cannabisnews.com: Aurora Mall's Family-Friendly Guideline Wears Thin
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Aurora Mall's Family-Friendly Guideline Wears Thin
Posted by CN Staff on May 27, 2010 at 04:24:16 PT
By Susan Greene, Denver Post Columnist
Source: Denver Post
Colorado -- Jake Gailey got his tax refund last week, then headed straight for the mall. His first stop at Town Center at Aurora on Saturday was a hat shop where he dropped $27 on a Broncos cap.He and his girlfriend planned to continue shopping, but there was a glitch. A man in a suit and earpiece stopped the couple in the middle of the mall and told Gailey to wait right there. "I've got him," the man signaled into his walkie-talkie, as if in some sort of dragnet.
Several security guards, mall employees and Aurora police officers hurried to surround Gailey. There was a problem, they said, with what he was wearing.Gailey is a 28-year-old carpenter who likes to express himself with T-shirts. He was wearing his new favorite Saturday version — a short- sleever with a "Yes We Cannabis" decal resembling Barack Obama's campaign logo, but with a pot leaf.The posse gave him three choices. He could take off the shirt, wear it inside out or leave the shopping center. After all, they told him, it was family night."We're family-oriented," says Aj Coffee, manager of the mall, which has grappled with a heavy teen presence. "We here at Town Center wanted to make sure it was family- friendly."Gailey refused all three options, arguing that he was singled out for his legalization views. He offered to show his state medical-marijuana card. No one was interested. He started talking about his free-speech rights — loudly, so that fellow shoppers could hear him. He says a cop grabbed his arm and threatened to arrest him.The mall has a police substation where the officers and security guards discussed pressing trespassing charges. They finally released him, banning him from the center for a year.Gailey signed the trespass citation and left with his girlfriend, his freedom and his new hat.It's not having to stay out of the mall that bugs him. He can easily go a year without The Disney Store or Hot Dog on a Stick.It's the principle, he says. Snipped Complete Article: http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_15170199Source: Denver Post (CO)Author: Susan Greene, Denver Post ColumnistPublished: May 27, 2010Copyright: 2010 The Denver Post CorpWebsite: http://www.denverpost.com/Contact: openforum denverpost.comCannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml
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Comment #13 posted by Celaya on May 28, 2010 at 20:10:19 PT
afterburner
>>>"Public protest is needed to challenge this two-faced tendency of businesses to hide behind private property laws"Yes, and it's already happening. - From a SAFER alert:"Click HERE or visit http://www.tinyurl.com/2uu2jv6 to read the entire story on the Westword blog.To protest this ridiculous action by the Town Center at Aurora, SAFER is organizing a march inside the mall in which supporters will all be wearing "Cannabis/Can o' Beer" SAFER T-shirts. The details of the event are below, so please join and/or help us by coming out and spreading the word. If you come, please wear a "Cannabis/Can o' Beer" SAFER T-shirt -- we will also have some shirts available for people to borrow.If you are not in Colorado or cannot make it, please visit the mall owners' feedback form at http://tinyurl.com/pc3hb and send them a stern -- yet courteous -- message that this type of behavior is unacceptable. WHAT: News conference and march inside the mallWHEN: TOMORROW, Saturday, May 29th 3:45 p.m.WHERE: Town Center at Aurora (off of I-225 and E. Alameda Ave.), meet in front of the east entrance off of S. Sable Blvd. and E. Centrepoint Dr."
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Comment #12 posted by afterburner on May 28, 2010 at 06:51:34 PT
Shielde & Celaya
I agree with both of you. When I was doing door-to-door sales, I was kicked out of many malls on the pretense that they are private property. Yes, they are owned by private banks and investors, but they are open to the public. Malls are a coopting of the town public commons. Like "free speech zones," they attempt to restrict our freedoms. Traffic rules only apply to public property, by the way. The police are in conflict of interest. Private security guards should be used to protect the so-called private property of malls.Of course, offices and factories have a long record of treating workers as if their Constitutional rights do not exist there.Public protest is needed to challenge this two-faced tendency of businesses to hide behind private property laws while deriving the benefits of serving the public. Boycotts, sit-ins & marches can bring media attention and citizen education to this corporate travesty.
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Comment #11 posted by Celaya on May 27, 2010 at 23:43:44 PT
When The Town Square is Privatized
Everything about malls is an attempt to coopt the public 'commons' of our long historical traditions. A gathering of stores, restaurants, even community events, celebrations, etc. So, when they attempt to impose their arbitrary rules on the public square they have robbed from the people, they simply trash the whole concept of public commons, snatching the heart away from communities and society.Many governmental (meaning from the people) concessions, tax breaks, etc. (like the police substation discussed by Shielde) are provided to these centers. If they can't truly make these spaces public, they need to stop acting like that's what they are, and we need to stop subsidizing AND patronizing them. All the relationships with these centers need to be renegotiated, and the rights of public spaces must be extended to the public. Otherwise, we need to go back to the original town square model and keep public rights of free speech sacrosanct.
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Comment #10 posted by Paint with light on May 27, 2010 at 22:53:14 PT
Vote with your dollars
Don't buy there.Talk badly about it if you get the chance.That mall sounds like a good place for a cannabis meet-up to happen.Could you imagine if 50 or 100 people showed up at the same time........all wearing cannabis t-shirts.............each with a different message or refuting one of the myths.The financial adviser Dave Ramsey says, "You know how to spell, 'paid too much'?M-A-L-L.Legal like alcohol.
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Comment #9 posted by Shielde on May 27, 2010 at 20:08:19 PT
private property
If a piece of property has a police substation on it wouldn't it then be deemed as public property and thus all applicable rights of private property be nulledif not it seems the police are in a place of conflicted interestand as far as security people falling you around, I've had this happen to me ever since I was young and before I grew out my hair and got a full beard (at one point it was a long goatee). This always amused me and I loved to play with the security people and glance their way every once in a while, at which time the would try to look like they were doing something else. I am a very nice and honest person but most people can't see past someone not looking conventional.
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Comment #8 posted by BGreen on May 27, 2010 at 13:32:37 PT
Simon Mall in Springfield, MO
There was a young girl of about 10 that was removed from the mall for wearing a head scarf because the security dorks deemed it "gang attire."When I heard about that I took a little trip to that mall with my finest doo rag and proudly walked that mall just waiting to be accosted. Guess what? Yep, you're right. They wouldn't dare accost a 40-plus-year-old man. They are spineless cowards who can only intimidate and harass little girls.Simon Malls suck, they are nearly bankrupt due to their greed and I won't shed a single tear when they disappear from this planet.The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #7 posted by BGreen on May 27, 2010 at 13:19:02 PT
Security re: Sam Adams
The way I look has always drawn attention from security dorks in the stores. It's amusing because I couldn't be any more of an honest guy yet they waste their time following me thinking I don't see them. Ha Ha. I see more than the average person.The funniest part (albeit sad for the customers) is that I know there are people clearing the store out through shoplifting totally unobserved because of all of the attention the long-haired rock-star Reverend Bud gets.Just imagine the attention garnered by my totally innocent African-American band mates. I can cut my hair but they are always going to be suspect because they are dark skinned. :(The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #6 posted by The GCW on May 27, 2010 at 12:44:55 PT
Wow
What can You say?For the good of the country Jake should take Him and His T to court.I often think Colorado is ahead of most states on this issue. Imagine how bad it is in the worst states.It might be good to have someone wearing similar attire enter the store with a lawyer and video camera and court the ignoids.
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Comment #5 posted by GeoChemist on May 27, 2010 at 11:07:29 PT
Mall guards and cops
Now that's a meeting of the mind(s)less.........
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on May 27, 2010 at 10:28:41 PT
Storm Crow
Tennessee Ernie Ford - 16 Tons URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIfu2A0ezq0
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Comment #3 posted by Storm Crow on May 27, 2010 at 10:10:20 PT
Once upon a time........
There was a thing called a "company store". You were forced to buy there if you worked for the company. The company controlled what you were allowed to buy, how much you paid for necessities and also told you how to vote, and what to think. Seems to me that this mall wants to be the "Company store". The old song "16 tons" mentions the policy- "St. Peter don't you call me, 'cause I can't go, I owe my soul to the company store!" (loved that song when I was little)Does mall come from mal = bad? It sure seems like it in this case! (Just kidding, I know it doesn't)
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Comment #2 posted by Sam Adams on May 27, 2010 at 09:47:30 PT
Security
I always avoid any place where I'm constantly monitored by security, I hope we're all doing that.
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Comment #1 posted by CropReport on May 27, 2010 at 06:56:06 PT
When Will Corporate America Catch On?
So if I use cannabis, my "values" are not in line with those of Simon Properties/Town Center at Aurora? That's funny.I am the primary earner in my household. I finance virtually every purchase my family makes. Oh, and I smoke herb.Easy to handle: we won't shop there again. Ever.Boycott the crap out of these idiot corporations, just like we did to Kelloggs. Problem solved.
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