COFFEE PARTY CANNED–
The local Alton, Illinois chapter of the Coffee Party was told to meet elsewhere after they scheduled a Muslim Speaker for a September 11 meeting. They told the owner of the coffee shop that they were non-political and non-religious. He told them to get lost.
Local KMOV has the report:
The Alton Telegraph reported:
The Riverbend Chapter of the Coffee Party is hosting a special event on Sept. 11 by encouraging a respectful discussion with a patriotic American Muslim…
For the upcoming meeting in Edwardsville, Dr. Khaled A. Hamid, M.D., Ph.D. has agreed to discuss such issues as violence, coercion and war from the perspective of the guidance given in the Quran.
Hamid was born in Egypt and has resided in the United States for some time, completing his clinical fellowship at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University in St. Louis. Hamid has spoken to Muslims and non-Muslims, as well as secular groups, and he also has conducted tours of St. Louis area mosques.
“The Coffee Party Riverbend Chapter is honored to have a dedicated communicator who has worked so hard to improve understanding between diverse groups, address us and answer our questions,” Davis said. “As a member or supporter of the Coffee Party, I pledge to conduct myself in a way that is civil, honest and respectful toward people with whom I disagree. I value people from different cultures, I value people with different ideas, and I value and cherish the democratic process.”
The discussion originally was scheduled to take place at GeGee’s, 333 W. Bethalto Drive in Bethalto, but restaurant owner Jim Allen said he had not given his permission to hold the event on his premises prior to it being advertised.
“I welcome freedom of speech, but I’m not looking for my venue to become a soapbox or a forum for politics or religion,” Allen said. “People assume that a business promotes a particular viewpoint if that happens, and I don’t want to offend anybody.”
Allen, who took over the eatery on July 1, said he wasn’t singling this group out with this policy, because he has declined posting any kind of political signage in the past, as well as not allowing political or religious forums to be held at his business.
During the transition of ownership, Allen allowed the Coffee Party to meet once at his restaurant, mistakenly believing that the members were coffee connoisseurs, he said.
“The Coffee Party told me that this wasn’t a political or religious event, but it’s scheduled for 9/11, so it’s especially hard to believe it isn’t about politics and religion,” Allen said. “We welcome people of any race, religion or creed to come into our restaurant, but I want to keep our business separate from religion and politics.”
What a bummer.
Hat Tip Ed
