According
to The Morning Call, a Pennsylvania newspaper, the city
of Bethlehem is seeking to ban Hip-Hop/Rap music. The officials
in the tiny city want to regulate what kind of music can
be played in a nightclub that is opening up on Broad Street.
The club, The
Bottom Line, opened the day before Thanksgiving and the
under 21 party they were having ended when gunfire erupted.
City officials are opposing the club’s attempt to obtain
a liquor license from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.
The Officials
actually told the club owner that they will withdraw their
objections if he could meet six conditions and one of them
was no Hip-Hop or Rap music.
The nightclub
owner, Ray Nieves hired attorney Theodore J. Zeller III
of Tallman Hudders & Sorrentino and said that they comments
are racist. "I believe that the anti-discrimination
provisions of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Code and regulations
and those of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission
would prohibit such a restriction," Zeller wrote.
"Further,
I believe any agreement which restricts the type of music
played [and specifically, "Hip Hop" or "Rap"]
borders on being discriminatory and would cause a potential
for embarrassment on the part of the city and my client."
Bethlehem solicitor
Joseph Leeson Jr. said the allegation was a diversion attempt
to take away attention from the November gunfire.
"That’s
a red herring to distract from the issue of stray bullets,"
Leeson said. "The last thought on our mind has to do
with discrimination issues. Music cuts across all boundaries
and to even raise that issue is an attempt to divert attention
away from the violence that has occurred at that club."
The officials are also trying to limit the clubs operations
to Fridays and Saturdays with a 1 am closing time as well
as metal detectors at the door and off duty police officers
as security.
If you think
this is unfair, email reporter Chuck
Ayers and tell him.
