Access Issues: Macs Alton, IL

Ok, so I'm still a little drunk. Please pardon any mis-spellings. I would like to point out that NORMALLY, if he hadn't have triggered my PTSD, I almost always act civilly.

So, I was on a first date with a new guy (Stressful enough right?) We go to a bar to meet and we have fun playing pool, whatever. Then we decide to go to a bar around the corner to go get food and the "bouncer" refuses to let me in because of my dog. He said something along the lines of, "Could you please take your dog somewhere else because we're busy right now". I said "No. I am hungry and she is a Service Dog." He says, "Ok, but there's a lot of people here right now, so I don't want your dog in here." I said, "Regardless, I am hungry and she is a service dog and she is allowed to be anywhere I am allowed to be." At which point I started reaching for my wallet to pull out the ADA law. (I keep a copy with me at all times in my wallet). I unfold the paper and hand it to him and say, "Sir, please read this. This is the law regarding Service Dogs and our rights", and he pushed the paper away from him, back towards me. I, again, try to hand it to him, and say, "Sir, unless you want to get sued, please read this before saying anything else to me". He said, "Sue me? HA! I have no money! You won' t get anything!" At which point, one of the bartenders came up and got in my face saying, "I understand you have rights, but so does this bar. Health codes let us deny all dogs from coming in here. I'm sorry, but I don't want to get in trouble with my boss." Then I said, "Well if you don't want to get in trouble with your boss, then you need to read this" - As I handed the ADA law paper to the bartender, he pushed it away and the "bouncer" yanked it out of my hand and crumpled it up. He said, "Ma'am, I've asked you to leave and now I'm telling you. Leave." -Then he grabbed the leash.

I use a hands free over the shoulder, behind the neck and under the armpit leash for my dog. When he grabbed it, he pulled it to where the leash choked me. That is a trigger for me. Not being able to breathe and being choked is the MAIN trigger for my PTSD. When he did that, I SCREAMED, "DON'T TOUCH ME! GET OFF ME!!" and the bouncer, still holding onto the leash, tried to force me out the door (the leash still choking me). I then "punched" (kind of) in the direction of him, purposely missing his face, to push him away from me. He then said, "That's it, you're out!" And I said, "You're CHOKING ME! Get your hands off of me!" (-My date, watching the whole thing, mortified, waiting in silence)

At this point, customers are yelling at him to "leave her alone", "it's a service dog", "she's allowed in here", "get your hands off her", etc. And one customer came to his defense (that saw me push him away) and said "I've witnessed everything. You hit him." blah blah.
Anyways, I was forced to leave and I called the police. The police came, I told them what happened and they asked me what I wanted them to do. I told them I don't plan on suing and I don't care about tickets, I just want them to be informed of the law. And he said, "You still want to go back in there?" and I said, "Yeah, I'm hungry! lol". So, he went into the bar/restaurant (I have no idea what was said) and came back out to tell me that I can go back in now. After what felt like 5 minutes of the bouncer checking my ID, I was allowed to go in, and was left alone. By everyone. I got a table to sit down with my date and his friend and the waitress took our order. AN HOUR LATER, our food finally came. (I think they told them to make it take forever because of the scene I made.) At which point, there was 5 minutes until closing. They told us to hurry up and finish because at 3, we had to be out of the building, finished or not. Anyways, we hurried up and finished our food and as we asked for our check, one of the other employees came up to our table, looked at my service dog and said "I know not to F*** with you guys. How was your meal?". At which point, I chuckled and said, it's alright. Horrible treatment, cold and late food, and now we're being rushed out the door, but the food's alright." and then he went up to the bouncer, told him to leave us alone and to let us finish our meal in peace and other stuff that I could no longer hear.

As we were on our way out the door, the bouncer was still sitting there and rudely told us to have a nice night. (The kind of rude that he is forced to say those words, but he said it with the "I hate your guts" infliction with it.)

I'm not sure I'm going to go back there again. I'd say I visit there fairly frequently. I've been there 3 times in the last 2 months. The daytime bartenders know me and my dog by name and they love us. I've never been there at night before. After all that, I'm not sure if I want to go back. So I'm warning you guys. If you happen to be in Alton, Illinois, do not go to MACS. (Though they SHOULD know the law now.)

These are the marks from where he choked me with my leash.