The Kansas City Star reports today that a young man was killed in an unfortunate shooting on the East side of town--of course--unnecessarily and pointlessly.
Here's the story:
It seems this young man, one Ian Jones, was following his girlfriend home from the 18th and Vine district when he accidentally but dangerously pulled out in front of another car.
That car was driven by who knows whom but they pulled out a gun, took a shot at young Ian's car, hit him and drove on.
Ian took the hit, drove on another block or two, wrecked and later died.
So pointless.
But get this, straight from The Kansas City Star: "Jones had just left a nightclub in the 18th and Vine District. He and his girlfriend met there but couldn't get inside because the club had a minimum age requirement of 25."
What?
Are you kidding me?
This young guy is 22 years old--old enough to be called off to fight for our country in a war--but he isn't old enough to go into a bar at the 18th and Vine District, here in Kansas City?
Does that makes sense?
How about fair? Does it seem fair?
Let me propose something here. Let me take this possibility of fairness to a logical extension.
I would propose that, if young Mr. Ian Jones had been allowed into this bar, at his adult age of 22 years, he would still be alive today.
Don't get me wrong--I'm not saying the bar or its rules are responsible for Mr. Jones' death, absolutely not. The knucklehead who pulled out his gun and shot him is solely responsible for that.
But a regular, "prove you're 21 years old and you're in" rule would have changed this outcome.
Sure, it's conjecture. One can always play "what if?".
But the fact is, Ian Jones was a young adult, wasn't allowed into this bar and so, coincidentally but tragically got shot and killed because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
If Ian were in your family, you'd find it horribly, again, tragically, wrong. And unfair.
One last question, too: Are there other bars in town that only allow people in who are 25 years and older?
I'm not aware of any.
Link to story: http://www.kansascity.com/637/story/1450861.html
Posts
Cartoon: Resign!
18 minutes ago
5 comments:
Well, I don't do bars (I'm a cheapskate), but I agree. Is it even legal to keep people under 25 out of a bar?
I sure learn a lot reading blogs.
I want to know the name of this bar so I can give it a try. I wish more bars had a policy like this. Hell, make it 30 instead of 25! :) Even at the most out of the way dive, one can't carry on good conversation with their friends without suddenly finding themselves walled off by a mob of loud, obnoxious, twenty-something d-bags with no sense of personal space or bar etiquette. And then the bartender gets pissy because the twentysomethings don't tip properly. Plus, 90% of the fights and crimes in or around bars are perpetrated by people in their 20s.
I think you can do pretty much anything you want if it's a private business. Bob's on Troost has a sign out front that reads "over 30 only." I assume that these are attempts to keep "thuggish" young people, i.e. gang members out. Not sure how I feel about it honestly.
Ironically, the 25 and over age limit was probably designed to keep thugs away. There are numerous bars in town that have age limits higher than 21. There's one on Troost that's 30 and over.
Thanks for your answers. I had no idea bar owners put any age limitations or that they could do this legally.
Post a Comment