Irish need not apply.
Remember those signs? Perhaps you're not old enough.
How about "No coloreds allowed" or "Male Cook Wanted?" Those signs were once prevalent as well.
None of those signs are allowed today.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ensured that even private businesses are not entitled to discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, and, in certain circumstances, age.
These rulings included cases during the 1980s that let states force the Jaycees and Rotary International to admit women as full members. The U.S. Supreme Court also upheld the right of the City of New York to bar large private clubs from discriminating against women and minorities
Its most recent ruling however says, "Not to fear, you're still allowed to discriminate against gays and lesbians."
James Dale started scouting at 8 years of age. He achieved the highest rank possible, Eagle Scout, and became an assistant scoutmaster. His scoutmaster peers and his troops never had anything but the best to say about Dale who realized that he was gay while attending college. Because scouting taught Dale to be honest, he participated in campus lesbian and gay student group at Rutgers University and was identified in a newspaper article as co-president of the group.
The Scouts' Monmouth Council revoked Dale's registration as an adult leader, telling him the organization does not allow openly gay members. Dale then sued, contending the Scouts violated New Jersey's anti-discrimination law.
He prevailed under a New Jersey law which prohibits discrimination.
The Scouts appealed and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the Scouts favor.
The 5-4 ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Boy Scouts of America can discriminate against gay men and boys by prohibiting them from becoming or remaining members, overturning a unanimous ruling by the New Jersey Supreme Court which prohibited the discrimination under its own state constitution.
That court had ruled that the BSA was subject to New Jersey's anti-discrimination law and could not deny any person "accommodations, advantages, facilities and privileges" on the basis of sexual orientation going so far as to state that the expulsion of Dale was based "on little more than prejudice."
The possible ramifications from the U.S. Supreme Court decision are mind-boggling.
The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) expressed concern with the message it says the Court has sent to public schools that associate with the Boy Scouts -- a message that anti-gay discrimination is not only accepted, but protected behavior.
"We are deeply disappointed with a decision that sends the message that gay youth are second class citizens," said GLSEN Director of Public Policy Mary Kate (MK) Cullen. "And we are alarmed that the Boy Scouts will continue to be able to send that message in our nation's public schools, where they actively recruit members and often hold meetings.
It has been estimated that thousands of BSA troops are sponsored by public schools and other public entities using public money. Including gay and lesbian tax dollars.
Director Cullen concludes, "It would not be difficult for any youth to interpret a school-sponsored scouting troop as a state-sanctioned message in support of anti-gay discrimination."
The People For the American Way Foundation noted in response to the decision that so-called "Moral" claims have been used to try to justify nearly every form of discrimination against minority groups. President Ralph G. Neas observed that with this decision, "The Court has allowed freedom of association to become a tool by which groups unfairly exclude a group of Americans."
I have no words of encouragement.
Just remember when you vote in November which political party provided us with the Presidents who nominated the justices who voted to abrogate fairness.
Hint - Not Democrats.
William Hubbs Rehnquist - Republican President Richard Nixon
Sandra Day O'Connor - Republican President Ronald Reagan
Antonin Scalia - Republican President Ronald Reagan
Anthony M. Kennedy - Republican President Ronald Reagan
Clarence Thomas - Republican President George Bush
A rather clear trend.
Tell me again why voting Republican makes sense for any person who believes in liberty and justice for not just a select few ... but all.