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| "discriminatory" sign that Michael Bloomberg is against! |
Is City Hall about to take action against the dress codes at Manhattan’s top-flight restaurants?
Of course not. And that only underscores the hypocrisy that all too often animates this administration.
Because the city
is going after Hasidic-owned store-owners who ask their patrons to dress modestly.
The
city’s Commission on Human Rights has cited seven small stores in the
Hasidic section of Williamsburg for discrimination. Their offense?
Posting signs that read: “No Shorts, No Barefoot, No Sleeveless, No Low
Cut Necklines Allowed in the Store.” Which is no different than
restaurants requiring men to wear a jacket and tie — or a pizzeria
posting a sign reading “No shirt, no shoes, no service.”
The city disagrees, and is suing the shops. Cliff Mulqueen, the
commission’s general counsel, explained to The Jewish Week that while
“dress codes are OK . . . telling someone they have to abide by certain
rules of the Jewish faith crosses the line into [establishing] a
protected class.”
But again, that’s not what the signs say. And the city hasn’t found a single person refused service because of his attire.
Here’s
the operative distinction: Anyone turned away from these stores for his
or her dress can change clothes and be admitted. Anyone denied service
because of his or her race, religion or gender can’t do that.
The
commission took action after The Post first reported the signs last
July. At the time, a top official of the city Law Department said the
signs appeared to be OK.
The good news is that the case has now
attracted the attention and support of a top law firm, Kirkland &
Ellis, which is representing the shop-owners pro bono. Notably, the firm
is citing important First Amendment religious-liberty issues.
The
city would do us all a favor if it limited its authorities to fighting
genuine discrimination under the law — not inventing it where it doesn’t
exist.
(
New York Post)
