Not allowed in public bar - HELP!!

Re: Re: Re: Re: Not allowed in public bar - HELP!!

Submitted by gretchen1 on Tue, 2006-08-01 - 20:21

I don't know what state you live in, but in my state I have been roughed up by the police twice and even though my husband and a librarian once who was with me stated I had had a seizure, they said that might be true, but I might also be guilty of public drunkness and/or drug use. They very roughly with handcuffs behind my back took me to the ER upon my husband's insistance, who was also roughed up (thrown up against a brick wall by both police - idiots) to be checked for alcohol and/or drugs in the ER before being thrown in jail. They did this, I was of course clean, and released. I was absolutely livid. This was maybe 5 years ago. I can't remember whom now, but someone told me to call the Attorney General's office of our state, not to make a complaint, although I did because they hurt us both, but to see if the police broke any laws or really exactly what rights we had because that was very frightening to me. In fact I still feel very uncomfortable because of that and sz'ing alone when walking. I moved to another state for a year, had problems with a company we bought a car from, called that state's Attorney General's office and they told us our rights. Interpreted the law iOW.My son with his epilepsy in another state has done the same. In all these states, 3, the law was interpreted to us and in all our complaints, the people we had complaints about, were partially right, but not right enough to do what they were doing to us. We knew then, the law had been interpreted for us. That's what apparently the Attorney General's office does and since then, I used them if I have to and I suggest other's do too. The best way to get a good response is to be organized. Write down what is pertinent, what is not don't babble on about it although you're dying to. Be calm, a person you'd like to talk to. We have all learned your friend or us may have had horrid things said to us but it doesn't seem to mean much to the AG's office. What actions were taken is what carries weight. You'll get a much better response if you're prepared well when you call. I'm upset about what happened to your friend. We used to dance a lot. The place we liked to go best tried out new bands they had head hunted for, were usually very good but it was in a bar. A very nice bar but still by the end of the evening some of the patrons were stinking, obnoxiously drunk and often leaving vomit to step in on the floor. I doubt your friend is THAT obnoxious. In our state too this was during the time bartenders were required to stop serving a patron who they deemed too drunk to drive safely. What I observed at least in just one bar? No matter how drunk someone got if they weren't causing a public spectacle, were paying customers, they were not denied service. It was discriminatory, discretionary IOW it seemed to me who got ejected. They also started installing breathlizers in bars and if your reading was too high? You weren't allowed to drive. Now THAT is not someone's opinion, that's objective evidence altho even if he was just sipping a drink, the alcohol might show up and give him an artificially high breathlyzer reading. For instance in a demonstration once I saw, someone used one squirt of mouth spray, Binaca, that has alcohol in it, waited one minute, swallowed water several times, had not had an alcoholic drink but the breathlyzer reading was very high - from the alcohol in the Binaca breath spray. I got curious, called our Attorney General's office today and read your post. Educated them some about epilepsy but the attorney I spoke with seemed to already know quite a bit about the discrimination we often receive. What Susan said in the broad sense is true, but this attorney stated there are a lot of but, if, fors and listed off a huge amount of things maybe you didn't mention, but probably didn't occur. An example of what he pointed out is that I'm guessing but it sounds like your friend had a Jacksonian Seizure? If so, he most likely didn't loose consciousness or have altered cognition where he became as I can with altered cognition, loud and obnoxious. A sz normally lasts 1-2 minutes or there abouts. You mention one sz that night? IOW on that night it was not repeated behavior? There was no objective proof this man was drunk and dangerous to others? He stated then the bartender was stretching the law at least in this state based upon his own experiences and bias's. I asked him what your friend could do. He stated if he can talk intelligently, he should ask for the police to come, test him for alcohol content, and if he's not legally drunk, if statements from others not known to him around him are asked by the police if he was threatening to them or anyone else and he wasn't? If he appears to have safe cognition? And alot of factors. Most likely the bartender will back down and be educated by the police on the spot. One comment they did make was that there were a lot of complaints about true life police shows, where people felt police were using excessive force on people by shouting loudly, making people lay on hot concrete, handcuffing before knowing enough facts they felt but he said this happens because police have been killed, wounded too often in the line of duty and they have to take a stance of protecting themselves by these measures. He guessed then that this bartender might have had problems in the past. It might even be his job is on the line he suggested because he didn't handle a disturbance right in the past. Who knows? But he needs education, he's not listening to you all, but the police (hopefully they are educated but I wouldn't bet my bottom dollar on it with my experiences) will educate him on the spot. I'd check with your Attorney General's office then. Ask who it is you're speaking with. If you get an apathetic attorney? Wait for awhile, call back and ask for any attorney to interpret a law for you besides "John Smith" or whomever you talked to. I did that today. But you know what? In general, for many of us? We can't drink alcohol. It sounds like your friend sz's frequently in that bar. I question is it because he is like me? When I drink, I sz. He needs to evaluate this, be proactive, and if this is his case, not drink alcohol in that lounge if he wants to be there. Every once in a while someone starts a thread very frustrated because one of their losses in life is they can no longer can enjoy an alcholic beverage without having a seizure. Well? We do have to give up a lot but unfortunately that's the nature of the beast and the sooner you can gain self honesty, be proactive for yourself, the easier and less frustrating, plus healthier your life can be. My last comment is though to me who occasionally goes into a few lounges in town for a cheap meal during "happy hour", even THAT early in the evening I have left because someone is so obnoxiously drunk, no meal tastes that good and then they throw your friend out for what you described? Good grief surely this barman has seen far worse than a man having a sz. I can get very combative right after a tonic/clonic sz if handled roughly but in truth I'm so darn weak and uncoordinated and I have taken some swings at people I feel threatened by, I've thrown things (whoops) but my arm is as strong as melting candles and my aim is laughable. IOW I'm not a REAL big threat. My loud mouth is the worst of it. And that can be explained. I have epilepsy, I had a bad sz, I am postictal, I felt vulnerable and threatened and I got temporarily obnoxious. It passes fairly quickly. But some of the drunks in lounges we've been to who have insisted for instance my service dog CAN TOO be petted by them- my husband says are far more obnoxious and persistent than I am in my worst PI, and I do know my PI's can get pretty ornery. I'd be interested if you do call the Attorney General's office and see what they have to say. Gretchen