Justice: Hotel sued for denying rooms to Native Americans - ICT
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
According to the Census Bureau, at least 11 percent of Rapid City residents identify as American Indian or Alaska Native. The city has long seen racial tensions
- Author: The Associated Press
- Publish date: Oct 19, 2022
NDN Collective, the American Indian Movement and Cheyenne River Grassroots Collective organized a rally against Grand Gateway Hotel from the Memorial Park Bandshell to Rapid City's federal courthouse on Wednesday, March 23, 2022. (Photo courtesy of NDN Collective social media video)
According to the Census Bureau, at least 11 percent of Rapid City residents identify as American Indian or Alaska Native. The city has long seen racial tensions
Stephen Groves
Associated Press
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — The U.S. Department of Justice sued the owners of a Rapid City, South Dakota hotel on Wednesday, alleging that they violated the civil rights of Native Americans by trying to ban them from the property.
The Justice Department alleges that on at least two occasions in March, Connie Uhre and her son Nicholas Uhre committed racial discrimination by turning away Native Americans who sought to book a room at the Grand Gateway Hotel.
Connie Uhre had also told other Rapid City hotel owners and managers that she did not want Native American customers there or in the hotel's bar, the Cheers Sports Lounge and Casino. A post on her Facebook account said she cannot "allow a Native American to enter our business including Cheers."
Uhre's comments and actions, which followed a fatal shooting involving two teenagers at the hotel, sparked large protests in Rapid City and condemnation from the city's mayor, Steve Allender.
(Related: Native man shot at South Dakota hotel has died)
Rapid City, known to many as the gateway to Mount Rushmore, is home to more than 77,000 people. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, at least 11 percent of its residents identify as American Indian or Alaska Native. The city has long seen racial tensions.
Nicholas Uhre said he and his mother had been under pressure from the Justice Department to enter a consent decree settling the matter, but there were "sticking points" in the negotiation. "I guess they are going to do what they are going to do," he said.
The Justice Department sued under a section of the 1964 Civil Rights Act that permits a judge to order changes to policies and practices at hotels and other venues, but does not allow the department to obtain monetary damages for customers who are victims of discrimination.
"Restricting access to a hotel based on a person's race is prohibited by federal law," U.S. Attorney for South Dakota Alison J. Ramsdell said in a statement.
The hotel owners have also been embroiled in separate lawsuits from the NDN Collective seeking monetary damages for the hotel's policy, a counter-suit against the Indigenous activist organization, and another lawsuit from Connie's son Judson Uhre, who said she harmed the family business when she "made a racially charged rant which was posted on a website with wide coverage and this led to financial loss of clients for the hotel as well as the damage to the hotel's reputation."
NDN Collective President and CEO Nick Tilsen stands outside of the NDN Headquarters in Rapid City, South Dakota on July 6. (Photo by Arlo Iron Cloud via NDN Collective)
Nick Tilsen, the president of NDN Collective, credited the protests for prompting the federal civil rights suit, and said Rapid City's problems with racism persist beyond the hotel.
"Let this be a warning to the city of Rapid City," Tilsen said. "If they want to go after Indigenous people's rights, we're going to force institutions like the Department of Justice to hold people accountable."
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Well, it is South Dakota.
Amazing that she didn't use a more common derogatory description of Natives used in the Dakotas.
Lawry, circle the wagons them bad injuns are on the warpath, hide the women folks and children.
Didn't we have a thread of this earlier? She and her son are from Europe and she was out of country when this incident occurred.
There's more to this story than is being shown
I don't know if there was or not and I have no idea what you're talking about that they are from Europe and out of the country.
It looks like her son is suing her.
That was 7 months ago...LOL you expect me to remember 7 months ago?
It says the owner was out of the country but she was there when the incident took place and now is being sued by her son.
No self-respecting human being should want to stay at those creeps' hotel.
Rapid City is known as ''Racist City''....This incident made the headlines but it's not unusual in RC.
It doesn't sound like a very nice place. All of the local residents can't be total shitheads.
No, not all but a damn good percentage of them are.
What a b*tch ! She was also arrested for 3 counts of assault this summer.
That is one ugly lady, inside and out.
She is a real winner, pat.
And here is the class act:
File charges against her.
They have been.
Good, now we'll see if the charges stick since this is after all RC.
Well, If I had my choice between water or bullets, I guess I'd choose the spray every time.
Well, yes Vic, but it is sad that she felt the need to do it at all.
Hard to believe these things are still happening in a "civilized" number 1 "exceptional" country.
In some areas of the country, they never stopped happening, Buzz and South Dakota is one of those areas.
It hasn't been exceptional since the 80's.
In your opinion. But what do you have to say about the article?
If the allegations are true, this is an easy case to prosecute. What else is there to say?
There is no doubt that it's true since she recorded it and posted in on FB. If you would have read the article you would have known that.
The case still has to be prosecuted and not only does the evidence appear to be overwhelming, but the DOJ Civil Rights Division is loaded with some of the most rabid activists the nation has ever seen. It looks like a slam dunk!
So your opinion is that the DOJ Civil Rights Division is loaded with some of the most rabid activists the nation has ever seen...LMAO, so not that she is a racist but it's about the DOJ...That is one bizarre comment, Vic.
It's not bizarre. It's true. Remember Kavika, both things can be true.
Of course, because no poisonous deed must be judged on its own merit. Whataboutism is a sickness and a tactic too! Both things can be true.
She is guilty by her and her son's own admission. It's simply your opinion that the DOJ has the most rabid activists the nation has ever seen.
Can you comprehend the difference?
I'm seeing overwhelming judgement. See the comments above?
That is one ugly lady, inside and out.
What a b*tch !
How much more can be said?
Is there any debate about that here?
It's simply your opinion that the DOJ has the most rabid activists the nation has ever seen.
Run by Kristen Clarke.
Can you comprehend the difference?
There is no difference. I told you that the combination of the two produces a healthy prosecution.
Not by anyone that can read and see the racism exhibited.
And that is supposed to mean something. Remember Vic this article is about a racist who is going to pay the price and has nothing to do with your opinion of the DOJ.
There is a huge difference, too bad your blinded by the light.
On the rare occasions when it is found it is significantly applified as we see here.
And that is supposed to mean something.
It seems to mean a lot to you.
Remember Vic this article is about a racist
How can anybody forget?
There is a huge difference, too bad your blinded by the light.
You didn't get the argument you were looking for from me. Don't worry, tomorrow is another day.
I don't weigh such sentiments one way or the other; I reserve my personal judgement of her appearance and give weigh to her using a 'spray' of some kind on other people as assault on their persons (especially now since we are wholly aware of germs and microbial agents in our air). The article does not explicitly mention why she and her son do not want American Indians on her business property, but that is poisonous on its face because the Supreme Court established in the late 60's (See: Lester Maddox goes to Supreme Court over freedom of association) that freedom of association does not mean you can keep out protected classes or any citizen from public spaces.
LOL, rare occasions only to the blind.
Only in your mind, Vic.
I do not argue with the uninformed.
To quote somebody famous "It has been amusing."
To quote someone famous, ''racism is never funny''.
It's not about me.
Don't look now but you just weighed in.
it's about people that vote for the same politicians that you do...
This is not about me. I have stated where I weigh in and it is about the hotel and its owner's or owners' bigotry-unexplained or otherwise. Racism is a poison. Respond to this in the story not to me for being observant of it.
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No, she knows exactly who she is dealing with. The only surprising thing is that she didn't use a derogatory term for Natives that are quite popular in SD.
Y'all can whine about my comments but Buzzard doesn't miss a chance to backhand Americans. I suppose you can embrace him on a diversity challenge.
I didn't whine about your comment squiggy, I pointed out to you that the bigot knew exactly who she was talking to and also pointed out that I was surprised the racist pig didn't use the term well-known in SD for Indians.
It is obvious from your ignorant comment that diversity is well beyond your scope of understanding.
It is obvious from your ignorant comment that you are offended by thoughts that had no association to you.
You addressed me, squiggy you realize that don't you? As for being offended not the case just pointing out to you your bigoted comment about diversity.
Wow. What is these hotel owners problem? Racism is a sickness. And how come we are just hearing about it if it has been going on all the time? Importantly, there is no reason given in the article (or another I read) about WHY the two hotel owners are behaving this way. . .openly.
Because they are racist, CB.