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Gene Grant: There's no reason for children to hang at Hooters
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Taking your kids to Hooters? That's a good idea. Just this week, a second nut job was caught loaded behind the wheel of a vehicle with his kids in the car after a night there.
Xavier Lucero was pulled over Sunday with his 4- and 2-year-old sons inside. From news reports, the dude was gone. Toast. Drunk as drunk can be defined. I'm amazed he even got his key in the ignition.
Last month, Michael Vigil was popped when his 10-year-old called 911 to tell police they were stopped in the middle of the road. Dad was probably snoring at the wheel.
It's ridiculous from all sides. And scary as heck. The Lucero situation looks like it came to a close before disaster struck because he was hammered enough to warrant witnesses calling the police.
Vigil had dragged his boys to two Hooters restaurants before the fateful cell-phone call from the kid. The poor thing must have been terrified. I can't even imagine it.
Hooters, let's face it, is basically a strip club where the needle got stuck with one last layer of clothing to go.
I've been to Hooters twice. Once here and the other in Phoenix. I was dragged there by workmates. The difference between the two was stark.
Hooters had been out there in the culture for a few years before it landed in Albuquerque, and I just didn't get it. The restaurants were insanely popular around the country, and I'm sure you remember the weirdo fanfare when it arrived. Curiosity got the better of me. So one night, alone, I went to check it out.
Orange half-girdles, shiny hose and T-shirts with owl eyes. That's sexy?
Toss in some mediocre food and waitresses swimming in some of the worst perfume imaginable, and that was the experience.
It didn't last long.
The Phoenix visit doesn't need much detail, except for this: There wasn't a male under the age of 30. Here in Albuquerque, you'd have thought it was a Chuck E. Cheese's.
This was some years ago, mind you, but the visual reminder came storming back from these news reports. The Albuquerque location had many tables that appeared to be family outings. An adult male, an adult female and kids. All munching away on baskets of chicken wings without seeming to notice the orange blurs swishing by.
I honestly need some help with this one.
Dads, your sons will be young men sooner than you know it. Do you really think your sons, indoctrinated by you and your view of women, will have a prayer? Spare them the embarrassment and rethink this.
And moms who agree with Dad to have a family dinner at Hooters with your daughter in tow: Are you trying to make your daughter a hoochie in training?
That's right, a hoochie. Part of the Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan brigade. They will be well on their way if you keep on this path.
As the father of girls, this is just painful. I really need a good explanation on why this is all right by you. There's no reason for bringing your kids to Hooters. None. And there's definitely no need to get blasted and get behind the wheel.
I'm firmly not in the alarmist camp on kids and behavior. In fact, kids get too much of the blame for what they are. Despite the hand-wringing stories on the state of kids these days and photos of a bald Britney at every turn, it's clear where they are getting these ideas.
This is not a plea for legislation, just common sense. Hooters is not hanging out a kids-eat-free sign. There's no good that can come from this.

