With only two sets of musical performances under its belt, Brooklyn's new arena has raised the ire of its customers by subjecting some fans to different security measures than others.
Barclays Center forced the crowd at Jay-Z's opening 8-day concert series to file through airport-style metal detectors, while fans of Barbra Streisand "were spared the same indignity at her show on Thursday," according to the New York Post.
Did organizers think Hova fans were more likely to cause trouble than "people who need people"? Some critics assert yes.
“The metal detectors are not in use for Barbara Streisand @barclayscenter. Racial profiling?” tweeted one Streisand concert-goer quoted in the article.
Instead of passing through detectors, Streisand fans were simply wanded, observed longtime Barclays documenter Norman Oder.
In response to complaints of racial bias, arena spokesman Barry Baum told The Post that the decision to forego metal detectors for the Babs concert was an effort at streamlining efficiency.
“We’ve only been open two weeks and are trying to make things go as smooth as possible,” Baum said in the article, noting that the metal detectors have previously caused long lines.
But Councilwoman Letitia James wasn't letting the arena off the hook that easy.
“There shouldn’t be a double standard; there should be one rule of law,” she stated Friday. “If you have metal detectors for people coming to see Jay-Z, the same should apply for Barbra Streisand. It shouldn’t matter if you come by limousine, subway or your own two feet.”
What do you think, readers? Are the changes simply opening-month growing pains or a sign of bias on the part of owners? Did anyone attend both a Jay-Z and Barbra Streisand performance?
Share your opinions in the comments below.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/06/nypd-report-details-crime_n_1862771.html
WHAT!!! Everyone got checked by security based on the fact that they were going to a Jay Z show. Nobody was suspect of wrondoing.
DUH! They even drive that way, don't they? Who would you feel more comfortable lending your brand new car to: The typical Jay-Z fan or the typical Streisand fan? Black youth ARE more likely to publicly misbehave than are older White folk. People who are able-and-willing to pay much, much more for a ticket to an event are less likely to act the fool than the necessarily larger group of those who are able-and-willing only to pay much, much less for a similar event. In other words, put it back in the deck. It has no justifiable play in this instance.
Nevermind this tempest-in-a-teacup back-and-forth over Bulldozing Barclay's, Over-priced Broadway, NY-NY Jay-Z or Just-won't- retire Babs. I think the noteworthy fact here is that your husband dragged YOU to see Streisand... anywhere! He's a bigger man than I and deserves a bit Hug & Kiss. :-)
His heart, not history was his only motivation, Ruth Rosen. So, give the Guy his well deserved Hug & Kiss, already, will ya?
Jay Z concert goers, whether black OR white, ARE INDEED more likely to cause trouble than Babs fans whether they be black or white. FACT. WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND CAN DENY THIS? This is NOT a racial issue... It's simply an age / maturity issue. This is NOT news whatsoever.. especially now that i've learned that there WERE INDEED metal detectors at the Babs concert ... We shouldn't be so quick to believe an off the cuff assertion that someone makes without checking first... Sorry folks. Move along. Nothing to see here...
None of the back people that I know think they need to walk around with a gun.
...you just verified the utter irrelevancy of everything you've said. Please tell us more about how some of your best friends are black so that we can be impressed by how progressive and open-minded you are. Obviously, your black friends not wanting to carry guns belies all of the statistics about who actually commits crime in this city.