) I don't expect people's diaries to pass some Journalism School Standard, but when one of those is front-paged, I'd like to think that whoever is doing the promoting would recognize the really basic concept of referencing one's news stories.

This is especially pertinent here recently.  I'm thinking Rachel Roo.  But it is a big deal in the blogosphere.  Some are grappling with publishing standards that blogs might adhere to (or not), and one of the things I've seen is not posting stories without two sources to verify your "news" items.

2.) I'm lazy. Why should I have to source someone else's work?  He took the time to write this up, so why wouldn't he drop in a source for this, unless maybe he was more concerned with driving the reader to (one of) his own blog(s)?

3.) The last comment I read from Lyndon was one pointing readers to another of his blogs wherein he coupled Pam Spaulding with Bill O'Reilly and said

Don't you two fools have more important things to worry about and exploit. http://bitchyoldqueen.blogspot...

so I was just taking the opportunity to tweak a tweaker. Can't I have a little fun?

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by: Pollyanna @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 15:25:09 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Yuh kin bust muh boo-te-aye anytime ...

Thanks Pollyanna ... tweak back at ya.

Just because your voice reaches halfway around the world doesn't mean you are wiser than when it reached only to the end of the bar. - Edward R Murrow

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by: Lyndon @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 15:57:41 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Blog links

I also hate the other extreme when a blogger just posts a link without any introduction or comment other than:

OMG! You must read this [link].

I don't like wasting my time clicking through to a story just to find out it is something I'm not really interested in.

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by: Stephanie @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 16:21:22 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Regarding source ...

it is in the posting at FOCUS.

Apparently this posting here on the front page was bumped up from my Diary.

I was pleasantly surprised to see it here, thanks to whoever bumped it.

Just because your voice reaches halfway around the world doesn't mean you are wiser than when it reached only to the end of the bar. - Edward R Murrow

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by: Lyndon @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 15:41:56 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

A little accuracy...

...El Paso's not in the "heart" of Texas. It's at the very west end of the state.

Not only was Dubya born in Connecticut, he went to high school in Massachusetts and college in Connecticut. New Englanders get to claim him, too. It's a split, thanks.

That said, I've eaten at Chico's. Their food is disgusting anyway.

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by: ElsieElsie @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 15:28:28 PM CDT

Oh my ...

I guess you don't read muh blogs otherwise you'd have gotten muh humor.

1: "Deep In The Heart Of Texas", I'm an old boomer fart I know but surely (yes I know, don't call me Surely) you've heard of the song.

2: It's a common joke here in CT about Dubya being born here as you will see in the photo on my blog "The Danbury Blogger" ... http://danburyblogger.blogspot...

Just because your voice reaches halfway around the world doesn't mean you are wiser than when it reached only to the end of the bar. - Edward R Murrow

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by: Lyndon @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 16:02:19 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Get to claim him,

or have to claim him?  ;-)

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by: PSzymeczek @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 16:11:46 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Nope

We're not claiming him at all.

The high school can be explained away in that he didn't really have a choice to come here since he was underage at the time (his parents made him do it).

The accident of his birth being in CT is mere randomness, and (I assume) he only went to Yale because he couldn't get into the local community college and his daddy promised them a new building.

He claims to be Texan -- that makes him yours. :-)

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by: Lane @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 17:10:48 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

First off, why in hades does a off-brand Taco Bell

(I'm assuming that's what this is) need a security guard?  And second, didn't SCOTUS declare Texas' anti-gay law UNCONSTITUTIONAL?

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by: PSzymeczek @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 16:08:33 PM CDT

It's illegal

to sell a dildo in TX, so you really think they couldn't find some kind of morals law on the books that prevented PDAs? Maybe it hasn't been enforced since 1938, but if it's there, and it doesn't specifically mention teh gays, they could arrest you for it.

Cause any fool knows, a dog needs a home; a shelter from pigs on the wing

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by: QueerInSoCal @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 16:11:35 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

On that note, I get to post the Dildo Diaries Documentary

with the incomparable Molly Ivins talking about the Texas dildo educational model and sodomy laws:

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by: craigkg @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 16:19:41 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Fantastic vid!

That's hilarious.  I'd never seen that before, even though I know a couple of the people who appeared in it.

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by: JosephineTx @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 16:31:37 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

the world was a sadder place

when we lost Molly Ivins. I've sorely missed her columns and no one can come close to her wonderful viewpoint.

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by: chef kat @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 16:59:46 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I miss Molly, and Ann Richards too

To think all TX has now is Perry, Delay, and Bushes...what a steep fall, for a once interesting state.

What have you done today, to make ya feel PROUD?


~Heather Small

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by: peteyPornpig @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 17:20:17 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

We still have Jim Hightower, Liz Carpenter, Bill Moyers, Dan Rather...

...and, hopefully for a while longer though he is in very poor health, Walter Cronkite. Granted the later three are not know for a biting humorous take on politics, but they all remain important and highly regarded political journalists from Texas.

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by: craigkg @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 17:27:40 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

And we still have the Texas Observer...

...says a proud subscriber.

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by: JosephineTx @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 18:42:23 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

"Granted the later three are not know for a biting humorous take on politics"

Oh, I think I'd put Rather in there for his occasional unintentional hilarity.

And I'll add my thanks for that very funny video. I'd never seen it before.

It's hard to think of the world of Texas political humor without Molly in it.

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by: Pollyanna @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 22:45:52 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Moyers

Moyers may not be known for biting humour, but when he does want to take a position he tends to say something concise, quotable, and effective -- not the same emotional release for the rest of us as a barbed zinger, but the man can string words together nicely.
 

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by: d'glenn @ Fri Jul 10, 2009 at 18:30:20 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Moyers

Moyers may not be known for biting humour, but when he does want to take a position he tends to say something concise, quotable, and effective -- not the same emotional release for the rest of us as a barbed zinger, but the man can string words together nicely.
 

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by: d'glenn @ Fri Jul 10, 2009 at 18:30:21 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Bless your little heart ....

Great vid, I'll be using it on Bitchy Old Queen on Friday.

This is the best thing about the I-net, I never know where I'll end up finding good material for the blog.

http://bitchyoldqueen.blogspot...

I'll be sure to give you a hat tip (H/T)

Just because your voice reaches halfway around the world doesn't mean you are wiser than when it reached only to the end of the bar. - Edward R Murrow

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by: Lyndon @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 21:57:09 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

This is exactly what made Molly such a treasure,

and exactly why her death was such a loss.

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by: PSzymeczek @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 23:36:41 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

That law was overturned

It's now legal to sell and own as many dildos as you want.  Thank God!  Otherwise, I'd be in real trouble.

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by: JosephineTx @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 16:20:49 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Bushes and Conneticutt.

Prescott Bush during the time that his bank was seized for financing the Nazi's spent his time being bagman for the Republican party in Connecticut.  Now this didn't pay great although he had eventually illegally gotten his hands on ALL of the assets of a bank that he held no stock in, but nevermind.

For being the bagman, he was elected senator.  He got on the committee that was studying the oil depletion allowance that forces you and me to pay more taxes than any of the major oil corporations.

Now Prescott would never have taken a bribe.  No sireee. But his boy George H W Bush got a $1,000,000 unsecured loan to deal in the oil business and when he fucked that up and was being investigated by the post office for mail fraud, his company miraculously found oil in Kuwait where a tiny triangle appeared not to have been leased.  The other three sides were major oil companies who had all struck oil, so Zapata Corp hit oil and George H W Bush did not go to jail for mail fraud as he should have for selling shares through the mails in his bankrupt and in debt company.

Also, there are no records in existence of anyone leasing George an oil drilling rig.

As Paul Harvey used to lie in his right wing nut job radio show, Now you know the rest of the story.

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by: less is more @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 20:49:02 PM CDT

Video from yesterday's protest

http://www.newspapertree.com/n...

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by: JoshMich @ Fri Jul 10, 2009 at 11:21:57 AM CDT

The City of El Paso Responded Quickly

What happened in this situation is unacceptable, but you have to give the city of El Paso some credit for moving forward on this in a very positive and rapid manner.

The original officer was in error when he informed the gentlemen that a) they could be charged with homosexual conduct, and b) a cafe has the right to refuse service.  His supervisor, who supported him was also wrong when he said that the cafe a) had a right to refuse service and b) the correct accusation should have been something along the lines of trespass.  

The city council immediately jumped on this and talked to the chief of police.  He stepped up and issued a statement saying that his officers were incorrect in their assessment of the situation.  Not only is homosexual conduct not illegal it was ruled okay by the Supreme Court.  Secondly there is a city ordinance that makes it illegal to refuse service based on someone's sexual orientation.  

The only big problem left is for Chico's Tacos to step up and make an apology.  They need to discipline their staff, and the security team that was there (i.e. firing that agency for their ignorance and bringing such bad publicity on their company.)  

Also, it will be a great opportunity to educate the public of the city that gay people are here and that you can't judge them and act like their affection is any different than heterosexual conduct.  

Please read the developing story in these articles.  Fort Worth could take a great lesson from this.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_... (story filed 7/8)
http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_... (Story filed 7/9)
http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_... (Story filed 7/9)
http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_... (Story filed 7/10)

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by: texasman @ Fri Jul 10, 2009 at 13:50:20 PM CDT