I’m a white guy from a fairly non-diverse city. I was at a grocery store today where a cashier opened up their line to serve me and, I thought, the person behind me. As they were serving me, though, they put up their lane closed sign right in front of the black man behind me. The buy was just trying to purchase some tuna, bread, and peanut butter.
The cashier basically decided to serve me, a middle class white man, but refused to serve the black man behind me. I was so shocked that I didn’t say anything. It is possible that I misunderstood the situation but it seemed so blatant.
What should I have done in this situation? Should I have spoken up? Would that have just been more embarrassing for the man who was being discriminated against?
Honestly, I’m still just in shock to see someone treated so poorly when they were simply trying to buy food for themselves. I recognize that means that I’m sheltered but I also feel like I should be able to use my unearned privilege to help others who are being discriminated against.
“Oh, I’m sorry, he was here before me…”
Coming from my experience working in retail, unless the guy had Aryan Nation tats, more likely than not this guy was working in a severely understaffed store.
He was probably in the middle of doing a shitton of time sensitive tasks before he was interrupted by some bullshit manager that told him to help out with the checkout line and then get back to doing the million other things he needed to do before his shift was over.
He was probably doing the bare minimum to be able to say “yes, I helped out the checkout line like you said” before getting back to more important things.
This, people are reaching.
While this might not be racist if the cashier had other reasons to close the line as the comments in this thread may suggest, it is a sort of death by a thousand paper cuts for minorities that go through this. Actual racists like to hide their racism in plausible deniability. So it makes it difficult for anyone to call them out. Someone in the comments said they “hate when people assume it’s racism” but I feel like they haven’t considered how often BIPOC ppl have to make that call. It’s such a mental load and it sucks.
People also go through this when it comes to sexual harassment. Like, if someone puts their hands on your waist to move past you in a narrow hallway, you have no idea whether they’re acting innocently or not. But if they do that to no one else except you… it starts looking sus. That’s how a lot of this bad behavior goes. It’s not as simple as giving everyone the benefit of the doubt, because bad actors take advantage of your doubt to act how they will.
So don’t assume the cashier was being racist, but don’t assume they weren’t either. Be suspicious of bs like that, and act accordingly.
Racist for sure. If he’d been called away he’d have said something.
Dipshits that think otherwise?
You know the kind of suburbanite that pats themselves on the back for how progressive they are and locks their car door when a black person walks by?
If he’d been called away he’d have said something.
I’ve had registers close before me all the time and the cashiers don’t start profoundly explaining why. And I’m pretty sure they weren’t being racist towards me.
Have you ever worked at a grocery store?
Yes, as a teenager. There’s a big difference between closing a lane to further customers and walking away from someone who’s already in line, and I do not believe you’re too stupid or ignorant to know the difference.
Okay, so worked at a grocery store, but not a supermarket, I take it.
In a supermarket, the first register for instance is always closed while there are people in line, because the worker wouldn’t get a break otherwise, as it’s the first register and people tend towards it of there’s not much line.
There’s literally nothing suggesting racism in what happened.
Oh, my bad, you’re just completely lacking in reading comprehension. Good luck with that.
I don’t think you understands how shops work.
Does mommy do you all your shopping, then?
I can’t say I’m particularly surprised that’s the best you’ve got. People usually use their own insecurities to blindly attack others.
What am I supposed to do when you start with something as childish as “lol you can’t read”, because you actually don’t know how grocery stores work and you don’t have a reason for why this would’ve been racist?
“Excuse me, but he was in line.”
“I’m sorry, but we’re closing this register, as I have a legally mandated 12-minute break.”
“Oh, sorry, I thought you were just being racist.”
“So when my breaktime hits, if there are ethnic minorities in line, that cancels out my legally protected right to have a break? Where’d you hear this man, because first off, that sounds racist, and secondly, the union is very clear on how breaks are taken. By having to explain this to you, I’ve already lost two minutes of my breaktime. Thank you. It’s notl like this job is stressful and I’m sure you know better how our store operates.”
“Hey man, that was your decision to make. I was just telling you how it appeared. Enjoy your break (or don’t, I’m not your boss).”
“So you’re calling me a racist, for no reason? Cool. Here’s your change mister, now I’ve really got to go or I don’t get to eat or piss all day. Deepest apologies.”
"Yeah, I don’t think I’ll be shopping again at a place that doesn’t let their employees piss. You should quit for a place that treats you better. Also, I hope one day you can overcome your racism…”
“Mam, we have scheduled breaks. Mine started three minutes ago, when I closed the register. You are preventing me from having a break, with unfounded accusations of racism. I can show you the break schedule. Here. It says 10.15, ‘Jack’ s break.’ It’s now 10.18. I have to get back at a scheduled time as well. I sincerely hope you will take your business elsewhere.”
possible that I misunderstood the situation
This one. Carry on.
Do you have a different understanding of the situation?
Guy said I’m going on break f Everyoneon the line after this one guy. Seen it happened to me.