Exiting Costco While Black

[Anonymous]

PP here- I spotted a grammar error in my post, tear me up grammar police~~~

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It'd be a shame to find out the people I interact with every day are as idiotic as you are.

WRT the black woman who posted that fellow shoppers always assume she's a worker and that she thinks it might be racially motivated- how does the fact that white women says it happen to them as well negate the fact that race may be a contributing factor? Race is part of your physical appearance, so why is it not possible that race and/or some combination of gender, clothing type, etc. are what causes people to make these assumptions?

You sound like the idiotic one. The simple fact that it happens to both white and black women negates the fact that it's racially motivated.

The black women posted that fellow shoppers assume she's a worker because she's black. A bunch of white women posted that fellow shoppers assume they are workers also.

If people are assuming that both black and white women are workers, how can it be racism?? Maybe it's another factor. Yes, maybe it's appearance, or clothing. But, it's not as simple as race. It's not as simple as the black woman is complaining it is.

[Anonymous]

17:23- what don't you understand? If gender and clothing type can be contributing factors, why is it impossible that race could be one as well?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:17:23- what don't you understand? If gender and clothing type can be contributing factors, why is it impossible that race could be one as well?

What?? Are you saying that the shoppers are racist against both white and black people? That makes no sense. Unless the shoppers are purple. Is that what you mean? Purple shoppers being racist against whites and blacks?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP,

I've been the minority in my job for many years - often pointed out by AA and hispanic students.

I am so glad that although my students will tease me about it, there is no tension. And despite the fact that there's still a racial divide in our urban schools, it becomes smaller and smaller each year b/c this generation doesn't find the need to create these superficial boundaries.

So from my perspective there's hope for the future. You many not see it, but I do.

Rather than complain over this forum, do something. Your anger and resentment doesn't move anyone forward.

I like your optimism but human beings always find a way to segregate, even among homogeneous populations. There has always been and there always be superior/inferior divisions among people, it just may not always be based on race.

[Anonymous]

10/17/2010 21:47 here again. Here is the link to what I was talking about;

http://abcnews.go.com/WhatWouldYouDo/shopping-black-racial-profiling-store/story?id=10416960

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I understand your frustration, but e-yelling at the willful ignorance on DCUM will only feed your despair about the human race. Please write to Costco with details and threaten to put your money where your feelings are: don't shop there if you feel uncomfortable with their policies.

I think this is the best response, by far. OP, if you and your husband BOTH noticed it, I think it's all the more telling. (I'd still write a letter even if you happened to witness the events alone.)

Stick to the facts when you recount what you observed, obviously, but I think it makes sense to say that both you and your husband were independtly disturbed by what you both (individually) perceived as a pattern of racially-motivated behavior.

I'd send the letter to the particular store as well as corporate offices (if that's how the company is structured).

Put them on notice; see how they respond and if they can possibly offer a reasonable explantion for what you observed. If they don't address your valid concern appropriately, I'd cease shopping at Costco. And I'd tell everyone I know.

[Anonymous]

What if someone went to the manager saying "I saw this black guy putting this and that in their purse" and the management was following up on the tip?

[Anonymous]

I was a previous poster, and I wanted to quickly chime in to say that I was impressed with some fellow Costco members' behavior today. Not related to the door checking, but I was filling my car with gas (College Park Costco), and when I got back in my car, I momentarily misplaced my credit card ... Took some time scrambling inside while trying to find it, yet the couple behind me waited patiently, didn't honk. I appreciated that, and waved to them as I left in thanks. Good things also happen at Costco. :--)

[Anonymous]

23:14 here again. Wanted to add that if I were in management at Costco, either store level or corporate, I would be grateful if a customer reported something akin to what OP observed, and with her level of factual details. It gives management the opportunity to address the problem, if there is one (seems so). Maybe it's a matter of training those particular employees, maybe it's smarter of training all employees doing that function, maybe it's a matter of management at that particular store, maybe a combination?? Regardless, I think you are doing everyone a service (future customers, costco) by speaking up.

To 23:25- the OP clearly explained she and her husband witnessed a PATTERN of this behavior, directed at multiple individuals and groups that are black.

[Anonymous]

Wow, next time I'm gonna see if this is going on at the one we go to.

[Anonymous]

They always check my receipt at Costco in Beltsville and I am caucasian and shop there at least once a week so I don't buy this.

[Anonymous]

Over the weekend I saw two middle-aged white guys having their cart checked and the checker asked them to pull their cart to the side and she called a manager came over. I believe there was an item under the cart that wasn't paid for. The point is, they had a ton of merchandise and the checker obviously looked over their cart and receipt very carefully. Maybe the OP saw something, maybe she didn't. I wasn't there and I don't know the circumstances so I'm not going to boycott Costco. If OP had such a problem with what was going on, she should have talked to the manager right then and there and documented the situation instead of posting on an anonymous board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Over the weekend I saw two middle-aged white guys having their cart checked and the checker asked them to pull their cart to the side and she called a manager came over. I believe there was an item under the cart that wasn't paid for. The point is, they had a ton of merchandise and the checker obviously looked over their cart and receipt very carefully. Maybe the OP saw something, maybe she didn't. I wasn't there and I don't know the circumstances so I'm not going to boycott Costco. If OP had such a problem with what was going on, she should have talked to the manager right then and there and documented the situation instead of posting on an anonymous board.

The carts were not checked, they were scrutinized. The Costco clerks did not scrutinize all, just the carts being pushed by the black customers. What is not clear? Denial is not a river in Egypt, bonehead!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Over the weekend I saw two middle-aged white guys having their cart checked and the checker asked them to pull their cart to the side and she called a manager came over. I believe there was an item under the cart that wasn't paid for. The point is, they had a ton of merchandise and the checker obviously looked over their cart and receipt very carefully. Maybe the OP saw something, maybe she didn't. I wasn't there and I don't know the circumstances so I'm not going to boycott Costco. If OP had such a problem with what was going on, she should have talked to the manager right then and there and documented the situation instead of posting on an anonymous board.

I don't know what OP saw and if she did in fact see something objectionable, she needed to bring it to the attention of the store manager, then and there. I will say I had an experience at the Beltsville Costco similar to this PP - I was exiting the store this summer (I am white, btw) and the door checkers read my receipt with a fine tooth comb...and found that I hadn't been charged for 2 of the 4 folding chairs I had purchased. They called a manager over on the spot and everything. I had no idea I hadn't been charged and was terribly embarrassed, but the door employees (both of whom were black) were obviously going through people's receipts and carts very, very carefully.