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[bucyou]

An IHOP restaurant in Missouri reportedly used the N-word to refer to a black teen on her receipt — then sent her a $10 gift card as an apology.

Maya Thomas, 19, received the offensive receipt when she picked up her take-out order April 13 from the Grandview establishment, the Kansas City Star reported.

“She seemed distraught and upset when she showed it to me,” her mom, who spoke on her behalf, told the newspaper. “And of course it got me pissed.”

The teen called the chain to complain about the slur. Days later, she received a $10 gift card in the mail.

“I think that’s really what made her mad,” her mother said. “Of all the things you could call someone, you call them that. And then the way you deal with it is by giving them 10 dollars?”

Frustrated, her mom posted the receipt to social media where the image went viral.

IHOP President Darren Rebelez said Tuesday the server’s actions were “inexcusable.”

“IHOP and its franchisees do not and will not tolerate racism, bigotry or harassment of any kind,” Rebelez told the Kansas City Star.

The server, who is also black, reportedly was fired from the restaurant following the incident.

“The franchisee was made aware on the 13th, an investigation was launched that same day and the server was terminated,” a spokesperson told the newspaper.

https://nypost.com/2018/05/03/ihop-calls-diner-n-word-on-receipt-apologizes-with-10-gift-card/

Genuine questions, but does the fact that both the customer and the server being black mean there shouldn't be boycotts and protests of IHOP? If the server used a hard "ER" at the end of her n bomb, would that cross a line or be seen the same either way?

 

[TrainedRage]

I.... What? What is this? Was he trying to be funny? Or was it like some inside joke i'm unaware of? I mean it was 'a' not 'er'.

 

[Mohonky]

You'll need to consult the local black community on whether this is permissable.

Im white and last I checked, was excluded from any discussion related to the use of the N word between the black community as well as pretty much everything else.

 

[Papa]

But T TransientJetlag told us it was ok for black people to call other black people racial epithets. It wasn’t even a hard ‘er’!

 

[bucyou]

You'll need to consult the local black community on whether this is permissable.

Im white and last I checked, was excluded from any discussion related to the use of the N word between the black community as well as pretty much everything else.

Why did you decide to reply to the thread, then? It seems like you just wanted to tout your deferral and point out you're white? Why not just wait for a response from someone you feel who CAN answer the questions.

You even said you are excluded from this discussion, i mean wtf?

 

[Tapioca]

They could have at least been given a 20 dollar gift card.

 

[DiscoJer]

To be fair, $10 gets you a lot of pancakes

But I don't see what else they could do. They fired the guy. Do they need to send all their employees for re-education camps like Starbucks, for the actions of a one employee who also happened to be black and used the N word presumably in a different context than as a racial slur?

 

[Mohonky]

Why did you decide to reply to the thread, then? It seems like you just wanted to tout your deferral and point out you're white? Why not just wait for a response from someone you feel who CAN answer the questions.

You even said you are excluded from this discussion, i mean wtf?

Being facetious

 

[Gun Animal]

gotta wonder what the server's motivation was

 

[TransientJetlag]

But T TransientJetlag told us it was ok for black people to call other black people racial epithets. It wasn’t even a hard ‘er’!

What the fuck? I've been member for like 4 days and already people are shitty attack posting me in threads I'm not even in?

I have no problem at all with black people using the n word colloquially, but obviously it's inappropriate in a proffesional setting.

Seriously though, what's up with the snarkyness? I thought this place was supposed to be for an open discussion without dogpiling or being hostile to eachother, so why are you in here @ing me in a shitty tone and trying to invoke a dog pile? Fuck outta here man.

 

[Texas Pride]

My opinion is if the word is offensive one way you should be offended both ways. Meaning if it's that insulting and demeaning it shouldn't be used period. People won't agree with me but continued use of the word in any form just ensures it'll continue to be used in every form.

 

[EviLore]

What the fuck? I've been member for like 4 days and already people are shitty attack posting me in threads I'm not even in?

I have no problem at all with black people using the n word colloquially, but obviously it's inappropriate in a proffesional setting.

Seriously though, what's up with the snarkyness? I thought this place was supposed to be for an open discussion without dogpiling or being hostile to eachother, so why are you in here @ing me in a shitty tone and trying to invoke a dog pile? Fuck outta here man.

What dogpile? No one gave a shit, but you got baited into escalating real well by a bit of snark. Call it even and let's not derail further.

 

[JCK75]

Let's be fair, these types of things have nothing to do with the company, employees in these types of places are in a revolving door between minimum wage jobs and they don't GAF, obviously IHOP should have done more but it's not right to say IHOP did this.

 

[RokkanStoned]

But T TransientJetlag told us it was ok for black people to call other black people racial epithets. It wasn’t even a hard ‘er’!

I giggled, but I don't see why contextual language is necessarily bad. That said, racially it's the kind of thing that's limited, due to popular use, with how language essentially is based around mimicry. It's the thing that'll either end up common or it'll end up being viewed as inappropriate for all in the end. However, I do think it had its use in helping getting a sense of fellowship and build identity amongst black americans. It's just doomed to go either way once racial barriers come down.

I do prefer if people aren't fired, unless the context makes it highly inflammatory. It should've been solved with getting an apology from the store, the gift card and an apology from the clerk. That is unless there have been more than this one instance of complaints.

 

[Grinchy]

Let's be fair, these types of things have nothing to do with the company, employees in these types of places are in a revolving door between minimum wage jobs and they don't GAF, obviously IHOP should have done more but it's not right to say IHOP did this.

The litigative nature of our society can be pretty annoying at times. Any bad thing that happens inside of a building is just assumed to become a payday.

- I slipped on the floor? I'm suing! You better pay up!
- I don't think I should have to follow company rules that dictate that I must be a paying customer to use the bathroom or loiter inside? I'm suing! You better pay up! And I'll sic social media on you and call you racist!
- Some shitty employee doesn't treat the customer well while they work? It's not enough to let your management know so they can fire him for not doing his job properly, I need my payday!

 

[bucyou]

Let's be fair, these types of things have nothing to do with the company, employees in these types of places are in a revolving door between minimum wage jobs and they don't GAF, obviously IHOP should have done more but it's not right to say IHOP did this.

Do you agree it was wrong to boycott Starbucks due to the poor actions of one manager?

 

[Hobbesian]

Eh, I used to do stuff like that just to amuse myself when I worked in the industry. Sometimes you'd have to add a descriptor to a check in the system when a large party wants split checks, for example, and the most obvious thing to do is to use one or two word adjectives describing their most prominent feature/s. If the adjectives are funny, it's easier to remember things and sometimes, racial humor is fun (I'm black).

Obviously, you have to be careful to make sure the descriptors aren't there when you print the receipt. That's non-stupidity 101.

 

[JCK75]

Do you agree it was wrong to boycott Starbucks due to the poor actions of one manager?

I don't even think her actions were that poor as any cop in a major city will tell you the majority of their calls are people who want to sit around and not purchase something, I know it can be argued that people sit around for 7-8 hours in a Starbucks after buying one cup of coffee but that is the perk of paying 10X the price of a normal cup of coffee. All of the information that later came out about the manager is that she's a Liberal SJW type who gets after her staff for not using someones chosen pronouns, so I'm very hesitant to label her a racist or assume her actions were anything but applying the rules to everyone. But even if it turns out she is a horrid racist who just managed to serve in an area with a large black population with zero prior incidents and just snapped one day, I do not think that reflects on Starbucks at a company so yes, very stupid to boycott (though I condone going the Hotep Jesus route and getting your free coffee)

I'm not suggesting racism doesn't exist but I am extremely concerned how it's always rushed to as the default without any question or demand for context.

 

[Musky_Cheese]

People!!! Stop protesting or boycotting stores or services because a single employee does something fucking stupid.

If Amazon had a policy from the highest levels that said refer to Blacks as Niggers... then protest.

If a single hourly worker worker writes Nigger on a package... let the company take appropriate action against that worker.

Companies can really only react to inappropriate employees. They aren’t fortune tellers.

 

[BANGS]

Sounds like a completely fabricated and/or dramatized story IMO...

"I was so distraught, OMG i can't continue living... oh ten bucks!"

 

[LegendOfKage]

All of the information that later came out about the manager is that she's a Liberal SJW type who gets after her staff for not using someones chosen pronouns, so I'm very hesitant to label her a racist or assume her actions were anything but applying the rules to everyone.

If you don't mind me asking, where did you hear this reported? Do you have a link?

 

[JCK75]

If you don't mind me asking, where did you hear this reported? Do you have a link?

A regular who knew most of the employees in the store did some interviews about his encounters with her and what he has witnessed, I could only point you to sources you may not find satisfying since major media wants to push this as another civil rights landmark and they have no interest in counter arguments.

https://www.westernjournal.com/ct/report-starbucks-manager-sjw/

 

[the.acl]

My opinion is if the word is offensive one way you should be offended both ways. Meaning if it's that insulting and demeaning it shouldn't be used period. People won't agree with me but continued use of the word in any form just ensures it'll continue to be used in every form.

Exactly, fuck double standards. We'll never get past this shit unless it goes both ways. Equality means same standards for all.

 

[mckmas8808]

Genuine questions, but does the fact that both the customer and the server being black mean there shouldn't be boycotts and protests of IHOP? If the server used a hard "ER" at the end of her n bomb, would that cross a line or be seen the same either way?

If there is boycotts, then there will be boycotts. And if not, then that's okay too. The fact that both people were black will make it way less likely that there will be protest though.

Exactly, fuck double standards. We'll never get past this shit unless it goes both ways. Equality means same standards for all.

You have no idea what you are talking about. You just sound mad. Context does also matter.

 

[rokkerkory]

IHOP lol

 

[Vicetrailia]

When there is a lawsuit it isn't the employee gets sued, it's the company.

So yes, the actions of just one employee represent the company, especially when it's publicized and the company name is all over the place. This common sense.

Whether there will be protests depends on how mad people are. One angry customer can shake up an entire company if they cause enough shit (and the company cares).

 

[mr2xxx]

Genuine questions, but does the fact that both the customer and the server being black mean there shouldn't be boycotts and protests of IHOP? If the server used a hard "ER" at the end of her n bomb, would that cross a line or be seen the same either way?

Context matters, a white employee referring to a customer as a nigger would be completely different than a black employee referring to another as nigga. We go from completely racist to just unprofessional. Protests are less likely to happen when someone is unprofessional vs. straight up racist.

 

[Dunki]

This is so stupid why would you even to this to a stranger. Also we need to stop blaming the companies for their shitty employees.

 

[Vicetrailia]

This is so stupid why would you even to this to a stranger. Also we need to stop blaming the companies for their shitty employees.

It's the companies responsibility.

 

[Musky_Cheese]

It's the companies responsibility.

How would you have stop it?

 

[camelCase]

Why did you decide to reply to the thread, then? It seems like you just wanted to tout your deferral and point out you're white? Why not just wait for a response from someone you feel who CAN answer the questions.

You even said you are excluded from this discussion, i mean wtf?

He is highlighting the opinion that people of certain races should be excluded from certain discussions, not advocating for it

 

[the.acl]

You have no idea what you are talking about. You just sound mad. Context does also matter.

How do I have no idea what I'm talking about? I'm just against double standards when it comes to race. Black people get away with saying things, that if a white person said it, it would be considered racist.

Examples:

It's okay for a black person to say "Black Power", but a white person saying "White Power" is racist.

Issa Rae said at the Emmys "I'm rooting for everybody black". If a white person said "I'm rooting for everybody white", that would be considered racist.

Before you even say I'm white, I'm actually fully Hispanic.

I believe in equality, but I don't think there will be healing until double standards stop. Have equality across the board.

I think as a nation we've progressed a great deal, but for racism to die down it takes time. Segregation ended 64 years ago, that's not that long ago. Of course there's still deep rooted racism in America still. But that takes time to be rooted out. Several generations.

I think you misinterpreted my my original post. As a minority I feel for African Americans, but I think for healing to occur we have gotta stop with the double standards, and paying wrong for wrong, or else the cycle will just continue.

 

[hammysaurusrex]

If you are an employee, the company is liable for your error.

Welcome to being a grown-up and having responsibility.

 

[Fbh]

Hmmm, I think it really comes down to the type of response the store gives which isn't very clear in the quote from the article.

One thing is complaining and then a few days later getting a generic "we have gotten your complain and are sorry" letter and a $10 gift card.
And another is to get a more personalised letter or call with something like "We take this very seriously and will take measures so it doesn't happen again. The employee in question no longer works for IHop, etc, etc".
I care too little about this to to go investigate more but from the OP my take is that she isn't mad that she "only" got $10. But rather that the case wasn't taken seriously by the company and she got a "ok, here's $10 now go away" type of response.

As for the typical social media outrage. On one side I think it's fair, even if it's just one employee doing something stupid, the company has to respond.
On the other side, I find it silly how so many people have no issue buying from companies known to treat their employees like crap. But then one employee in one store does something stupid and suddenly everyone cares and is outrage. (not saying that's the case here though, there's no IHOP where I live so I have no knowledge of the company)

 

[Vicetrailia]

How would you have stop it?

You couldn't stop this event, but you do things to not let it happen again.

A company must take care of their reputation.

 

[mckmas8808]

How do I have no idea what I'm talking about? I'm just against double standards when it comes to race. Black people get away with saying things, that if a white person said it, it would be considered racist.

Examples:

It's okay for a black person to say "Black Power", but a white person saying "White Power" is racist.

Issa Rae said at the Emmys "I'm rooting for everybody black". If a white person said "I'm rooting for everybody white", that would be considered racist.

Before you even say I'm white, I'm actually fully Hispanic.

I believe in equality, but I don't think there will be healing until double standards stop. Have equality across the board.

I think as a nation we've progressed a great deal, but for racism to die down it takes time. Segregation ended 64 years ago, that's not that long ago. Of course there's still deep rooted racism in America still. But that takes time to be rooted out. Several generations.

I think you misinterpreted my my original post. As a minority I feel for African Americans, but I think for healing to occur we have gotta stop with the double standards, and paying wrong for wrong, or else the cycle will just continue.

Context is why those things are treated differently. The term "White Power" literally meant the death and enslavement of a race. The term "Black Power" was said to uplift a race from bondage, legalized rape and murder, and segregation.
If a black person says, "what's up my nigga?" That's different than when a white guy says, "I don't like all these niggers working in here". And even if a white guy were to use the "a" and not the "er" it's hard to determine their motivation.

It's like if you and a friend call each other names and you know that you don't actually hate each other. It's just name-calling within jokes and stuff. But if a stranger said the same thing to your friend, you might get upset and ask the stranger what his problem is. It's context, not a double standard.

But at the end of the day, this employee has to be fired! You can't write stuff like that on a receipt regardless of race. It's just not professional.

 

[the.acl]

But at the end of the day, this employee has to be fired! You can't write stuff like that on a receipt regardless of race. It's just not professional.

I absolutely agree with you on the latter.

But while we were on the subject of race issues in America I thought I should express my concerns with the whole double standard.

Double standards are everywhere, not just race. Classic example is women being called whores for the same activities that men would get 'props' for. I just really hate double standards, and I hope you at least acknowledge there is such a thing in terms of double standards for white and black people, or am I going crazy? Cause I know I'm not the only one who has noticed.

Like I said earlier, we've come a long way, but change only comes with time when it comes to rooting out racism. I think for the most part this new generation is pretty diversified. Things will only get better.

 

[mckmas8808]

I absolutely agree with you on the latter.

But while we were on the subject of race issues in America I thought I should express my concerns with the whole double standard.

Double standards are everywhere, not just race. Classic example is women being called whores for the same activities that men would get 'props' for. I just really hate double standards, and I hope you at least acknowledge there is such a thing in terms of double standards for white and black people, or am I going crazy? Cause I know I'm not the only one who has noticed.

Like I said earlier, we've come a long way, but change only comes with time when it comes to rooting out racism. I think for the most part this new generation is pretty diversified. Things will only get better.

I agree with you for the most part. We disagree on some smaller stuff, but no biggie. Like I'm 100% okay with Black people using the "N" word with each other with the "a" at the end. I use it literally everyday with my friends and family. I'm 100% NOT okay with white people in general using it (small note: my best friend from my high school years and he was my best man at my wedding is white and he used to say the "N" word around me and I didn't mind because I knew his heart. Now it's 10 years later and now due to the climate in this country changing I wouldn't feel comfortable with him using it anymore).

I think where we completely agree is nobody of any race should get away with saying the "N" word to any customer at a job though. Now that's just crazy. There's a place and a time. It's like how it's not okay to use curse words on the job, but during your lunch you might swear around your friends off the clock for instance.

 

[Catphish]

How do I have no idea what I'm talking about? I'm just against double standards when it comes to race. Black people get away with saying things, that if a white person said it, it would be considered racist.

Examples:

It's okay for a black person to say "Black Power", but a white person saying "White Power" is racist.

Issa Rae said at the Emmys "I'm rooting for everybody black". If a white person said "I'm rooting for everybody white", that would be considered racist.

Before you even say I'm white, I'm actually fully Hispanic.

I believe in equality, but I don't think there will be healing until double standards stop. Have equality across the board.

I think as a nation we've progressed a great deal, but for racism to die down it takes time. Segregation ended 64 years ago, that's not that long ago. Of course there's still deep rooted racism in America still. But that takes time to be rooted out. Several generations.

I think you misinterpreted my my original post. As a minority I feel for African Americans, but I think for healing to occur we have gotta stop with the double standards, and paying wrong for wrong, or else the cycle will just continue.

I would hug this post if I could.

 

[<+)O Robido O(+>]

It's okay for a black person to say "Black Power", but a white person saying "White Power" is racist.

Can you point to anything where white people saying "White Power" wasn't used in conjunction to some racist action, or conversely to black people saying "Black Power" while, say burning a cross in some poor white families yard?

I believe in equality, but I don't think there will be healing until double standards stop. Have equality across the board.

Do you think we'll get there by every one ignoring everything until it goes away?

Of course there's still deep rooted racism in America still. But that takes time to be rooted out. Several generations.

Do you think it's reasonable to ask a group to just deal with it and hope that maybe one of their ancestors, serveral generations away, will live in a world without racism?

 

[Mohonky]

He is highlighting the opinion that people of certain races should be excluded from certain discussions, not advocating for it

Glad someone got it

 

[camelCase]

Can you point to anything where white people saying "White Power" wasn't used in conjunction to some racist action, or conversely to black people saying "Black Power" while, say burning a cross in some poor white families yard?


Do you think we'll get there by every one ignoring everything until it goes away?

Do you think it's reasonable to ask a group to just deal with it and hope that maybe one of their ancestors, serveral generations away, will live in a world without racism?

Of course "black power" has been used for malice. Any time you identify with a group more than yourself bad shit is going to happen, you think gangs in the inner city wouldn't love to skin/lunch some white people? Bullshit. Hate runs deep for everyone.

Both phrases should be equally condemned or accepted. You're a fool if you think no white person has ever suffered from racism, look at the prisons. You say it like the only possible thing that could come out of "white power " is hate, which is true, but let another group get away with asserting their own supremacy. It is something that actively discriminates which is not ok. If you feel justified as a black person to say black power then you are no different than a white person saying white power. Your history may be different but look what you're driving towards, an explicit dislike of another race. Its absolutely as racist as anything else and anyone who goes around saying that garbage is verifiably a racist.

 

[the.acl]

Can you point to anything where white people saying "White Power" wasn't used in conjunction to some racist action, or conversely to black people saying "Black Power" while, say burning a cross in some poor white families yard?


Do you think we'll get there by every one ignoring everything until it goes away?

Do you think it's reasonable to ask a group to just deal with it and hope that maybe one of their ancestors, serveral generations away, will live in a world without racism?

Do you agree there's double standards as far as race goes?

I believe in equality. I believe the same standards should apply to everyone. Point blank period. How can you refute that?

All I'm saying is that slavery and segregation wasn't even that long ago. How do you root out deep rooted racism?

I'll never know what it's like to go through what the blacks endured in this country. I say this with a heavy heart. But as a Hispanic I do know what it's like to be discriminated. Maybe not to the point of African Americans. But I've been called 'Spic' and 'Wetback'. Feels horrible.

 

[Smoke6]

Context matters, a white employee referring to a customer as a nigger would be completely different than a black employee referring to another as nigga. We go from completely racist to just unprofessional. Protests are less likely to happen when someone is unprofessional vs. straight up racist.

Depends!

I know black people that are sick and tired of the word or just don’t care for any iteration of it all even from our own kind!

The thing is that this type of stuff goes deeper than a lot of you are willing to realize that often times it’s just downplayed as a joke that went too far!

In light of society today it’s gonna continue to make headlines like this

 

[Cleared_Hot]

Sad part is how many people lost their shit over this on social media without knowing it was a black girl who said it

 

[Vicetrailia]

Do you agree there's double standards as far as race goes?

I believe in equality. I believe the same standards should apply to everyone. Point blank period. How can you refute that?

All I'm saying is that slavery and segregation wasn't even that long ago. How do you root out deep rooted racism?

I'll never know what it's like to go through what the blacks endured in this country. I say this with a heavy heart. But as a Hispanic I do know what it's like to be discriminated. Maybe not to the point of African Americans. But I've been called 'Spic' and 'Wetback'. Feels horrible.

Google "Black Power" and you get the olympics, the fist, and a quote that says: "Black power is giving power to people who have not had power to determine their destiny".

Google "white power" and you get Hitler, nazi salutes, white power and nazi signs, lynching photos, KKK, etc. right off the bat. Racists ruined "White Power", meanwhile Black Power became a symbol of positivity. It is not unfairly applied, this is what the terms were used for.

 

[tkscz]

The fuck can you do with $10 at IHOP? Sounds like she got cheated if you asked me.

 

[pixelperfect]

People letting others make them mad over words never makes any sense to me

 

[mckmas8808]

People letting others make them mad over words never makes any sense to me

Must be coming from a person that's never gotten disrespected before in their lives. People get into fights all the time when someone says something disrespectful to their mom or wife/girlfriend or kids. You don't have to act like it's some crazy thing that's out of the norm.

If a grown man cursed your 8-year-old kid out and made them cry, you'd shake his hand and thank him? Or would you be upset at him?

 

[PtM]

I absolutely agree with you on the latter.

But while we were on the subject of race issues in America I thought I should express my concerns with the whole double standard.

Double standards are everywhere, not just race. Classic example is women being called whores for the same activities that men would get 'props' for. I just really hate double standards, and I hope you at least acknowledge there is such a thing in terms of double standards for white and black people, or am I going crazy? Cause I know I'm not the only one who has noticed.

Like I said earlier, we've come a long way, but change only comes with time when it comes to rooting out racism. I think for the most part this new generation is pretty diversified. Things will only get better.

It's not a double standard. The slur is used ironically, with the implicit assumption that it loses its power when used strictly inside the targetted group.
Unsurprisingly, no group of people is a monolith, and not everybody happens to subscribe to that assumption.