SC Restaurant Owner Refuses To Serve Blacks, Cites Religious Beliefs

[Doobie Doo]

SC Restaurant Owner Refuses To Serve Blacks, Cites Religious Beliefs July 2, 2014 By Manny Schewitz 646 Comments 213k1,986 In South Carolina, a BBQ restaurant owner claimed that he was within his rights to refuse service to blacks based on his religious beliefs. In the case brought before the Supreme Court, Maurice Bessinger stated that his religion required him to keep black people from eating in his restaurant, although he was perfectly OK with taking their money, so long as they ordered their food to-go. The attorney representing the petitioners suing Piggie Park also addressed in court the “First Amendment religious privilege claim that petitioner asserted that his religion required him” to deny service to black customers. “I’m just a fair man. I want to be known as a hard-working, Christian man that loves God and wants to further (God’s) work throughout the world as I have been doing throughout the last 25 years.” (Source) And now for you who actually took the time to read the story instead of basing your outrage solely off a headline before sharing with an ALL CAPS blurb of “SEE? I TOLD YOU THE SOUTH WAS FULL OF RACISTS!!!”, this case was heard by the Supreme Court in 1968. 50 years ago, Mr. Bessinger used a similar argument as Hobby Lobby to say that despite laws outlawing segregation, his religious beliefs trumped federal law under the 1st Amendment. Maurice Bessinger also lost his appeal to the Supreme Court, in an unanimous decision of 8-0. Like Hobby Lobby, Maurice’s Piggie Park BBQ wanted to use the 1st Amendment in order to claim freedom of religion to impose the out of touch views of the owner on others. Not only content to discriminate against blacks at his own establishments, Maurice Bessinger also then used his influence against another restaurant owner who integrated his business. Oh yeah, and then he ran for office, lost and blamed intellectuals and liberals. Sound familiar? In 1963, Bessinger became angry at a Spartanburg restaurant owner who had integrated his restaurant. Bessinger met with other restaurant owners to force the man to resign as president of the S.C. Restaurant Association — a group he later led as president. In 1964, Bessinger ran for the S.C. House. He lost by about 100 votes and blamed his defeat on what he called the “Shandon Mafia” – an “exclusive elite section of Columbia” that had “large numbers of out-of-staters, college professors, government officials and other liberals,” according to his biography. Even Mr. Bessinger’s own brother turned on him when the NAACP threatened a boycott after it was revealed that he was distributing pro-slavery literature in his restaurants, causing almost every grocery chain, including Wal-Mart, to yank his product from the shelves. Yet, he stood by his racism even though it cost him almost 98 percent of his business. Maurice Bessinger died earlier this year and his children took over the restaurant chain in 2010 with no interest in using the business to engage in the angry, racial politics of their father. The Confederate pictures and the pro-slavery literature are now gone, and the Stars and Bars that used to fly over each Piggie Park location have been taken down as well. Like Maurice Bessinger, Hobby Lobby represents another, less blatant generation of people who still want to shove their prejudices and ignorance down the throats of others behind the guise of “religious freedom.” Fortunately, just as Mr. Bessinger and his racism shuffled off this mortal coil and into the dustbin history, so will the owners of Hobby Lobby and their religious bigotry. By the way, if you ever find yourself in the Columbia, SC area, do stop in and try some BBQ at Piggie Park, and let me know how it was. I passed on multiple opportunities to eat there in my many journeys throughout the South because of the blatant racism of their now deceased owner. According to my mother, it’s damn good stuff, even if it is South Carolina style, mustard-based sauce. I prefer East Carolina, vinegar-based sauce, just in case you were wondering.

Read more at: http://www.forwardprogressives.com/sc-restaurant-owner-refuses-serve-blacks-cites-religious-beliefs/


http://www.forwardprogressives.com/sc-restaurant-owner-refuses-serve-blacks-cites-religious-beliefs/

 

[Nomad1]

That's why Black people need to start (or further continue) supporting Black businesses. fukk him and his restaurant

 

[BaldingSoHard]

On one hand, I think it's great that America is a place where you have the right to have an outwardly racist restaurant. That's the shyt that freedom is made of, no matter how misguided.
On the other hand, . Not sure how he was able to keep the restaurant open that long.
Also, the Supreme Court.

 

[johntheblackjew]

You can tell who didn't read the article


But it amazes me that lots of black folks don't see how the basic premise of the struggle for sane right is the same as the civil rights

 

[Prynce]

I don't want to eat no where I'm not wanted.

 

[Doobie Doo]

I don't want to eat no where I'm not wanted.

That's how I feel. I honestly respect anybody whose willing to promote their hatred of certain people over money. It's actually kind of noble putting your moral's over money. I'm not with forcing somebody to deal with you unless it's a government position or something you pay with your tax dollars.

 

[MAKAVELI25]

On one hand, I think it's great that America is a place where you have the right to have an outwardly racist restaurant. That's the shyt that freedom is made of, no matter how misguided.

Actually, you DON'T have that right. The commerce clause allows the feds to disallow such discrimination

 

[BaldingSoHard]

Actually, you DON'T have that right. The commerce clause allows the feds to disallow such discrimination

Well I mean...

You have the right to have a restaurant (business) where your beliefs are on full-display, I meant.
Swastikas, and klan sigils and shyt if that's your thing.
Power fists and fat asses on the other end.
You're right that you can't explicitly discriminate against patrons legally.
But you can create an environment so caustic that nobody you hate would reasonably want to be there.

 

[⠀⠀⠀]

this guy died over a year ago.

why you posting this old sh't

 

[Doobie Doo]

this guy died over a year ago.

why you posting this old sh't

To celebrate mutha fukka

 

[Ain't That Something]

Better yet why would nikkas want to eat at a place like that, Why not go to a black restaurant

 

[CodeBlaMeVi]

I found it humorous and brehs took it to the Supreme Court to eat inside.

 

[13473]

http://www.yelp.com/biz/maurices-bbq-piggie-park-west-columbia

i wouldn't pay to eat that


i actually would be cool with some laws allowing restaurants to openly discriminate cuz i don't want anyone who dislikes me that much making my food. they might spit in it or worse . at least with open discrimination i know where to avoid

 

[cheek100]

Better yet why would nikkas want to eat at a place like that, Why not go to a black restaurant

same reason niccas eat at the Cracker Barrel

 

[Adidacs]

Piggie Park is fitting