I don't know why you liberals are always claiming racism. I mean, racism doesn't even happen anymore. Oh, maybe off like in some town in Alabama or something, but not in, like, you know, a real place. And not to anybody respectable, you know? Maybe like some homeless guy or something. But unless you're in some backwater nowhere, we all get along and nobody discriminates.
I mean, some of my best Facebook friends are black. I think. I mean, they could be, right?
Leo Nocentelli, guitarist for the seminal funk band The Meters, winner of a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award, was trying to check into his hotel room on Market Street in San Francisco, California yesterday afternoon after a sound check. The band's current keyboard player, Rich Vogel, had already gotten back and checked in when the three remaining members showed up and were told they had to pay security deposits for incidentals on their rooms.
The rooms had already been pre-paid by the promoter who'd brought the band to SF. Vogel was not asked for a security deposit.
Guess what Vogel's race is.
Think I'm stretching here, seeing patterns where none exist? Little racial apophenia? Maybe I should let Jason Perkins, the promoter, tell the story himself:
"I bought 4 rooms for the band and prepaid for them on debit card. After sound check, Leo and the band went to the hotel and tried to check in. The manager refused to accept 3 of 4 members credit cards for incidentals (4th member is Rich Vogel/white dude). Leo called me and (my family and I) drove to the hotel at 7:30 pm. I asked what the hell and manager pointed at 3 members and said he wouldn't accept credit cards and "those people" need to pay cash deposit. When I asked what did he mean by "those people" - he pointed at Leo and said "black people."
I felt like I was hit in the face. It was stunning. I called the police and when they arrived, the police went through it with him and then he caught himself and said that they cannot check in any longer as he didn't feel "safe." He then refused to talk.
The manager's not the only one who refused to talk about it. The chain and its parent company both went seriously mealymouthed when asked for comment. "The managers are all franchisees. It wouldn't be appropriate for us to comment." "You should talk with the manager."
Yes. The manager. Who doesn't like "those people," who refused to give his name, even to the police investigating the incident. Who will not comment because he's being "harassed."
Multiple accounts of the incident may be found (SFGate, Times-Pic). They are carefully couched in words like "alleged" and "claims." Understandable, I guess, from the editors' point of view.
Still, the only thing I can see that needs CYA modifiers are the "claims" and "allegations" that racism split town sometime in November of 2008, scampered out of "real" places and now is maintained in a few preserves in its natural, wild state.
Correction: I'm terribly sorry, but I didn't check the dates on the reports and did not realize this is an old story. Please forgive me, as it was new to me