Kansas City Battle Of Westport Redux: Reparations OR Sham Lawsuit?!?

This week the debate over Kansas City's historic entertainment district hit critical mass and shut down another biz on a troubled corner. 

Racially-charged arguments forced the closure of a not-so-popular brunch spot that was probably losing a fight for customers with Snooze a few doors down. 

And a couple of days earlier, local civil rights leaders offered their support for legal action against Westport over alleged "racial racketeering" and discrimination against a business that hoped to take over the corner. 

In response, Westport leaders have sent messages to TKC calling the lawsuit a "sham, predicated on falsehoods, misstatements, and intentional fabrications." 

However . . .  

All of this is prelude to more important & longstanding conversation about the future of Westport.

One TOP ECHELON KANSAS CITY INSIDER offered this behind the scenes perspective . . . Here's the word: 

"What we're really talking about is that many Black business leaders in Kansas City would like to take over Westport because so much of the clientele on weekends is comprised of Black people." 

Special thanks to the insider for sharing a no-holds-barred perspective with our www.TonysKansasCity.com blog community . . . Here's what local newsies might not understand: 

"You can call it entitlement or representation or even reparations. The only problem is that legal fights can get expensive and proving a pattern of discrimination is difficult. Even winning a local court victory won't secure a final decision given that federal law on discrimination rules has started to evolve and 'race-based' accommodation is no longer the law of the land, the insider noted." 

In conclusion  . . .

"It's easy to understand the frustration on both sides of this issue . . .  But in the end it might be more important for Kansas City to realize that this 'civil rights' issue isn't about housing or voting rights but simply a small business grudge match between owners regarding profits from over-priced drinks & food." 

Developing . . .