Man wearing MAGA hat not victim of 'religious' discrimination for getting kicked out of a bar, Judge says
Unless you're involuntarily locked in the cellar of some Berkeley farm cooperative, being a Trump supporter does not make you an oppressed minority in America. At least according to one judge.
Tell that to Philadelphia accountant Greg Piatek, who sued The Happiest Hour bar in New York City after the bar allegedly kicked him out for wearing the infamous red Make America Great Again hat.
Piatek claimed that MAGA was his religion, and that he was a victim of religious discrimination when the bar kicked him out for expressing his spiritual beliefs.
On Wednesday, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice David Cohen ruled that the bar's ejection was legal, as MAGA is technically not a religion.
“Anyone who supports Trump — or believes in what you believe — is not welcome here," Piatek claims the bartender at The Happiest Hour told him. "And you need to leave right now because we won’t serve you'”
Piatek alleges that the bartender ejected him only after he and his friends complained about poor service.
State discrimination laws do not protect Americans from political discrimination. Discrimination laws do, however, protect customers from religious discrimination.
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“He was paying spiritual tribute to the victims of 9/11. The Make American Great Again hat was part of his spiritual belief," Piatek's lawyer, Paul Liggieri, told Judge Cohen.
“How many members are in this spiritual program that your client is engaged in?” Judge David Cohen asked.
“Your honor, we don’t allege the amount of individuals,” Liggieri said.
“So, it’s a creed of one?”
“Yes, your honor,” Liggieri said.
Piatek's suit for emotional damages was denied when the judge ruled that the bar's behavior didn't represent "outrageous conduct" and that the “plaintiff does not state any faith-based principle to which the hat relates.”
The judge said that the 'Church of MAGA' needed more than one member to qualify as a religion.
Apparently Judge David Cohen doesn't have any respect for my uncle's Religion, "Temple of the Bucket Hat." Shame on him.
Topics Politics
Heather was the Web Trends reporter at Mashable NYC. Prior to joining Mashable, Heather wrote regularly for UPROXX and GOOD Magazine, was published in The Daily Dot and VICE, and had her work featured in Entertainment Weekly, Jezebel, Mic, and Gawker. She loves small terrible dogs and responsible driving. Follow her on Twitter @wear_a_helmet.
