Black Family Seated Under Noose at Denver Area Resturant
May 15, 2008 by P.Cash
While we’re on the topic of crazy things going on at resturants (see: Atlanta bar selling Obama Monkey t-shirts), here’s a story about a resturant in the Denver area that had a noose as a decoration. Not only that, the resturant proceeded to sit a black family under the noose.
Now unlike the bar owner in Georgia, the restaurant was apologetic regarding the incident, and did remove the noose, but why would they have something like that hanging in their restaurant anyway? The owner said that the noose was part of their wild west decor, and was not meant to be racist, but they had to understand the effect that it would have on African-Americans.
With all of the recent national news coverage about the conflicts caused by such racially insensitive displays (see: Jena 6), they would have to be living under a rock not to. Do you think that the African-American family was too sensitive? Speak Out!
The story from Denver’s Channel 7 News:
MORRISON, Colo. — A Broomfield family said their Mother’s Day celebration was ruined Sunday by what they saw and heard at “The Fort” Restaurant in Morrison.
“It was shocking,” Lonza Dennis told 7NEWS Wednesday.
Dennis, 37, and her husband Patrick, 38, said they were snapping photos at the table when they noticed a decorative noose hanging on the wall behind them.Patrick Dennis said he was equally unsettled by the waiter’s response when they asked about it.
“My wife said, ‘We noticed a noose hanging behind the table,’ and his immediate reply was, ‘This is where we sit people who don’t tip very well,’” Dennis said.
“We were speechless,” Dennis added it appeared other staff members were snickering and giggling. Dennis wondered if they were sat there purposely, although he admits, he has no way knowing for sure.
“We’re in the process of terminating the waiter,” said Holly Arnold Kinney, owner of The Fort.
I know this eatery well and it has been a very popular family owned restaurant for over 40 years. The original owner of The Fort restaurant, Sam Arnold, passed away about two years ago and he was a brilliant man who was very involved in American History, particularly mid 1800’s history. The restaurant is a replica of an old trading fort, Bent’s Fort, located in Colorado. The noose was put in this room in the early years of the restaurant’s existence as a relic from the time period, having absolutely nothing to do with hatred or racism but pertaining to the public hangings of cattle thieves and murderers from the represented time period. It was actually placed in the room to cover a long power cord to a large chandelier. It was an unfortunate coincidence that this family was sat at that exact table but it was not a deliberate act. However, the waiter’s comments were unacceptable and the restaurant took immediate action in terminating the employee. The daughter of Mr. Arnold, Holly, is now the owner of The Fort and she is very active in the community including education, multi cultural events, historic preservation, and even runs a non-profit organization, The Tesoro Foundation, that is directly involved with Native American Indian rights and culture. I would hope that people understand that this incident is not defining of this amazing restaurant and realize the impact that the Arnold family has had on all of America in the last half century. Many politicians make a point to dine at this restaurant when visiting Denver because of their influence in these matters. Thank you for your time.
MH Hendo
MH,
I appreciate your information about the owner of this establishment, and I do not doubt that they are good people based on the way that they reportedly responded to the issue. I only hope that they and other businesses learn a lesson from this. And that lesson is that they have to be sensitive to the needs of all their guests. You say that they are involved with Native American rights, so what if they decided to put a cigar store indian in front of the store? Would that be OK? No, because it would decrease the comfort level of some Native Americans who went to eat there. It’s the same with a Noose, I know I wouldn’t be comfortable eating in a place that displayed a noose, regardless of the historical context. To me the racist context overshadows it. That’s all I’m saying.
Go to this page, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Lynching-1889.jpg,
if you don’t understand why this bothers me so much.
You know, at some point people have to stop thinking that everything is about them. I am appalled that the waiter got fired for his comments. I am sure his comments were meant in jest and there were absolutely no racial implications. Ms. Kinney should have just told the family that the noose had historical significance to the old west and had nothing to do with slavery. I too knew Sam Arnold quite well and I am sure he is spinning in his grave over this one. In another time and place, it probably would have been Sam himself who had made that comment. The establishment was modeled after an old fir traders fort in the wild west. Hanging by noose has a completely different connotation in Colorado that it does in Georgia. Criminals of all races and creeds were hanged by the neck in the west – it was just as common back then as the electric chair or lethal injection over the past 50 years. Ms. Kinney should have explained this to the family and put the issue to bed.
I am sorry this family was offended, but they please. This by no means deserves the attention it is getting. If this family had an ounce of compassion they would contact the waiter, who is doing what he can to support his wife and family, and Holly should hire him back with an apology.
[...] of a Denver area restaurant that sat an African-American family under a noose hung for decoration, I objected to it because of the symbolism embodied in the noose. Of course, I know that the noose had uses other than [...]