Bar Dispute Incites Hilarious Journalism
In the heart of Shaw, across from a Church, two guys decided they wanted to open a bar. Apparently, the Church took umbrage to the fact that not only did they serve the demon liquor, the owners are also participating in an alternative lifestyle, but the best moment out of all of us this comes to us from the Washington Post who highlight:
“A bar ? Across from my church?” asked Barbara Campbell, who lives on Georgia Avenue NW and for three decades has gone to Scripture Cathedral in Shaw, where she works as a cook in the church’s day-care center. “Don’t they understand that there is a day-care center in the church?”
All of a sudden I have an image in my head, a toddler with a sippy-cup full of rum.
Aren’t the hours of a bar and a day-care center just about antipodal? But that’s a whole other situation, especially when you consider the City Vs. The Churches fight that’s heading through the city like wildfire. Churches in the District are frequently exempted from parking regulations, much to the ire of the residents of the neighborhoods, and find their cars parked in by Maryland and Virginia plates. Worse still, the Mayor has granted a nearly blanket exemption for them, despite the laws on the books being clearly enforceable and enforcement being called for by the residents.
Is there a Church and State Marriage here in DC that’s restricting development and preventing the enforcement of regulations? I think that’s going a bit far, but I have a feeling the owners of Be Bar, or anyone who lives near a DC church on Sunday might disagree.
Funnily enough, I’ve been thinking about this article and also the parking mess all day. I’ve got a post in the works about how it directly affects my neighborhood – my house is right in the crossfire of the parking wars.
It certainly feels like there’s a Church/City marriage, with how many times the city caves to the demands of the powerful churches over residents.
More to come…
Churches and social security – no politician wants to mess with them. Long before you couldn’t talk about the government critically without Hating America you couldn’t go up against a church’s interest without being a Jesus-hating baby eater.
As usual with most issues, no one’s right here, I guess: the bar owners HAD to know their location would draw controversy, but to be honest, it’s their right to open a business wherever they choose and can get approval from the city.
At the same time, that kind of talk from the church goers makes me ill, trust me, your recovering alcoholic diaper-clad little one will be safe from the temptation of the devil juice, I promise. :(
I have an image in my head, a toddler with a sippy-cup full of rum.
Shit, busted again.