"Bigotry go away. No more mister nice gay," the group chanted.
The group was assembled to show support from a young Portland resident who was forced by Javapalooza owner Neil Dinerman to leave the shop after carrying in a competitor's coffee.
The young man claims Dinerman lifted him from his seat by his coat, and used a derogatory anti-gay slur.
Dinerman admitted Saturday that he used the anti-gay insult, but was not aware of the young man's sexual orientation. Saturday he said that he did not put his hands on the young man in ejecting him from the cafe. Dinerman claimed he used the insult as he might have used many others. In any case, Dinerman regretted his choice of words, and losing his temper. Dinerman apologized to representatives of Queer Liberation at a meeting Saturday, but would not relinquish his right, as a business owner, to ask customers who carried competitor's products, to leave.
Dinerman was not at the restaurant on Sunday during the teach-in because, store representatives said, he was away on family business.
The group asked Dinerman to deliver a written apology, in which he promises to make the coffeeshop a welcome and safe place for all individuals, and they asked him to make a $1,000 donation to gay support group True Colors.
A restaurant spokesperson, who would only identify himself as "Charlie," a silent partner and close friend of Dinerman's, said Dinerman would deliver the apology via email to the group on Monday, and would make a contribution to True Colors.
While some members of the group picketed, others stood behind parked cars and held flags up for those passing by. Occasionally a horn would sound to signal support.
Tim Driscoll is a frequent Javapalooza customer who often brings his daughter to the shop to hang out with friends.
"Knowing Neil, I'm not completely surprised," Driscoll said. "He sometimes has an agressive edge with customers, and it's not exactly the best way for a shop owner to be. Young kids like to hang out here, and this is not acceptable to them, and he's got to know that."By the time the teach-in began, about sixty-five supporters sat at table sipping coffee drinks and water as several speakers talked about rights of customers, individuals and workers.
McAuliffe accused Dinerman of having a history of agressive behavior. She based her accusations on anonymous comments on the Queer Liberation blog, and a verbal report from Middletown Police that they had "several complaints," about Dinerman.
"We brought our business here today," McAuliffe said. "But we can use our organization skills to shut this place down if the owner does not meet our demands."
Charlie, the store representative, was the final speaker, telling the assembled group that Dinerman regretted his actions, that he would deliver the written apology and would make the contribution to True Colors.
"I support what you're doing here today," Charlie said. "And I want you to know that you are welcome here, and can feel safe here."
McAuliffe said the group would not be satisfied until the written apology and the donation. She ended the meeting with a poem she wrote.
16 comments:
Apology needed? Yes, of course; he behaved badly. Being more polite to customers? Yes, that's just good business sense. But being forced to make a $1000 donation to the gay rights organization, under threat of harm to the business? They've promised to organize a boycott of the business if the owner does not "give in to their demans." That's called extortation, especially where such a large sum of money is involved.
Well, if they try to extort Javapalooza, and then try to boycott, I know where I'll be going for coffee from now on. I'll give them all the business I can.
If any harm, in anyway, comes to this business...then the leaders of this group should be arrested. This country has had enough threats and violence to last a lifetime!
I agree that there should be a public apology, but the kid who brought in outside food/drink should also apologize. It is common courtesy to NOT bring in outside food and drink to a restaurant. As for any other "demands", they are ridiculous and this does not need to be turned into an anti-gay movement, I don't think that was what it was ever about.
The comments on this post are interesting. All are anonymous so far and all seem to ignore the fact that an adult used language utterly inappropriate for addressing a young person. This is not about some group receiving "special rights" and there were no threats or acts of violence made by those staging the protest. In case you have been living under a rock, the first amendment states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Those who chose to protest on Sunday were within their rights as Americans, just as the business owner was within his rights to use offensive language. Neither speech nor protest is a reason for arrest.
Kerri,
You need to calm down. The customer (I'm assuming he bought something, but maybe not) was insensitive, and the act was insulting to someone who is busting his hump trying to make a living. As much as you would like to believe it, the First Amendment was barely nicked in your fight for humanity!
The issue here is one of justice, of righting a wrong. The owner verbally abused a young queer man using language too vile to quote here. He publicly humiliated him. According to the victim, the owner laid hands on him and forcibly ejected him from the cafe. This is behavior from a man in his sixties against a teenager! Who is the adult in this picture? This bullying would traumatize anyone, especially a young man who is just entering adulthood. There are also other victims here. Any time hate speech or hate aggression is used against a member of a minority group, the entire group feels the attack and lives in fear. That is why we have hate crimes laws to protect women, racial, religious, and sexual minorities among others. No queer person can feel safe any longer within the cafe until the owner makes amends to the queer community. And before this abuse, many queer people, especially the Wesleyan queer community, frequented the establishment.
If you accidentally bump someone in the street, you apologize. If you break something, you replace it. If you speak hate and abuse a minority group you make amends. It's that simple. If you think the amends demanded hurt, think about how hate speech hurts emotionally and psychologically. One cannot put a price on the harm inflicted on this young man. Let's not forget that he is the person who was traumatized here.
The queer community is not out to punish the owner but to resolve the injury peacefully. Following the amends, the queer community is quite willing to return to patronize the cafe and to encourage other people to do so. So from a business point of view, the amends may be seen as an investment in future business. Thus they are win-win solution for both the queer community and the owner. It's about repairing an injury.
An Apology was needed in this incident. But asking for a donation to any your organization is wrong. Good way to lose support you might have had in the community. Because you come off looking worse than the person who you were boycotting.
I have been called many names though out my life. I have asked for nothing other than an apology. No matter how cruel it was.
Kerri they are within their right to protest and speak their minds. We agree on that. But I don't agree with the asking for a donation as "payment" for his action. That is where the group over reached badly and lost me as someone who could support their cause.
I personally believe the owner was correct in having the customer leave. Perhaps the owner's language was uncalled for - so an apology is all that is needed- NO DONATIONS TO ANYTHING.
How long do you think someone bringing a pizza from DOMINOS would
be allowed to stay in FIRST AND LAST RESTAURANT!
I agree, I really don't think the donation is necessary. It will be a donation given for the wrong reasons. You are not changing this mans mind, you are not changing anyones mind. All this is accomplishing is getting Neal to pretend he cares.
What is the goal? Is the goal eventual liberation or is the goal revenge? An apology is appropriate, I agree with that. But no liberation is going to come of this. Neal will now censor himself, but he will not stop thinking the way he thinks.
Consciousness revolution is necessary for liberation. Consciousness revolution cannot come from protests or teach-in's. People have to reach it themselves. You can't change anyone's mind, you can only make them lie.
Making someone donate to an organization they don't want to donate to is not liberation. It is not changing anything, just hiding it.
Also, threats of shutting down the business are incredibly offensive to me. I am in now way excusing the use of that particular insult. I think it is horrible, and he is completely in the wrong for it no matter what he says. But, in the end, Neal is still a human being. Shutting down his establishment will do NOTHING for the movement, so if that is even a thought it should be disbanded. All it will do is destroy the livelihood of a human being who made a mistake.
You have to be able to empathize with people, even if they do things that you think are completely horrible. It's impossible to create a liberated world by separating ourselves into enemies and martyrs. We need to view everyone as the human beings that they are, treat them with kindness and respect even if they don't treat us that way, and encourage peace and love. Shutting down his business would not encourage peace and love. It would make a fellow human being's life extremely difficult. Is that really what we should be doing?
Martyrs don't do anything, and there's no need for them in a movement. We need to unite with everyone and treat everyone as part of our family if we are ever to achieve liberation.
The QLF was demanding positive action from Mr. Dinerman to make up for the negative action he had against the queer community. I think asking for action makes perfect sense, after all action speaks much louder than words. Also, the QLF is not asking for money for their organization. They asked for another 3rd party organization that could use the money for very productive and positive action in the queer community. Mr. Dinerman took away comfort, QLF is asking him to actively put comfort back. If Mr. Dinerman thought up his own action that could restore comfort than I know for a fact the group would be willing to accept that. However, Mr. Dinerman is barely cooperating. He failed to show his face or support at the action on Sunday, which could have provided a show of good will which the group is demanding.
Also, Mr. Dinerman didn't just "behave badly". He put his hands on a customer and called him a "dick sucking faggot". An apology of just words doesn't make up for that. There should have been police action in response to Dinerman's actions but they neglected to appropriately respond and I admire the Queer Liberation Front for taking justice into their own hands. Keep up the good fight. People told Martin Luther King Jr. to slow down. People told him not to come to their towns and mess up the existing "harmony". But he persisted and at least the South is a better place because of it. Too bad people in the North think everything is already "fine".
Forcing someone to do something is not liberation, it's fascism.
Neal,
Don't give these arrogant leaches one red cent!
Do you realize how many civil rights leaders you're calling fascist then? And any protester who has ever made a demand...
How come no one on these comments is frustrated that the police failed to respond to a hate crime? Why focus on the rights of the attacker? Shouldn't you be more concerned the victim in seeing justice?
To Anonymous 12:31 PM.
Oh please peace and love. Been there, done that and got hit over the head and kicked in my sideFar too many times to believe in pipe dreams.
Did you ever stop to think that perhaps your idea of liberation is so much different than mine or the next gal. Consciousness revolution has come many times from protests, teach-in's, consciousness raising groups, and many other ways. Yes we reach it ourselves but with others also. No revolution is ever accomplished by a one man band.
I am 62 years old, and have been in the movement since 1965 all along the way folks have been my guide and I theirs. Many have helped me to raise my consciousness and to come to an understanding of what queer liberation and the liberation of the oppressed is all about.
I am afraid that most of the anonymous commentors on this blog just don't get it. Liberals leave yourselfs at home please and get out of the way.
R. Nelson, Queers on the Prowl
I'm really surprised that so many people would apparently feel comfortable frequenting a business owned by a man known to put hands on his customers for any reason at all beyond self defense.
Post a Comment