Letters

Martin, "White Sale," July 3

In his July 3 column about the dress codes in the Power & Light District, David Martin was evenhanded and factually accurate — with one exception. The ACLU is indeed involved in looking at the seemingly racist dress codes at KC Live and in the Power & Light District. We have been proc­essing complaints since the week the district opened, and we have a team of lawyers reviewing constitutionality issues there.

Be assured, David. We're on it.

Dan Winter

Executive Director, ACLU of Kansas

and Western Missouri

We applaud David Martin's column on the dress code at the Power & Light District. Our public servants have a duty to ensure fair and reasonable practices on the part of commercial interests, especially when their projects are subsidized using funds supplied by taxpayers.

Perhaps a more salient feature of the culture of the Power & Light District is the misrepresentation of "Kansas City" in the district itself.

How many of its establishments are based in Kansas City? Certainly Famous Dave's does not come to mind when one thinks of Kansas City barbecue. Were local vendors and developers ever solicited to play a role in this lucrative venture? And why should P&L, which is certainly drawing tourist and local revenue from other worthy areas of town, be uniquely exempt from ordinances such as the ones prohibiting drinking on public streets?

Perhaps our most absurdly obvious complaint is not exclusion based on race but exclusion based on pocketbook. Six dollars for a beer? Instead of embracing our local flavor, we have ended up with yet another entertainment center that no more reflects what is Kansas City than Chipotle.

Once again, those who might attempt to make our city a truly metropolitan community have wasted a unique opportunity in the face of a big-city developer and other interests. Or were they too sleepy to notice — or care?

As for us, we will continue to frequent those establishments that we feel are fair to their clientele and are more rooted in — and representative of — Kansas City.

Magan Rice and Jeremy Rush, Liberty

I am truly appalled at the way the African-Americans are treated at the Power & Light District. Our tax dollars are also used to pay for this project. I expect a dress code, yes — but one that is equal and fair to everyone. I see Caucasian males and females dressed inappropriately and nothing is done. I, for one, will not spend my money down there, even though it is the same color for everyone: green.

All African-Americans are not gun-toting, gang-banging troublemakers. Some of us grew up with morals and respect and know how to represent ourselves in a respectful manner. These same people who want to keep us out are the same people whose kids try to dress like us, listen to our music, talk like us, burn their skin by tanning to be dark like us. Don't try to be like us if you want to keep us out of your world.

This area of downtown should have been named "The Power & White District." Oh, excuse me, that is not politically correct and it suggests racial injustice. But isn't that what the dress code is implying? I will continue to patronize the black-owned and -operated nightclubs and bars — at least I know I am a welcome guest.

Carla Gray, Kansas City, Missouri

I appreciate Martin's article and thank him for writing it. This past weekend, I was down at the Power & Light with some friends who were in town. These were very important people in the hip-hop, R&B world. They are thinking about holding a hip-hop summit on teen violence in Kansas City. I told them the dilemma that the African-Americans face when it comes to indulging in the P&L District.

We proceeded to head down there with me wearing a white T-shirt on purpose; once we got there, we were all stopped because of long shorts and my white tee. I then started pointing out every white tee and raggedy shirt or pants and extremely revealing clothing article that was granted access. It was my job to sell to the guys that Kansas City would be a good place to hold this summit, which would bring in millionaires from all over the United States, including professional athletes from baseball, football and basketball.

I couldn't do that because of the racist actions of the P&L District. Yes, I did make a good impression on my visitors because we now have another agenda. What makes a man? What makes a black man? What makes trends that change year by year in all cultures so wrong that a person can't wear what he wants — as long as it's decent — in an outdoor environment with scantily dressed women and extremely drunk patrons? White T-shirts and long shorts should be the least of their worries.

Keith Williams, Kansas City, Missouri