May 4, 2006
Bienvenue, Be Bar?
Metro Weekly brings us news of the latest development in the ongoing battle between Shaw's churches and new businesses moving into the area. Yesterday the ABC board voted unanimously to decline to recognize two groups of potential protestants to the liquor license for Be Bar, a new establishment opening near the intersection of 9th and O Street, N.W., leaving ANC 2F as the only official protestant still standing.
It's become a largely standard procedure for Advisory Neighborhood Commissions to protest new liquor licenses in order to negotiate "voluntary agreements" with new businesses about things like noise, cleanliness and delivery times. Be Bar faced a different challenge: its planned site lies on the Eastern edge of the ANC 2F border, close the adjacent ANC 2C. Representatives from 2C, along with a group of residents affiliated with Scripture Cathedral Church — which is located across the street from the Be Bar site — sought to oppose the bar's opening. Be Bar's owners have refrained from saying so, but based on the ownership and press coverage, it's not unreasonable to infer that the bar will primarily cultivate a gay clientele — hence the conservative church's opposition.
The ABC Board's refusal to give 2C a voice in the proceedings can be appealed, however, and Scripture Cathedral's Bishop C.L. Long has implied that his group will pursue all options available to them to prevent Be Bar from opening across the street. But not taking into account any further appeals, Be Bar should be able to open in July once it completes its negotiations with ANC 2F.
Original image posted to DCist Photos by Flickr user wageslaves. Thanks to Richard H. for the tip on this story.
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I like what you did with my pic!
it was disgusting the way the church was trying to push thier 'values' on the rest of the community. their problems had nothing to do with it being a bar, and everything to do with the fact it was a gay bar. they made statements that 'they' should stay in thier own neighboorhood (dupont), i bet if a group in georgetown said that an african american business should stay in shaw, all hell would break loose.
Ryan, of course. Unfortunately, discrimination based on sexual orientation is still socially accepted in the United States.
we have an "agenda" you know. no more procreation ever!
I wish there were churches that would stand with the residents on this and the parking issue. That would go along way to healling this divide between the two camps.
I loved the quote in the Blade about this matter where the "bishop" said the bar was going to exclude residents of Shaw:
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I thought it was the churches who were there serve people from outside of the District.
Was that an intentional double-entendre to call the protestants or is that what they'd normally be called in an ABC hearing?
Fenty States Washington Times Misquoted
A friend of mine just received this response from TeamFenty: Councilmember Fenty supports enforcing the parking in Logan Circle starting May 21st, since a community compromise was made. He supports the Task Force for the city because other neighborhoods have not yet had an opportunity to help remedy their parking situation by engaging in community dialogue to come up with creative solutions. Unfortunately, the Washington Times misquoted Councilmember's stance on the issue.
Next Shaw drama: gay suburbanite double parking during happy hour!
Agreed, Ryan. I made that point in an earlier forum. It's disgusting how the Churches can practice discrimination so flagrantly without a backlash. I'm sure if there were opposition to a GoGo club in Georgetown, there would be hell to pay!!
I'm sure the Church has more tricks up its sleeve to hinder Be Bar's efforts.
Reid, it's not a double entendre, usually when a party files a "protest" to a liquor license, they are referred to as the "protestant". I suppose they could also be called a protester, but it's probably just legalese, like someone is a "complainant" and not a complainer.
Anyone know who did the mural in the pic that goes w/ this story? It's been around for quite a while.. back in the day it was pretty ballsey.
Mark,
The City Paper did an article on the guy who did the mural a few years back. It's some local old curmudgeon who lives around the corner from that property... his basic point, if I remember right, was a jab at the idea that local kids were being focused SOLELY on the African American history of the neighborhood -- that if all the local teachers, politicians, and church leaders talked about was that Shaw had been a black neighborhood for the last 100 years and that some famous African Americans had lived here, the neighborhood would never be anything OTHER than a black slum where once in a great while someone made it out into the big world.
It was a bit convuluted, but I guess I see his point, even if at first I thought his method was a bit too confrontational... although the "F--- white people" grafitti in other parts of Shaw strikes me as far more threatening, and much less creative.
Took me a second to figure out what you did with this picture, because I recently took the same shot... nice execution. For me, learning photoshop etc., well that'll come.