Federal Racial Discrimination Squabble Against Grand Gateway Hotel Owners
Lawsuit Filed by U.S. Justice Department Against Hotel and Casino in South Dakota
The Washington Post reported that on October 19, the US Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the owners of the Grand Gateway Hotel and the Cheers Sports Lounge and Casino in Rapid City, South Dakota.
The proprietors of the hotel made a questionable change to their policy in late March, effectively barring Native Americans from entering their casino, hotel, and sports lounge venues.
The controversial policy shift occurred after a shooting took place in one of the hotel's rooms on March 19. A 19-year-old Native American man was fatally shot, with the primary suspect, another Native American, charged with second-degree murder.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke, of the Department of Justice's civil rights division, has labelled this hotel policy as racist and offensive, emphasizing that such practices have no place in contemporary society.
Social Media Backlash Over Hotel's Policy Against Native Americans
Hotel owner Connie Uhre took to Twitter following the shooting, announcing that her hotel would ban all Native Americans from entering the property, stating, "we don't know the nice ones from the bad natives ... so we just have to say no to them!".
This statement sparked fierce criticism in Rapid City, where 10% of the population is Native American. Uhre also faced public reprimand on Twitter from the city's mayor.
Harold Frazier, chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, denounced Uhre's statement as racist and discriminatory, remarking, "It is foolish to attack a race of people and not all of the issues affecting the society in which we live. This includes racism."
As a result, all of the staff working in the Cheers bar and some employees at the hotel quit their jobs.
The NDN Collective, a non-profit organization protecting the civil rights of Native Americans, filed a racial discrimination lawsuit on March 23, after two Native Americans were denied entry to the Grand Gateway Hotel.
The tribal leaders of the Great Sioux Nation also issued a cease-and-desist order to the hotel's owners, as the hotel is situated on treaty land, which contravenes the 1868 Treaty. The order required the owners to vacate the property immediately and take their personal belongings with them.
Insights:
Racial discrimination lawsuits in the United States are often governed by Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Housing Act (FHA). A typical racial discrimination lawsuit process includes filing a complaint, investigation by a federal agency, litigation, and a possible settlement or verdict. The current status of the lawsuit against the Grand Gateway Hotel owners is not currently known. To find updates on specific lawsuits, it is suggested to check the official websites of relevant federal agencies or legal databases.
- The lawsuit filed against the Grand Gateway Hotel and Cheers Sports Lounge and Casino owners by the US Department of Justice on October 19, falls under the purview of general-news and crime-and-justice categories.
- The controversial policy change by the Grand Gateway Hotel owners, barring Native Americans from their casino, hotel, and sports lounge venues, has been labeled as racist and offensive by Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke, which has been picked up as social media backlash over the hotel's policy against Native Americans.
- The NDN Collective, a non-profit organization safeguarding the civil rights of Native Americans, filed a racial discrimination lawsuit on March 23, after two Native Americans were denied entry to the Grand Gateway Hotel, seeking to protect the rights of Native Americans included in the Fair Housing Act (FHA).
- The tribal leaders of the Great Sioux Nation issued a cease-and-desist order to the hotel's owners, stating that the hotel is situated on treaty land, which contravenes the 1868 Treaty, emphasizing the need for respect and adherence to Native American rights in tribal and historical venues.
