Unbelievably Fucked Up Non Sense So Bad You Can't Believe It

[Trichome Toker]

Shut up and drink, Lilburn bar patrons told

By STEVE VISSER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/06/07

Lilburn has never wanted to be seen as River City, or as a haven for "American Idol" wannabes.

[Post comments below]
JASON GETZ / AJC
(ENLARGE)
Pool tables and video games like those found at Sports Fan & Grill aren't wanted in Lilburn. "We can show studies that show that bars and honky-tonks lead to more crime," Mayor Jack Bolton says.

JASON GETZ / AJC
(ENLARGE)
Lilburn doesn't want Sports Fan & Grill owner Richard Tao to offer poker, trivia contests or karaoke because the city doesn't want "dance clubs, party clubs or bars," the mayor says.


Earlier, the city outlawed pool — the game that spelled trouble in the musical "The Music Man" — in its watering holes. Now it's also barring karaoke and just about any other party game from places that serve alcohol.

Dave Metcalf, a patron of the Sports Fan Bar & Grill, wonders if the Gwinnett city is banning good times.

"Personally, I'd like to see karaoke end in the bars I attend," joked Metcalf, who said he flees aspiring karaoke stars. "But why would they ban karaoke? ... More fun than the law allows?"

Karaoke can bring more than bad voices, Lilburn Mayor Jack Bolton said. It can bring bars.

"Our intention was always to just have alcohol in restaurants," Bolton said. "We don't want to have dance clubs, party clubs or bars. If it means being made fun of because we don't allow karaoke, that's fine, too."

Lilburn permits liquor licenses only for establishments in which 50 percent of sales comes from food. Bolton suspects the Sports Fan might not meet that standard, but proving that would be difficult. It is much easier to ban activities common to bars: card games, pool, video games, trivia nights and, yes, karaoke.

Last year, the Sports Fan beat back city attempts to close down its Texas hold 'em poker nights. Then police Chief Ron Houck claimed the games were gambling, which put the tavern at risk of losing its liquor license. The state attorney general's office disagreed, saying players played for prizes without risking their own money. The city then dropped the gambling citation it had issued against a Sports Fan manager.

In February, the new police chief visited the Sports Fan and similar establishments and said the liquor law had been tightened up to allow only "passive entertainment," such as television, said Mike Puglise, one of the lawyers representing the Sports Fan.

That means Sports Fan owner Richard Tao will not be able to offer poker, trivia contests or karaoke nights — the backbone of his business.

"Evidently they don't even want to encourage singing and laughter," Puglise said of Lilburn officials. "They want their citizens to be somber when they eat their meals."

Lilburn wants to promote family-friendly happiness, Bolton said.

"I like to sit down and have a beer as much as anybody else," the mayor said. "But we can show studies that show that bars and honky-tonks lead to more crime."

Metcalf noted that the Sports Fan is not in a family neighborhood. It sits off U.S. 29 near Beaver Ruin Road, a section that has its share of pawn shops, liquor stores and taverns. And he said karaoke singers typically are not dangerous and take their avocation seriously.

"Most of the people who come in and sing don't drink — somebody has told them they're good," Metcalf said. "If people want to come in and play a little pool or sing a little, let them. For us hard-working Joes, it's fun."

Joe Chao, owner of the Oyster Barn Grill & Bar, said he has gotten the message from the city. He is pulling his pool tables and video games. He said, however, that state-operated lottery games still will be permitted.
Shut up and drink, Lilburn bar patrons told

"I'm trying to be more like a family business," he said before adding, with a smile, "We're going to start keno next month."

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/gwinnett/stories/2007/03/05/0306lilburn.html

WTF?

America officially just died.

R.I.P.

 

[Nikijad4210]

That's just retarded. Where I live, it's not far from a popular country bar/honky-tonk joint, & a hole-in-the-wall dump of a bar. Neither one's really been any trouble. Hell, the places in town that have the most problems are the "shut up & drink" joints.

If anyone in the Tampa Bay area has heard of a bar called "Beaches", you know what I mean---I remember when that city had their PD & at least 40 patrol cars come in from OUT OF TOWN to help control a fight once. I've never been there, but from what I've been told, it's very much a "shut up & just drink" joint.

Again, I ask---Why the fuck do we let morons control the country?

 

[Truth]

sometimes karaoke is a crime

 

[I Used To Grow]

gotta be a joke...right?

 

[Blackvelvet]

Who cares what lilburn does. That is just a small town next to downtown Atlanta. Go to Buckhead and party.

 

[Tarkus]

That is ridiculous. I find it quite comical, but I would hate if I lived there and couldn't play darts or pool anymore at the bar. Wait a second, I don't and won't go to a bar anyway....

 

[GOT_BUD?]

You just need to remeber who started this country - People who were persecuted for being way too frickin' uptight. And apparently their heirs are the city council for Liburn, GA.

Fuckin' bible thumpin' Baptists.

 

[PersonalSmoke]

I'm just glad that don't live in a place like that.

 

[Guest]

Sounds just like them neighborhood things where you can be fined for decorating shit; a kind of if you wanna live here, you gotta be like us kinda thing. No encouraging individualism.

J.

 

[stihgnobevoli]

america died a long time ago my friend. a looong time ago.

 

[genkisan]

This is what happens when the decendants of Puritans become fascists.....

 

[Guest]

This is what happens when the decendants of Puritans become fascists.....

lol, no shit whats next websites

 

[naga_sadu]

Again, I ask---Why the fuck do we let morons control the country?

When did we have a choice? Not only the USA but also in every other "democracy" out there...???

Sometimes, I wonder whether these right wing nutcracks are competing with Kim Jong Il for the "ludicrous brayass of the year" award.

DOWN WITH THE MORAL POLICE!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Guest]

I would be willing to bet most of the people who are getting screwed in that town dont even take the time to vote.

If everyone who wanted Med MJ to be legal voted it would have been legal years ago. But they dont and thats the kind of crap they get.