“Nine months ago Ryan Marlatt, Teddy Eggers, and three other friends had stopped for lunch at a McDonald’s restaurant on East Market Street while visiting Louisville for the weekend. While waiting for their order, an employee behind the counter referred to them as “faggots” to another employee. When Marlatt and Eggers objected to the slur and asked to speak with a manager, the employee began arguing with them. Thinkgs escalated and the employee repeatedly called them “faggots” in front of other customers and called one of them a “cocksucker” and “bitch.” Today, McDonald’s agreed to a cash settlement of $2,000 each and diversity training for management at 30 of it’s Louisville-area locations.” [LezGetReal]
sal
good 4 em
Mickey's Mouse
huzzah!!!
John Santos
So let me get this straight. A couple of koroans mess with people’s food and post the clip on YouTube and not only ar they fired, they are charged with federal crimes. These dicks use anti-gay slurs and all they get is diversity training?
John Santos
@John Santos:
koroans
In English, that word translates into morons.
Luke
@John Santos: There’s nothing illegal about calling someone a faggot (bad PR, but not illegal…nor am I thinking we should quickly move that direction). Tampering with food is a federal offense by FDA and most likely Health and Safety standards.
Luke
Assuming things were handled exactly as described in the above article, I’m thinking McDonald’s Corporate did the right thing when made aware of the situation. And it would surprise me if those employees weren’t fired shortly after by local management rather than corporate.
Alec
@Luke: Ahem:
1999 Lou. Code, § 98.05
John Santos
@Luke:
There’s nothing illegal about calling someone a faggot
We’ll see what happens when the Matthew Sheppard Act passes. Although I’m sure you’ll be disappointed since you’re not, thinking we should quickly move that direction.
jim
All they got was $2,000 each? Doesn’t seem like enough considering the cash awarded in most court cases.
Southern Belle
@jim: It sounds like an out of court settlement where the attorneys did advise the plantiffs they were in the Louisville and it might be in their best interest to accept the offer rather than risk a thousand dollars more (at best) after an appeal in the event they even won.
If they were “flaming” or looked the down and out type it would clearly not go in their favor down there.
ChristopherM
@Southern Belle:
I’m not so sure how much you know about Louisville, but I don’t think that is a fairly accurate picture of how things are here. The rest of the state, yes, but not here.
I was at the initial protest against this McDonald’s after the actions there, and the manager was such an asshole that he was giving free food to people who ignored the protest and came through the drive=thru. I’m glad corporate finally stepped in and did the right thing.
Southern Belle
@ChristopherM: I stand with my assesment.
getreal
McDonalds has deep pockets $2000 sounds pretty light.
ChristopherM
@Southern Belle:
Please feel free to. I live here and know better.
shelby84
I’m glad the guys got fired, but just $2000 each. Am I the only one who thinks that a little cheap. I mean, it is a recession…
Luke
@Alec: Thank you for the update. I didn’t realize Louisville had that on the books.
Rick
I agree. $2K almost sounds like an insult.
Yazoo
I don’t know…$2,000 buys a lot of Mickey D’s.
Zakyluv
I would simply like diversity training and an apology. im not one to overeact to someone calling me faggot. but POISONING FOOD? Do straight people really hate us that much?
Luke
@Zakyluv: The food tampering was an unrelated incident and not aimed at any particular people or group. John Santos was commenting on a story currently in the news.
Tony
I think the employees should have been fired. If any other word had been used at nearly any other group the employees would have been fired. Still, at least these guys had the balls to take a stand and fight against this kind of verbal gay bashing behavior. Good for them.
Fagmachine
@Alec
Listen you dumb faggot, no services were denied. Read your own fucking citation. That’s right, fucking READ. They were happy to take their money and call them faggots.
@John Santos
Damn right you dumb fucking faggot. I’ll say what I want and so can anyone else. Fuck you.
Bunny Snuggles
@ Fagmachine
OK…listen caterpillar pecker – that is if you’re not too brain-damaged from shouting so loud while your head’s lodged squarely up your ass – you might read the last part of the ordinance again.
The last part states very clearly:
“…or that patronage of, or presence at, a place of public accommodation, resort or amusement, of an individual, on account of his race, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity is (made to seem) objectionable, unwelcome, unacceptable, or undesirable.”
1999 Lou. Code, § 98.05
Got it, excrement cranium? That mean mouthing FAGGOT or WOP or WETBACK or SPADE or any other dumbass, lowlife, intimidating slur at customers in any place of business which holds a city public license to operate is not acceptable.
Now, boy, get back on that front porch and play your banjo while fellating your County Fair prize-winning pig, and leave the grown-ups alone.
munky
@Bunny Snuggles: fuck you… you liberal piece of shit
munky
@Fagmachine: amen to that