The Green Palace Teahouse in Santa Fe, New Mexico has banned the use of all wireless technologies in and around the building on Palace Avenue.
Wireless phone calls, texting, bluetooth and Wi-Fi are strictly prohibited and will result in immediate expulsion from the shop without warning. The controversy began with claims of medical discrimination to those with electrical "sensitivity" allergies. Apparently, wireless internet is a health hazard and can be blamed for allergic reactions, convulsions, and even paralysis in the electromagnetic-intolerant.To the Green Palace Teahouse, the issue of Wi-Fi intolerance is no joke. I witnessed, first hand, a Green Palace Teahouse employee escorting a young woman from the building for sending and receiving text messages on her cellphone during a belly dancing performance. According to the owner, the woman's "cellphone activity" was triggering allergic reactions in a man named "Arthur," and he was not able to enjoy the show. I never saw this man, but his concerns of medical discrimination are of high interest in Santa Fe.
Just recently, an article was published by local news explaining how some Santa Fe'ans are protesting the city's initiative to provide free wireless internet in all public buildings. "The public buildings, like libraries, are all that we have left!" explained one Santa Fe resident, referring to the quickly growing availability of Wi-Fi hot spots. The City Councilor Ron Trujillo responded by saying "It's not 1692, it's 2008. Santa Fe needs to embrace this technology, it's not going away." KOB News
Luckily for Mr. Arthur, Santa Fe will always have the lovely Green Palace Teahouse as a refuge from those "cancerous cellphones" and the "brain retardation" that goes hand-in-hand with wireless internet.On a more serious note, despite their Wi-Fi-phobia, the Green Palace Teahouse is popular with locals and tourists and is considered one of Santa Fe's hidden jewels. The atmosphere is warm and friendly and free from obnoxious cell phone babbling. With their nightly live world music and their healthy homemade food and desserts, this is a teahouse worth visiting, just keep your iPhone on vibrate.
The Green Palace Teahouse is located at 209 East Palace Avenue in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
