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thishereboi -> RE: The Good, Racist People By TA-NEHISI COATES (3/12/2013 9:18:18 AM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: VioletGray
quote:
ORIGINAL: SadistDave
Well, it could be that he just isn't a fan... I'm not a huge fan of Whitakers myself. I can't remember the last movie of his I saw, and honestly, I would probably ask him if he's famous, because I doubt I would recognize him off-screen. Considering the films and shows I enjoy, I would be more likely to recognize Ice T or Wesley Snipes than Forest Whitaker.
Hell, just about every day I see stories about people in the news who are allegedly famous, important people that I've never heard of, let alone would be able to recognize in a deli without their professional make-up and lighting.
Your usual snark suggest that you're intimately familiar enough with every "famous" person to instantly recognize them off set (or out of the recording studio), in casual attire, trying to just be like normal folk. Sorry. Gonna call bullshit on that one.
Besides, business owners aren't in the habit of driving business away. If this is such a blatant act of racism, why hasn't the author of the hit-piece, who claims he has frequently been in that very deli himself and sent his children there alone without incident never been the victim of racism in that establishment?
That sounds a little problematic to the black authors premise that this is racism since he has never experienced racism in the establishment.
Chances are good that Whitaker was acting normally for someone who probably gets approached by fans wanting autographs, pictures, etc.,and maybe has some security concerns. Perhaps because of who he is and how he might act in public, Whitaker really did do something he thought was "normal" that looked suspicious to someone who didn't immediately recognize him?
-SD-
Ah, I can help with this one...
There is a 7-11 here in Baltimore that is perhaps 4 blocks from my current home of 3 years. Mid-December I walked in to buy a Tastykake, seeing it as a quick, efficient way of ruining my diet. The lady that works there was doing a terrible job at trying to spy on me unnoticed. When I went to pay for my snack she approached me and asked me what did with the other snack I was looking at before. I told her I put it back she insisted that I empty out my pockets and bag, and prove to her that I had not. I said the legally I have to do no such thing, but I was going to anyway to prove a point.
I'd like to mention that I had been coming there for 3 years without incident. Using your logic a house will never catch fire, because it hasn't caught fire yet.
If the only reason she suspected you of stealing was because you were black then she should be fired. You said you have been going there for 3 years. Is this the first time anyone has implied they thought you were stealing? And why do you consider it spying? One of the jobs of a store clerk is to watch the customers. That is why they put mirrors up so it is easier to see what they are doing. If someone is acting suspicious they get watched more closely to make sure they don't take anything. If someone looks lost they get asked if they need help finding something. It's not spying, it's part of the job. I had a girl come into the store and wander all over. She kept looking up at me and at one point picked up some gum and then went over to another part of the store where the coffee is. She stayed over there for a while and then went to the cooler, grabbed a pop and came to the register to pay for it. At that point the gum was gone. I asked her if she had changed her mind about getting it and she said she set it over by the coffee pots. She then went over and got it and handed it to me. I appoligized and explained to her that if you pick something up in a store and drop it somewhere else you should expect to be questioned. Now she might have gone home and complained that I thought she was stealing because she was black but that had nothing to do with it. It was her actions and nothing else. I had another customer come in and act the same way. Being the only one in the store I came out from behind the counter and went over to the isle he was hovering in at which point he left the store. He was white and it didn't change the fact that he was acting like he was going to steal something. Now he might have gone home and complained that I thought he was stealing because he was a guy but he would have been wrong also. That said if you had been coming into my store for that long, I would know you and know that you weren't going to rip me off. Aside from the usual hi how are you and general chitchat, I would probably ignore you and assume you knew where everything was and would say something if you had a problem.
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