Semantics. It's basically another word for dressing up, at least where I'm from.
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Mom goes off on store clerk who made racist comment to her kids
- Thread starter Nasser
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Semantics. It's basically another word for dressing up, at least where I'm from.
excelsiorlef
Member
Short of violence (in this case) there was no wrong way to deal with it.
Omnii-chan
Member
Everybody is filming this by the end of the video lol
Big Baybee
Member
I think racists or racist behavior shouldn't be treated with kid gloves. Call that shit out as harshly as possible.
For a lot of people telling them they are dressed for Halloween when they are clearly not is used as a insult about their dress.
excelsiorlef
Member
The fuck?
The clerk made a racist comment. She started the shit and couldn't take the heat bully for her.
It's honestly pretty off-topic (well, a different case) compared to what happened here. Like I said, I don't even do anything
I did read up on many policies that day, so yeah, I guess I did learn a lesson. And again, Mother was in the right, Clerk in the wrong. I just feel that in this case it's not a given that the clerk got anything out of the experience but some more disdain for shouting customers.
Sorry for choppy sentences and long wait for reply, my iPod's keyboard is bugging the * out
Huh, didn't know that. Guess that makes it more likely that she was being a douche.
Omnii-chan
Member
Tbh I only read the post and just started watching the video so now I feel dumb. The original post made it sound like the customer was just angry, took it out on the clerk and after a while the clerk said something racist. My mistake, should've watched it first. I watched the video and it became clear when the clerk started denying it. Clearly a horrible racist remake by the clerk.
Is it possible that this woman has never seen this type of dress before, mixed with the fact that Halloween stores started opening last month, and she's just an ignorant old lady? Or no?
the_batman
Banned
It's pretty obvious those aren't halloween costumes. She's making fun of some kids she doen't even know.
MatthewB92
Member
IMO that can be handled in different ways and have different outcomes. All that could possibly do is cover the problem not fix it. I would like to see it fixed. Hell a mix of both might be the best. I don't know if I did we would have solve racism.
The store is in a predominately black neighborhood
I find hugely unlikely that she has never seen traditional African dress before.
excelsiorlef
Member
Is Halloween in mid September now?
I don't really see how it's racist either. It's definitely not cool to make fun of kids in that situation but maybe the clerk didn't know what the clothes represented.
Big Baybee
Member
She knows Halloween isn't in September, though. She knows it doesn't represent that.
JordanN
Banned
Anyone defending the cashier should realize, she's a GROWN woman. How long do you have to be on this earth to not know different cultures exist?
If your first instinct is to call any different type of clothing "halloween" something is messed up. Do you say the same to a rabbi, Native American or muslim?
And as the mother pointed out, her children just came to shop. Why does their appearance have to be relevant in what they purchase?
If your first instinct is to call any different type of clothing "halloween" something is messed up. Do you say the same to a rabbi, Native American or muslim?
And as the mother pointed out, her children just came to shop. Why does their appearance have to be relevant in what they purchase?
water_wendi
Water is not wet!
This is a serious question: do you live in America? Halloween stuff has been on the shelves for almost a month now. ive been treating myself to Cadbury Screme Eggs for the last couple weeks.
excelsiorlef
Member
Halloween... September.... connect the dots
Do you go Trick or Treating when the Halloween stuff gits the shelves in September? No you don't.
I asked if Halloween aka the day you trick or treat is in mid September. It's a rhetorical question because the answer is goddamn obvious
Ok so she's an asshole. Are all assholes Racists?
Honestly, if I was a cashier and some kids walked in wearing outfits that I found unusual I would probably ask if they were Halloween costumes too. Just as friendly small talk.
Places are selling costumes now. Kids buy them and wear them out of excitement.
I dunno, I'm certainly as racist as the next white person who means well but fucks up a lot so maybe I'm just a bad person.
Working at Dollar General would suck. I'll go ahead and generalize: The people who works there are probably not as well equipped as the average gaffer.
Good on the mom. If there was ever any doubt, those kids can be absolutely positive that their mother loves them very much. Also good on her for showing her kids not to take shit from anyone.
excelsiorlef
Member
Nah but she was
Yes, I get that point without you guys saying it hence me saying it's not cool to make fun of kids. Saying it might not be a racist comment if they don't know what the clothes represent.
MGHA
Member
It seems to me, Halloween was mentioned ironically. It's a form of humor. For example. If someone was wearing something odd in September and I said "You going trick or treating tonight?" It wouldn't be intended as an insult, but more of a form of playful questioning regarding their attire.
excelsiorlef
Member
It's blantly obvious that it ain't a freaking Halloween costume.
excelsiorlef
Member
Incorrect.
Guys I saw a kid wearing their costume around Target just last week.
I really doubt an old lady working minimum wage at a Dollar General was recognized it was cultural wear and made a pot shot.
People are gonna have to learn the difference between racism and ignorance eventually. If we're gonna start publicly blasting people on the Internet as racists I'd hope we could do it a bit quicker.
There are racist people everywhere. Plenty of liberal progressive motherfuckers who won't cop to shit.
Also, a lady said a thing about Halloween once. We'll never know what she meant.
LeroyPantwether
Member
excelsiorlef
Member
So you're saying it's not obvious that someone wearing their cultural clothing in September isn't a Halloween costume?
This is a herculean reach.
I mean, even I'm giving the woman the benefit of the doubt (HELL to the naw) and agreeing that she was being ironically...that's still a fucking insulting way to address someone's cultural attire, especially a stranger's...ESPECIALLY a stranger's children.
She still deserved that verbal ass whoopin.
Did you quote the wrong person? Because I'm pretty sure I established twice that I know the Halloween comment was made to make fun of the clothes. I just don't see how it's automatically racist and not just making fun of something that's not common attire.
jordan0386
Member
I'm as black power as anybody, but, lol she really could just be an ignorant white woman in regards to African attire.
Could've been a sly racist comment. Could've been an awkward compliment.
Moms don't play that shit though...
Could've been a sly racist comment. Could've been an awkward compliment.
Moms don't play that shit though...
That question reeks with a weird sense of college-aged rich kid privilege. This whole thread does honestly.
My mother in law works in a Dollar General. She loves her black grandkids. She disowned her own father for being racist to his son-in-law.
She'd ask the same stupid question. Cuz it's September and who the fuck knows why kids do anything.
I don't know what was in this lady's heart, but if you think the average dollar store employee has ever even thought about black cultural wear you are ironically optimistic about the penetration of black culture into non-college educated America.
I know you are somehow the authority on who is and isn't a bigot, but not every poor/ignorant person is racist when they fuck up. We need to come to terms with that because it's poisoning the fucking well politically.
Some people work shitty retail jobs for decades and have to search for ways to engage people. You ask all sorts of stupid questions.
Maybe this lady was a sly racist. I don't fucking know. I don't know how anyone does. When race comes up everyone gets ESP all of the sudden and talks in absolutes.
Is it October?
Are you claiming this dollar store clerk doesn't know her months? Her holidays?
JordanN
Banned
I use to think that way too. But then I remember these are adults, whose actions can clearly reflect who they like or want to be associated with.
If you wouldn't stop someone in the middle of the street to comment on their clothes, why are you doing it in a store environment?
excelsiorlef
Member
Ahh yes the real privileged are those supporting a local woman calling out racism...
It was racist to her too bro, it was racist to her first.
Well first of all, I have seen kids wearing Halloween shit here and there this month. Kids do that.
I bet good money you could call your mom and she'd remind you that you did.
But beyond that, say I'm wrong and kids actually don't get excited and start wearing stuff early. Maybe I'm making that up. Maybe I didn't do it. Maybe I didn't see it last time I was at Target. Throw that shit aside...
The act of asking can still just a gesture of curiosity and human connection! I mean fuck, wouldn't it be WEIRDER to ask on Halloween? Haha
People who work in these jobs just say whatever to be friendly and pass the time. You are fortunate of you've never been so bored that you asked people stupid questions you knew the answer to!
I mean fuck man, my job is AWESOME and I still have to make dumb small talk. I regularly ask people questions that are preeeettttyyyyy fucking stupid if put under the microscope in order to be friendly.
I dunno. Again. Maybe she is racist. I'm just saying "obvious" is a strong word. Why do we have to have a strong opinion about every questionable thing? Can't people just go, "weird. Who knows?"
jordan0386
Member
We don't know that she went out of her way to diss those kids.
I've seen a similar situation in my life, in regards to young black girls hair by a cashier before.
But we can't act like every older white person has a clue what's happening in black America. When as I said before, we know, based on fact, our groups have very little contact outside of racial tensions.
I have never, not even once, in my 30 years on this big green earth, in this racist ass country, worn Halloween costumes in September. None of my friends or family did either.
You need to question the quality of your argument when you hang it on such a silly premise.
triplestation
Member
What's racist here?
Clothing like that isn't something you see every day, maybe the clerk was just trying to make harmless small talk
I'm not a fan of making scenes in public, either
Clothing like that isn't something you see every day, maybe the clerk was just trying to make harmless small talk
I'm not a fan of making scenes in public, either
excelsiorlef
Member
It's September!
Jesus some y'all bend over backwards to pretend racism doesn't come in different forms.
First of all... False. You are wrong. It bothered her children first. She wasn't there. She felt that she was protecting her kids. That has fuck-all to do with what is "obvious" to poorly educated people.
You made a generalization that I think is embarrassingly naive. I'm willing to be wrong. I back down and apologize all the time, but this shit hits close to home. If you are just gonna call me a "bro" and pretend you did some greater good by reducing a complicated moment in human interaction into the interpretation that gets you the most GAF points that's whatever.
Personally, I think that maybe race in this country is complicated and an actual conversation might be useful than just saying that a stranger is obviously racist and definitely not ignorant to someone else's culture.
triplestation
Member
Explain to me why there's racism happening here.
excelsiorlef
Member
She sees black folk in cultural clothing in September and immediately thinks they're wearing Halloween costumes.
You need to question the quality of your reading dude. I literally did not hang it on that. Like... I said you can completely ignore that.
It's completely irrelevant to how people make small talk. And again... The question would actually be fucking idiotic the closet to Halloween you got.
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