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Though I have been unable to confirm it, this letter
has many markings of a hoax. Judge for yourself.
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COPELAND'S -Forwarded

Ladies and Gentleman, Please be aware. I am a God fearing
African - American 21 year old woman who is sending this
message in all sincerity and honesty. This weekend a few
friends and myself decided to take friends from out of town to
Copeland's for dinner. We explained to our guest how nice
the restaurant was and how we were sure they would enjoy the
food. Our party consisted of five African American males and
four African American females from the ages of 21 to 29.

We entered Copeland's and told the hostess we would like a
table for a party of ten. The young lady paused gave us an odd
glare and then stated she would "look". She returned
approximately 15 minutes later to direct us to our table. It was
a long booth in the rear of the restaurant next to the kitchen.
When we asked if it were possible we could sit at a large
round table on the higher level of the reastaraunt, we were told
our party was too big. We ignored this and decided to sit at
the booth anyway.

Approximately two minutes after we all sat and opened our
menus one of the gentelman in our party was asked to remove
his cap. Since we were in a restaurant he understood and did
so. Approximately a minute later the manager returns and in a
very rude manner tells another gentleman in our party he has
to sit upright. Please keep in mind this young man was not
laid out in the booth, but was merely leaning on his elbow
looking at the menu. We all paused and looked at the manager
in disbelief. My friend to whom the manager was speaking,
also in disbelief asked the manager "What did you say?". The
manager then very harshly told my friend that if he did not sit
up Copeland's would not serve anyone at our table. When my
friend refused the manager told all of us to "get out!"

We remained seated and I, a college educated woman, asked
in an exteremely professional manner for the manager to
please show us in his policy where this "no slouching rule"
was stated. In disgust he walked away. When he returned he
had a police officer with him that explained he was forced to
show us out of the restaurant. He also explained if we refused
to leave we would be placed under arrest. Once we were out of
the restaraunt the officer explained to us whathappened inside
was extremely odd, and that he had never had to ask anyone
to leave for slouching, but because he was hired for security at
Copeland's he had no choice but to ask us to leave. He also
suggestedwe take this up as civil matter, which we are
definitely in the process of doing.

I usually do not send messages that need to be forwarded on
the internet but I am requesting that you send this out to as
many people as possible. What happened to us was
embarassing, injust and out and out racist. There is no
question in mind or my friends minds that what happened to
us was because of our skin color. As much as I once liked
Copeland's, I will never eat there again. I hope you are also
outraged by what happened to us and will do the same. Thank
you for reading this and please pass this on immediately.