KBTX Really Should Name That Church

4,284 Views | 22 Replies | Last: 5 mo ago by Rapier108
foxfire
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Quote:

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - Many people depend on service animals to lead a safer and more independent life, but what one local woman didn't expect was to be turned away from worshiping.
Mari Ramos is blind and uses her companion and service dog, Betty.
Betty's guiding abilities aren't something Mari says she uses for fun, but to navigate life. The Americans with Disabilities Act protects Mari and Betty to ensure they can go places together and Mari can access life just like anyone else.
However, when Mari attended Church on Sunday, leaders there exercised their right not to comply with ADA rules.

https://www.kbtx.com/2024/06/06/handler-shares-concerns-sadness-after-guide-dog-denied-entry-brazos-county-church/

Now all Bryan churches are suspect. Having attended services in Bryan where service dogs in training are welcome I really don't understand the issue. A properly trained service dog does not react to this type of environment.

taxpreparer
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AG
I agree. KBTX is doing both, other churches and those who rely on service animals a disservice by not naming this church.
doubledog
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At the VERY least get the church's side of the story... New low for KBTX news...
Pantera
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AG
Quote:

Mari said leaders of the church wouldn't allow Betty due to a band and flashing lights not being "appropriate" for a service animal.
I don't see the flashing lights or "band" in the video, unless I'm missing it.
Stupe
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S
KBTX getting both sides of a story? That's been gone for a while.

We have several people in our family that have severe sight issues or are legally blind.

Saying that I'm empathetic to this issue is an understatement. There are places that may deny entrance to service animals. There is also usually a very good reason for it.

It doesn't even mention that they reached out to the church for comment.

This still doesn't beat Rusty making the car wash owners look like unhinged racists in 2020.
etj77845
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[Make your post again without the insulting and disrespectful language and it will be allowed to stay on the thread. -Staff]
Stupe
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S
Pantera said:

Quote:

Mari said leaders of the church wouldn't allow Betty due to a band and flashing lights not being "appropriate" for a service animal.
I don't see the flashing lights or "band" in the video, unless I'm missing it.
Probably because they didn't show any of the service. Churches that use that stuff also don't do it for an entire service.
Stupe
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S
Before anyone thinks I'm "defending" the church, I'm not.

My church doesn't use a bunch of flashing lights and we have people with guide dogs.

I just want to hear both sides.
Pantera
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AG
Oops, I read it as there was a band of flashing lights on the service animal and thought "that sure is a strange thing to have, no wonder they kicked her out." I get it now, and it makes way more sense.
Stupe
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S
I was really confused.

I watched that video about ten times wondering if I missed something.
75AG
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AG
The sign of being old is I don't need flashing lights during a worship service. But I digress….
91_Aggie
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AG
75AG said:

The sign of being old is I don't need flashing lights during a worship service. But I digress….
Also a sign of being old is making sure everyone knows you are old by complaining about new things
75AG
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AG
Guess that's true
SoTheySay
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S
It would be nice if they had some sort of responsibility to get the full story or follow up when they do wrong.

Notice we haven't heard anything about that most recent Caldwell scandal?
etj77845
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OK Staff taking another stab at this topic.

From the body of the KBTX story it appears that the representatives of the church, possibly the greeter, acted in an arbitrary and capricious manner. The fact that you can does not imply that you should act in a certain way.

We do not know if Ms. Ramos was a first time or frequent visitor. If she was a frequent visitor was the dog disruptive in other instances? If she was a 1st timer, then the need to know the who is important to other visitors who might be in a similar circumstance.

This is why the "leaders" need to explain themselves, and KBTX if they are going to publish do a complete story.

91_Aggie
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AG
Can't get people all riled up and clicking on the story (to see the ads) if you tell both sides of the story.

Gots to get them clicks.

Plus it takes more time and effort and work to talk to both sides.
Get the controversial, click-generating side out and then later you can do the other side... get multiple videos/articles out of the same story.

The days of the News media delivering all the facts are over. Rusty and KBTX are forced to play by the rules that are forced upon them... get those clicks and advertising dollars
bushytailed
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AG
Reading through the FB comments, I saw someone mention that every time the church is mentioned in the comments it gets deleted. Another person made repeated comments about the location of the church, but those comments were deleted too.
histag10
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AG
Wow. Yeah. Just noticed this has WAY less comments than when I read earlier.

Staff- can we post the name of the church on here?
FlyRod
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Maybe the name of the church is being withheld because there are details of the story that haven't surfaced yet? It seems like an emotional thing that could get folks all ginned up before all the details are known. This is exactly the kind of story that as it breaks, it's easy to immediately play good guys and bad guys.
histag10
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AG
If the media is withholding the name of the church because all the details haven't surfaced, then don't you think that is a reason to withhold a damning story until they have their facts straight?

The issue is that Rusty or KBTX keep deleting comments that give the church's name. It seems they also deleted the comments of someone that had firsthand knowledge of it.
Pantera
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AG
FlyRod said:

Maybe the name of the church is being withheld because there are details of the story that haven't surfaced yet? It seems like an emotional thing that could get folks all ginned up before all the details are known. This is exactly the kind of story that as it breaks, it's easy to immediately play good guys and bad guys.


That's the negative with social media and instant news. People report prior to facts being known to be the first and "catch" something, when in some cases it's a nothing burger. Not saying this is that instance, but it's a downside to something seemingly great for news.
woodiewood
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foxfire said:

Quote:

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - Many people depend on service animals to lead a safer and more independent life, but what one local woman didn't expect was to be turned away from worshiping.
Mari Ramos is blind and uses her companion and service dog, Betty.
Betty's guiding abilities aren't something Mari says she uses for fun, but to navigate life. The Americans with Disabilities Act protects Mari and Betty to ensure they can go places together and Mari can access life just like anyone else.
However, when Mari attended Church on Sunday, leaders there exercised their right not to comply with ADA rules.

https://www.kbtx.com/2024/06/06/handler-shares-concerns-sadness-after-guide-dog-denied-entry-brazos-county-church/

Now all Bryan churches are suspect. Having attended services in Bryan where service dogs in training are welcome I really don't understand the issue. A properly trained service dog does not react to this type of environment.


People know it was only a few people at one church. Maybe this will make all churches make an increased effort to appear open and acceptable to all persons regardless of their lot in life?

I have found most churches in the areas I have lived in to be mostly loving and would not have an issue with this situation.

I had an old gospel preacher Mid McKnight in Canton who gave a sermon fifty years ago on a similar issue. A few members were complaining about a few babies crying in the assemble during services. He gave a sermon a couple of weeks later with the theme, "If the babies aren't crying, your church is dying."

It stopped the complaining.
Rapier108
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Naming the church, which is not required by ADA to make accommodations, will do nothing but give the perpetual outrage mob something to jump on. I'm feel for this lady, but B/CS has a lot of other churches, most of which would have no problem with her attending with her service dog.

Anyone remember this? Yes, it wasn't a church, but people lost their minds over it.

https://texags.com/forums/35/topics/2627620

That occurred back when KBTX still allowed comments, and it went off the rails. Lots of threats made toward MB. Along with the story about the vet who shot the cat, it wasn't long after that they removed the comment section completely.
"If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without blood shed; if you will not fight when your victory is sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves." - Sir Winston Churchill
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