Bear with me if you will - this article really is about car stuff. It is about discrimination and betrayal.
We were passing through Bessemer, Alabama in 1962, my dad, kid brother and myself, on a road trip that Dad hoped would help us cope with my mother's death. We stopped in a diner for lunch. And being a northerner, I was shocked when a colored man came in and was told he was not allowed in the place simply because he was black.
I was just a kid, but I knew that was wrong - VERY wrong. It is almost always wrong to discriminate, and be exclusionary. That says that some people are better, or more worthy, than others. Superior.
Some folks, even today, think it is OK to discriminate against others. Thankfully, they are in the minority these days.
So you know I was not only shocked, but angered, when we drove over to Blast from The Past in Waterboro for the weekly Friday cruise-in, as we have been doing ever since they started having cruise-ins years ago, and we were told that they were no longer allowing any "new" cars into their cruise. They turned us away, because they were discriminating against newer vehicles, as if somehow they are not as worthy as others. Somehow, having a customized NEW vehicle meant our money was no good in their diner. We had become second-class citizens - at least to the people who own Blast.
We have been sharing Friday nights with our car friends for years. Suddenly, we are no longer allowed to join our friends at Blast From The Past.
I found this revolting, to say the least. And I feel betrayed. We, and HotKarz, have been supportive of Blast for years. We have promoted, supported and dined there. They have ACTIVELY solicited promotion from us. And now they turn their backs on us just because our car does not suit their "standards".
We feel like that colored man in that diner in Bessemer in 1962.
Pardon me for saying so, but I cannot - will not - support any business that refuses to return the favor because of their prejudice. No longer will Blast From The Past get any more business, support or promotion from my family, or from HotKarz. And it is not out of vindictiveness - it is simply because what they are doing is just, plain wrong! And I try not to stand on the wrong side of any issue if I can help it. As far as I am concerned, discriminating against me because of my car is no different from discriminating against a person because of their skin color, or the church they go to, or their sex.
Imagine if they suddenly said "You cannot join your friends because your car is blue". Or because you have a Ford. Or because it is owned by a woman. If YOU were the one being excluded and discriminated against, how would you feel, particularly if you had been supporting and promoting them for years, providing free advertising, and suddenly you are no longer welcome?
Yes, I am angry. I have every right to be. And if Blast, or any other cruise location is going to exclude certain kinds of vehicles, they have an obligation to make that known BEFORE folks show up at their doorstep. When we received the cruise info from Blast, to post on HotKarz, there was no mention that certain vehicles would be banned.
I realize that the folks who are fortunate enough to have the "right kind" of vehicles will still patronize Blast, and that is too bad, because in doing so, those folks are telling Blast that it is OK to discriminate, and to exclude certain groups. And that is never OK. Because next time, it might be you.
One commenter, below, says we could have parked elsewhere. That is NOT the issue. The issue is simple and clear - we were told, FLAT OUT, that newer cars like ours are NOT welcome to join in the cruise-in. The fact that they want us to still spend our money even after being turned away from the cruise is just as wrong as the discrimination. If we are not good enough to participate in the cruise, then we are not good enough to come in and spend our money! Yes, we left. We left because we will NOT patronize any business that treats us like second-class citizens - "back of the bus" people.
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5 comments:
That is just plain STUPID and WRONG, What do they expect to gain from such a bone headed statement like that? one more parking spot? Hey "Blast of the Past" you now have my spot as well.
Hi Bill,
It happened twice to me at The Blast: The first time it happened this year I drove my 65 Mustang fastback to the diner and he told me that I would have to park it in the back parking lot. Bill, you know the car and it has one numerous trophies and to be put in the back was not taken lightly by me. The 2nd time, I brought my 06 Mustang GT convertible and he instructed me that I could not go in with the cars on the right side of the building. I was going to leave and he told me there was a spot as you enter the driveway on your left and to park it there. I thoguht he had something against me but I don't even know the guy. I agree with you, all cars whether they're 2009 or 1930 in a cruise in should be able to park where they want. I was going to write this in your blog sooner but I thought I was the only one. I'll tell you one thing, you won't see me there ever again. There are enough shows around, and by the way I'm 45 miles away from there.
-Bill Gribizis
I must inform you of one very large mistake in your blog, the Blast and the Rock & Roll diners are in NO WAY connected. They are owned and operated by totally different people,they most certainly are not sister dinners.You chose to leave, you could have parked on the side that was not full along with many others.
Been to both places a few times. Not anymore. This is going to spread around like wildfire. Nuff said. Dale. (Lowbird)
you guys can stay home its more room for the rest of us
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