Foo - I just got a taste of the Jim Crow era!

I was in an auto parts store in the ghetto, and the cashiers were strategically switching the way the lines were going so they could avoid ringing me and another white guy up, meanwhile ringing up half a dozen blacks and one hispanic. I waited there 10 minutes while they were ignoring me, then I set my exhaust pipe kit on top of some nearby cany bars, and left. I kind of reegret not telling them they should have a 1960's style sign that said "colored only". I am not nor have I ever been remotely racist, nor has anyone in my family ever been racist within the past 3 generations, so some pricks thinking I don't deserve their stores products just because I'm white really frosted my ass.

Controversial rant over.

I was in an auto parts store in the ghetto, and the cashiers were strategically switching the way the lines were going so they could avoid ringing me and another white guy up, meanwhile ringing up half a dozen blacks and one hispanic. I waited there 10 minutes while they were ignoring me, then I set my exhaust pipe kit on top of some nearby cany bars, and left. I kind of reegret not telling them they should have a 1960's style sign that said "colored only". I am not nor have I ever been remotely racist, nor has anyone in my family ever been racist within the past 3 generations, so some pricks thinking I don't deserve their stores products just because I'm white really frosted my ass.

Controversial rant over.

I think you missed the point....the treatment was because your ass is already frosted, apparently. :rolleyes:

Seriously though......that does suck. Racism sucks....regular, reverse, sidewayz or any direction.

You should of shoved your fist in the air and shouted 'Power to the white man! Don't you go oppressin' me and my white brothers! Your ancestors brought my ancestors in on ships as slaves... Oh... no they didn't... Um, I'll shut up now... Y'all go about your business'

;)

We've come a long way but still have far to go. :(

We can't control how others act but we can be an example to others, especially the children.

I like to think its getting better all the time.

could be worse. a friend was taking me home a few weeks ago.
a cop pulls us over and has the driver (white) get out of the car and step to the back with him so he can question him. Then he comes back and shines a light in my eyes and starts asking me questions. while lights dont trigger my seizures they make me uncomfortable and give me headaches. his reason for pulling us over was I looked like I was goign to rob the driver and his wife, and he wanted to make sure our stories matched.

could be worse. a friend was taking me home a few weeks ago.
a cop pulls us over and has the driver (white) get out of the car and step to the back with him so he can question him. Then he comes back and shines a light in my eyes and starts asking me questions. while lights dont trigger my seizures they make me uncomfortable and give me headaches. his reason for pulling us over was I looked like I was goign to rob the driver and his wife, and he wanted to make sure our stories matched.
How could you look like you were going to rob this guy and his wife? If he thought he was foiling a robbery, why would it be necessary for your friend to get out of the car to say what's going on?

BTW, I think they shine the lights in everyone's eyes. I've been pulled over a few times at night over the years and also questioned as a ped. Every single time, I had a bright light shining in my eyes and I've seen them do it to people who don't fit any negative stereotype I've ever heard of.

Mich, your money is good elsewhere. Me, I'd be under arrest as I would have started a riot!!! I probably would have tossed the item on the floor and hoped for a commotion. Not because of my color but because of my being disrespected.

You give respect and you deserve respect in return. Anything else and it's on!

Sounds like that place doesn't deserve your business. I'd seriously consider putting a negative review in on local store directories about this behavior. It doesn't matter what race anyone is, a bigot is a bigot when they pull that behavior.

I agree that it was definitely poor treatment. However, a lot of racial tension occurs because people blame individuals for the actions of groups. Maybe the cashiers (and the store in general) had been mistreated by white businessmen, or simply indoctrinated by their elders who had in turn been mistreated. It's a sad, vicious cycle, but when things like that happen I try to see all the sides.

Michigander, sorry to hear you were the victim of racist shopowners. That is unfortunate.

Why do you have to make it over skin color Mich? Isn't it remotely possible that their shenanigans detector was pegging out and they saw you two for the nozzles you are. I'm sure they figured if they ignored you you'd go away. Can you blame them for not wanting to wait on a couple of nozzles?


:lol:

If it was a chain store I'd let their corporate offices know, if they get enough complaints about a problem they tend to do something to help justify the money they suck out of your pocket.

you should have taken some advice from the riding in a bad neighborhood thread and put on some dark makeup. if you're in the nieghborhood, you should try to fit in.

sounds like you shoulda called the Sheriff....

http://www.cornmo.com/assets/image_upload/blazingsad55.jpg

Court, you should try shining a 15 million candle power light back at the cops next time you get pulled over. That'll teach em.;)

One thing I forgot to mention is that I'm actually 1/64th black, because my ancestors were involved in the underground railroad, and the proverbial one thing led to another. Not that 1/64th counts for much...

I was in an auto parts store in the ghetto, and the cashiers were strategically switching the way the lines were going so they could avoid ringing me and another white guy up, meanwhile ringing up half a dozen blacks and one hispanic. I waited there 10 minutes while they were ignoring me, then I set my exhaust pipe kit on top of some nearby cany bars, and left. I kind of reegret not telling them they should have a 1960's style sign that said "colored only". I am not nor have I ever been remotely racist, nor has anyone in my family ever been racist within the past 3 generations, so some pricks thinking I don't deserve their stores products just because I'm white really frosted my ass.

Controversial rant over.
Detroit is a very scarred place. You'll like living elsewhere so long as you can leave some Motor City baggage behind. I did and am a happier person for it. It's certainly not perfect anywhere else, but Detroit is sick, and I don't believe there is a cure.


could be worse. a friend was taking me home a few weeks ago.
a cop pulls us over and has the driver (white) get out of the car and step to the back with him so he can question him. Then he comes back and shines a light in my eyes and starts asking me questions. while lights dont trigger my seizures they make me uncomfortable and give me headaches. his reason for pulling us over was I looked like I was goign to rob the driver and his wife, and he wanted to make sure our stories matched.
:( You're absolutely right.

At least you weren't given a rope necktie...

A manager of mnie drove through georgia in a brand new (back then) ferrari 360 f1, got pulled over multiple times, mostly to check if he was the "owner of the vehicle". His only crime was being asian, and having a bad ass haircut.

Detroit is a very scarred place. You'll like living elsewhere so long as you can leave some Motor City baggage behind. I did and am a happier person for it. It's certainly not perfect anywhere else, but Detroit is sick, and I don't believe there is a cure.

Interestingly, I was not near Detroit. I was in Pontiac helping my friend with his car.

His only crime was being asian, and having a bad ass haircut.

Pictures?

Interestingly, I was not near Detroit. I was in Pontiac helping my friend with his car.
Doesn't matter. It's the whole area that's sick.

Court, you should try shining a 15 million candle power light back at the cops next time you get pulled over. That'll teach em.;)

One thing I forgot to mention is that I'm actually 1/64th black, because my ancestors were involved in the underground railroad, and the proverbial one thing led to another. Not that 1/64th counts for much...

I think the principle of hypo-descent only counts out to 1/32, so sorry...you can't claim benefits under affirmative action.

The best part of the Detroit Metro area is the sign you are entering the next town and leaving Detroit. That place is just a cess pool. Was up that way for business several times and hated it. I eventually took a lower position job to get out of having to go back.

that sort of crap will happen in tx to. this lady i knew went to get a job. she was told they didn't need anyone for that position. she met their boss in the hardware store a couple weeks later and found out they were looking for people to fill that type of position.

that sort of crap will happen in tx to. this lady i knew went to get a job. she was told they didn't need anyone for that position. she met their boss in the hardware store a couple weeks later and found out they were looking for people to fill that type of position.


Yep, Texas is as bad as it gets with racism.

I always find the attitudes about race as strange. After all, we all are human aren't we? (now, I know there are a few like Explody Pup that surely aren't, but most of us are...)

We are all part of the human race, when someone says they someone is a racist - I guess it means that the person is so dumb that they don't realize we are all the same race.

Total idiocy.

even in California...(and I grew up in Georgia)...you hear...damned Indians...damned Mexicans....even...damned Portugese....

I have experienced pretty much the same thing on several occasions at various retail and food service places. One of the Home Depots around here is the worst. I am invisible, but everyone who is the same race as the employee gets rapt attention. I just vote with my wallet and leave, making sure management knows why they won't be getting my money today.

even in California... [...] you hear [...] damned MexicansOh yeah. Lots of that lately. I don't understand why people think this is okay. It's quite annoying.

If I didn't refuse to use the word in any context, I almost want to reply to such people with "Yeah, but at least they ain't as bad as them n*****s." and make a note of their reaction. It'd be very telling, I think.

Idiots.

I have experienced pretty much the same thing on several occasions at various retail and food service places. One of the Home Depots around here is the worst. I am invisible, but everyone who is the same race as the employee gets rapt attention. I just vote with my wallet and leave, making sure management knows why they won't be getting my money today.I've never seen a customer getting attention in a Home Depot, no matter the color of their skin. I think Home Depot workers are allergic to customers.

Court, you should try shining a 15 million candle power light back at the cops next time you get pulled over. That'll teach em.;)

One thing I forgot to mention is that I'm actually 1/64th black, because my ancestors were involved in the underground railroad, and the proverbial one thing led to another. Not that 1/64th counts for much...



can you say "police assisted suicide?" what i should of done was had a seizure right there

I do miss the days of driving a sports car "a 96 dodge twin turbo stealth" and getting pulled over because i looked lost or to make sure the car wasnt stolen.
I hate to think of what it is going to be like once i start driving again (owner of a 86 corvette)

Actually, I know a guy that did that. What happened to him was, a cop came up to him when he was in a parking lot late at night, in his drivers seat, playing his game boy. The cop shined his flashlight in his face, and the guy got out out of his car with his Brinkman, and pointed the light right in his face, saying "isn't this rude, how do you like it???"

The cop ran for cover, then screamed at the guy to put it away. Several other cars showed up, and the cops lectured him about how he was lucky not to get shot. He lectured them about why he doesn't want lights shined in his face. In the end, everyone was pissed off, and nothing was done.

Doesn't matter. It's the whole area that's sick.

I just read a memoir called "Made in Detroit" by Paul Clemens that really gives you a sense of how the place changed over the years.

that sort of crap will happen in tx to. this lady i knew went to get a job. she was told they didn't need anyone for that position. she met their boss in the hardware store a couple weeks later and found out they were looking for people to fill that type of position.
Frankly, you don't want to work for a bunch of idiots like that. Most people spend as much time at their job as they do with their spouse. Just as it would be crazy to choose a husband or wife that you know will abuse you and make you miserable, you really don't want a job that will do that to you unless you are a crusader who is willing to fight constantly for the most basic things.

Businesses that treat people like that do not have good long term prospects. The reality is that businesses must represent the communities they serve and as soon as the customers do not feel they are being represented adequately, they will take their business elsewhere.

Yep, Texas is as bad as it gets with racism.
There are lots of people like that all over the place.

Some people are such losers that they only can take pride in things that happened to them by chance such as the color of their skin. You should feel sorry for them.

This all just reinforces what I already knew, but a surprising number of folks never tumble to: there is nothing about race (any race) or socioeconomic status (any such status) that inherently confers nobility or ignobility on anyone.

My "Jim Crow" moment came some years back when I had to deal with a DC government office (local, not federal). Very unpleasant, and while it was a tiny, infintesimal fraction of what so many others have experienced, it was very enlightening. Treating each other with respect unless and until someone amply demonstrates they don't deserve it works much better. For everyone.

i remember being in a restaurant once where they kept ignoring us and serving other vietnamese or asians who came in after us...while we sat and waited half an hour for even a glass of water. I think it was more that the waiter spoke no english or french...then he got our orders wrong. The service was so bad we didn't even leave a tip. Needless to say,that place tanked in a short period of time. Mind you,the food was good.

That's the only time i can think of where something like that happened.

Oh yeah. Lots of that lately. I don't understand why people think this is okay. It's quite annoying.

If I didn't refuse to use the word in any context, I almost want to reply to such people with "Yeah, but at least they ain't as bad as them n*****s." and make a note of their reaction. It'd be very telling, I think.

Idiots.

damn x136s

Michigander I am sure you are not an all-weather-bigot, but the term, "I am not a racist," is misused. According to Phd.s in sociology, a racist is someone who benefits from the majority. If you are white in the US you benefit. Sorry you had to experience what millions of Americans experience everyday.

Another misused used term is, "I am not prejudice." Everyone is prejudice. My prejudice is anal retentives or a**holes.

Lets face it, The US is a country of immigrants who hates immigrants. :rolleyes: As proud as I am to be a USC, we are not perfect.

Michigander I am sure you are not an all-weather-bigot, but the term, "I am not a racist," is misused. According to Phd.s in sociology, a racist is someone who benefits from the majority. If you are white in the US you benefit.
In other words, your actions and thoughts have no bearing whether you are a racist or not -- you are born into this condition. Since people who are not white also "benefit from the majority," they are also racists. I think we should quit referring to humans as "people" and just call them all "racists." :rolleyes:

Everyone has their prejudices. The key is knowing what you have, and not acting on it.

According to Phd.s in sociology, a racist is someone who benefits from the majority. If you are white in the US you benefit.

... and therefore, a racist. I've heard this definition before. It's BS. I suppose men are all sexist simply because we're men and we benefit from being such. The very definition puts prejudice on a whole class of people based on their status.

Any word that ends in -ist connotes that the subject *thinks* or *does* something a certain way. You can't be a (blank)ist for just being. You're not a violinist if you don't play the violin.