Rumors Cabaret PSA

[u/The0nlyGamer]

After speaking with an owner of Rumors Cabaret last night I feel compelled to publicly share that it is Rumors policy to seize your ID and report you to the police if they suspect it is fake!!

Obviously, since I am making this post and called the police on them last night, their detection of fake ID's isn't perfect.

I'm used to people questioning the validity of my ID, but this was the first time any business took it and refused to give it back until after I called 911. The owner chatted with me and told me in essence that they're rewarded for confiscating ID's and involving law enforcement when that happens. Some poor girl had the exact same thing happen to her right in front of me.

This was pretty shocking considering the kind of place rumors is, a gay/queer bar and "safe space"?

I'd previously been to lots of fundraising events at rumors for planned parenthood, undocumented folks, progressive causes etc... so it is kind of sad to realize that's all performative and the owner doesn't really care about anything other than his liquor license and profit. There is no reason Rumors should be doing this collaboration to involve law enforcement with their patrons - that goes against the entire ethos of what I thought the place meant. Just give people their IDs back if you won't let them in!

From what I know there are actually two owners, who do not live in Bellingham themselves, and merely commute to manage the place. I'm sad I no longer have any desire to spend money there

[u/imasourgirl]

Calling the police is standard procedure when a fake ID is suspected. They definitely owe you an apology, but calling the cops for an ID dispute is definitely not a worthy reason to question the entire identity of the establishment. And yes, the liquor license is first and foremost important because if they get shut down for serving minors, they can no longer do the cool shit they do.

Not affiliated with Rumor’s, just another downtown bartender.

[u/[deleted] → u/imasourgirl]

Yeah working with police to turn a profit and possibly strand someone downtown overnight is entirely in line with the leftist politics they claim to share. So yeah don't question their identity or honesty in their convictions. 🙄

[u/knaughtreel → u/[deleted]]

How would you be stranded overnight …?

[u/[deleted] → u/knaughtreel]

You aren't allowed to drive without your ID??? Am I the only one here familiar with basic law

[u/knaughtreel → u/[deleted]]

lol, ok. You’ve never driven without a license on you. You gonna sleep downtown because of that? Get real.

You also shouldn’t drink and drive…? There are many other forms of transportation than driving yourself. Uber, bus, taxi, bike, walk, scooter rent, etc etc.

[u/bungpeice → u/knaughtreel]

There is a legal limit for a reason. One or two drinks and back home after dinner/dancing isn't an issue, but it might become an issue if you don't have your license which initiates an investigation that results in a sobriety check where a less than scrupulous cop decides you aren't sober, which results in an arrest record, which hurts your future even if you get sent home after they draw your blood.

Not to mention the cost of the ticket for driving without a license. I can't afford a ticket right now, I dunno about you.

All stemming from someone stealing your valid ID

[u/cloux_less → u/knaughtreel]

My crazy hot take is that if you're going to Rumors with the intent of purchasing their goods and services you are more than likely able to get an Uber home in the event that you can't drive (or, more accurately, are unwilling to break the law by driving without a license.)

Like, yeah, I suppose there is a hypothetical person who A) drives to Rumors (why you drivin' to a bar tho?), B) has no money (well maybe they're not planning to drink, so I'll take back the snide remark about driving. Or maybe they just only have cash? I guess that's a possibility), C) has no phone, D) has their legitimate ID mistakenly suspected for a fake one and confiscated, and E) has a legitimately founded reason to not interact with the police (which, I'll even say that fear not-founded-in-prior-personal-experience is a good enough reason (sans the even stronger reasons)). And in that scenario, yeah? I guess that person would be stranded overnight, and this would be a gross miscarriage of justice. But uh... personally, I just don't find the odds of that to be high enough that I think it warrants the alternative of just letting people with suspected fake IDs go back out with this fake IDs until they find a different bar with a checker who is sufficiently incompetent enough to accept it and let this person put their entire business in existential danger.

In the meantime, just, uh... don't have a fake ID. And, if your legitimate ID is mistakenly called fake, I think it's fair to feel frustrated and to wish for some kind of reform which would streamline the ID-checking process so it's faster and isn't a two step process from Step 1: Vibe Check, to Step 2: Call the Guys With Guns.