Honeymooners Turned Away From Hotel For Being Too Young

This story has left me speechless, so let me just use snippets from articles about the incident. The web addresses are included so you can read the whole nauseating story yourself:

"Imagine you're an 18-year-old bride who has had to plan your entire wedding and honeymoon on your own because your groom has been away at Marine boot camp. And then you arrive at the hotel after the ceremony and find out that there's no room at the inn because you're under 21.
That's what happened to a pair of young newlyweds in California...

"I was so upset," said the bride. In the car, I just broke down. I thought, 'Here I am looking for a place to stay on my honeymoon.'" ...
"I just wanted to be in a room because I was so tired and... my husband, he was in his dress blues and I think that's what got me the most," she told a local TV station. "He was in his dress blues and he's going to put his life on the line for these people and they won't even offer us a room."

"I am ashamed and deeply saddened by the events that occurred at The Padre Hotel last (weekend)," hotel co-owner Brett Miller said in a statement. "Upon checking their identification, our staff became aware that both bride and groom were under the age of 21. Although it is our company policy not to reserve rooms to younger guests for liability reasons, ... "The owner of the hotel says that the staff was just following a long-standing hotel policy. And it's more to limit our liability when it comes to the liquor license and serving minors." ..... "An exception should have been made..... If you show up in a military uniform and a wedding gown -- sure, we'll give you a room,"

http://consumerist.com/2010/11/honeymooners-turned-away-from-hotel-for-being-too-young.html

"A spokesman for the ACLU of Southern California said there was not enough time Thursday afternoon to thoroughly research the legal aspects of the .... incident. But Legal Director Hector Villagra said in an e-mail he was puzzled by the hotel's initial response. "It is hard to understand how this young man is old enough to enlist in the military, to say he is willing to die for his country," he wrote, "yet apparently not old enough to rent a hotel room."

http://www.bakersfield.com/news/local/x35841525/Padre-apologetic-after-turning-away-newlyweds


So.... You can die for your country, but can't even get a room on the night of your wedding?!? This in spite of the fact that you are dressed in your wedding dress and military dress blues?!? Are people really that stupid? Could they not have at least attempted to look at their wedding certificate and his military ID to verify their story? Is there not a manager who could have been called? Are they, as employees, so stupid/afraid to think/uncaring that the rules do not even apply to a wedding night?!????? Yep, I guess so. While I never plan to go to Bakersfield, CA, you can bet that I will not be staying at that hotel!!!!! Oh, yeah, one night is gonna make up for the fact that your people screwed up the wedding night?