We, the Associated Students of the University of California, Davis, are appalled by the overt racism and homophobia exhibited by Parkside Bar & Lounge. We share the frustrations voiced by countless Aggies and urge UCD students to refrain from visiting Parkside until they have repealed their discriminatory policies that are antithetical to the values of ASUCD and the UCD campus community members, who are among the primary 
patrons of the establishment. ASUCD remains committed to ensuring that we do not receive contributions from nor associate with businesses, such as Parkside, that go against our values of diversity and inclusion.
Furthermore, ASUCD affirms that the weaponization of ‘dress code’ policies solely to alienate our BIPOC queer femme presenting male and non-binary students from public establishments is an act of discrimination. Parkside has additionally made several attempts to quash the offending party’s complaints including but not limited to: blocking their accounts on social media, removing the ability to comment on their platform, and failing to take accountability for any of the numerous offenses that have come to light; we find this unacceptable. Parkside’s choice to abstain from addressing these accusations prompts us to act to protect our campus community. We ask UCD students to consider patronizing businesses in Davis that better align with ASUCD and UCD values.
(The letter provided a link to the Parkside Yelp page which had a number of complaints).
Sincerely,
ASUCD President Radhika Gawde
ASUCD Vice President JT Eden
In Solidarity,
Senator Zeph Schnelbach
Senator Celeste Palmer
Senator Juliana Martinez Hernandez
Senator Priya Talreja
Senator Julia Shurman
Senator Francisco Ojeda
Senator Gaius Ilupeju
Senator Eustacio Alamilla
ASUCD Transfer Student Representative Logan T. Ueno
ASUCD Internal Affairs Commission Chairperson ThuyAnh Truong
ASUCD Gender & Sexuality Commission
ASUCD External Affairs Commission Chairperson Maahum Shahab
Rather surprised this letter hasn’t attracted more attention on here. If the allegations are true, it seems like there is a real problem that the city needs to address.
Craig… go their (lounge’s) website… check out the pictures of the outside ‘log chairs’… look closely… do you see ‘female calf’? Female ‘bottom’? Freud would have had a field day with possible ‘symbolism’…
That said, no, the City should do nothing… but it’s definitely cool to ‘boycott’ the place, and encourage others to do likewise… difference between gov’t action, and people action…
From the article and the website of business (yes, I’m “doxxing them”), I’ll not go in unless I’m itching for a confrontation… said as a white, straight, male, who just doesn’t like jerks… but “City” action(s), no, can’t “get there”… individuals, not gov’t, could have a greater impact, and have them “fail”… and am inclined to think they should “fail”… better “message”… IMNSHO…
HUH???
Maybe the Proud Boys should be encouraged to patronize this place. They got run out of Woodland, but this place sounds like it would be very welcoming to their brand of diversity.
As an old sports watching barfly who moved to Parkside when the Grad closed this is news to me. Of course I’m usually in bed by the time the scene gets going after 10 p.m. When I’m in there it seems diversity is not an issue. I’d like to know more about the gang color thing and the homophobia accusations with specific stories?
Thanks Ron for your insights. I’ve never been to this bar so I can’t give first hand witness. But with all things there are almost always two sides to the story. We’ve heard from one side now I’m interested in what the bar itself and other patrons have to say.
Fair questions… would be interested, also, in the responses… I was an occasional customer of the Grad, many years ago, but didn’t even know that Parkside existed until the article…
Will definitely be interested in responses to your direct (and implied) question(s)…
“Charges” have been made… one poster has looked to ‘judgement’ (intervention by the City, as an entity)… now seems the time for corroborating testimony, and/or evidence…
Noting the deer head logo and the “Smokey” poster on the website, let’s bring on “the game” (yeah, obvious, trite pun… intended)
There are a number of complaints on Yelp and Instagram as well.
Since you ran this article on your blog why not do a little investigative reporting and go ask the bar for their side of the story? I mean it’s pretty much just a walk across the street.
Fine… I don’t “do” Yelp or Instagram… just like I don’t “do” Q-Anon, nor Facebook (except for family), etc.
I re-assert, ‘boycotts’ would be appropriate, if warranted [hit them where they live]… “City action” would not be. Period.
Unless, of course, someone wants to control others, for ‘hegemony’ to their views, and using “the City” to accomplish that.
I readily say that it appears, from the article, “that there is something rotten in Denmark”, yet, at least one poster has not seen those behaviors… with the caveat that they might have missed it…
To me, it’s just another bar, on a street segment that never should have been closed to traffic (yes, a sidebar)… if the place folded, or if it remains, doesn’t matter much to me, on a practical basis… if folk object to the way it is run, fine, don’t go there, encourage others not to patronize, boycott, demonstrate (peacefully), etc.
But, the City of Davis, a Municipal Corporation, should have no part in the outcome (except for opening up the street again, another sidebar).
Alright, here is my experience with this place, and of course, this is entirely anecdotal, and I am NOT going to name specific names to “protect the innocent”, since they are all out of the bar game now, a couple with kids.
I am led to believe that much of the security that was there when the building was “Blondie’s” were retained for Parkside. I just want a drink after work without my ear drums getting sodomized, so my post-work go to for nearly a decade was Vito’s, because they were the only place in town open semi late trying to not be a nightclub. During the time Blondie’s was in operation, nearly 3/4 of the fake/invalid ID’s they seized were from people going, “THEY LET US INTO BLONDIE’S, WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?” As to the accusations of racial/sexual orientation prejudice, I can’t testify since the last time I was in that building was when it was the Little Prague bar, and Vaclav turned that into the defacto Davis gay bar, hence why I think this hits hard for many.
Bill, don’t over think things, if your regular daytime bartenders aren’t party to this alleged chicanery, keep giving them your business and tips; if you’re not working at Mikuni or Paesano’s it’s rough in the hospitality business here this time of year.