THE BIG QUESTION: Was the call to police the evening of May 29 in response to underage drinking or was it politically motivated?

THE OUTCRY: It would appear from my email this week that Chuy's restaurant is the villain in this story.

"You can bet we will not be dining at Chuy's in the future. You had better take a second look at the trouble you are starting when you get involved with politics. Regardless of how you feel about a certain politician, you go about your business in serving the public. To dial a 911 number, reserved for an emergency is outrageous. I am wondering if Mia Lawrence had alcohol at the age of the Bush girls. Most have. If it were my place of business I wouldn't want that kind of publicity." R.W.

"I will never eat at Chuy's for their attack on the Bush girls. [T]hey were wrong but you didn't have to call the media on this experience." S.

"Dear Tex-Mex, If your restaurant is the one who called 911 on Jenna Bush...shame, shame on you. Politics is all it was... and we won't be frequenting your place again." D.S.

"I was wondering which Tex-Mex restaurant will call the police on you if they don't like your father... They should put a sign out 'no shoes, no Republicans' I would like to know so I can call the Health Department if I ever see any Health violations..next time I am in town... Its what the tattle-tail-Tex-Mex deserves." S.P.

"I am shocked that a manager would call the police on any patron who was not causing a disturbance. Patrons would do well to avoid this establishment." C.

"I don't know when I'll be in Austin next but in light of recent political events I do know Chuy's is where I will not be eating." H.J.P.

"I am appalled that they would allow Austin politics to create such an uproar about the Bush twins. I read that Austin is a liberal city, but that is no excuse for the over-zealous reaction of the manager. Shame on her! I have no doubt that Fate will repay her cold heart in kind.

"For eight years the liberal media protected Chelsea Clinton from any and all mention of her stay at Stanford. President Bush has been in office less than six months, and it is obvious that the left-wing press will pry for every detail on his two daughters. I do believe that the American electorate is fair-minded over-all, and I think this will cause sympathy for President and Mrs. Bush." A.B.

"Thankfully I don't live in Austin Texasbut if I did I would make it a point to never eat in any establishment that would try to make political hay out of a relatively minor offense of an underage person trying to buy an alcoholic drink. If the Austin police dept. has to spend tax dollars to send 911 officers to a bar because someone is trying to use a fake ID, then there's way bigger problems in your fair city.

"Did I understand the news reports that the owners and/or manager of Chuy's are big Democratic party hacks??? Wonder where the tape is of Chelsea Clinton dancing on tabletops in some bar during her college days? Bet we'll never see or hear of them." M.K.

Not everyone is chastising Chuy's (although they are not getting much support):

"I feel your restaurant is getting unfair treatment for trying to do the right thing in maybe preventing a tragedy. Would those same people bashing them be singing that tune if that manager had done what everyone else is doing (sticking their head in the sand and saying teenagers will be teenagers) and then one of those Bush girls had turned around and gotten drunk, drove a car, and maybe hurt themselves or someone else? No, they would be wanting to ban Chuy's because you didn't do something, and accusing you of giving the Bush girls preferrential treatment because they are the President's daughters. I say to those people-You can't have your cake and eat it too." T.B.

(You may notice that many correspondents were writing to me as if I were the management at Chuy's. I'm not sure why. I have no relationship with the restaurant and have never eaten at the Chuy's in South Austin, although my former co-guide gave a glowing review of the food and service in 1998. But, hey, I don't mind. It's interesting to hear what folks are saying.)

911 Use and Abuse
Chuy's did apologize for calling 911. However, I feel I should interject that the fact that someone from Chuy's called 911 instead of a non-emergency police number may seem rash but it isn't unprecedented in Austin. My husband and I have both contacted the local police at various times using 911 for non-emergencies — because that is what the Austin police asked us to do. Odd as it was, they asked my husband to call 911 to follow-up on a burglary report from several days earlier. I was told by another police officer to call 911 for a non-emergency situation just a few months ago. They said "911 will route the calls to the correct desk."

Politics and Double Standards
Were the Bush daughters singled out for harrassment because someone at Chuy's didn't like Daddy's politics? Some people have pointed out that the restaurant manager could simply have taken Ms. Bush aside and said, "Listen, we don't want any trouble here. You are underage. We can't serve you alcohol." A recurring theme in many articles and online forums discussing both the Bush incidents has been "all teenagers do it" and "as long as a Democrat was in the White House you didn't hear about the drug and alcohol escapades of the Clinton and Gore teens."

SOUND OFF: What do you think? Did someone at the restaurant act irresponsibly? Did someone overreact? Are the Democrats and the media targeting our Republican president by taking potshots at his daughters? What would you have done in that restaurant manager's place? [Tell me what you think]

Jacci Howard Bear
Your Guide to Austin, Texas