Degrading shopping experiences

[Crossroids]

Sh*t - I have so many hurt/angry feelings, and so many accumulated experiences, that I can't even organize my thoughts.  But anyway...

In my case, employees are too quick to jump to conclusions about me - I mean, disturbingly quick, and 100% of the time, they are disturbingly WRONG.  Like I said, shoplifting wasn't even in the realm of my consciousness until it was rudely PUT there by prejudiced, bigoted employees who seem to be jumping at the chance to degrade me by treating me like a suspect.  The patterns of behavior that I've experienced at the hands of employees signify a troubling problem.  And it is simply unacceptable to me to be spending my hard-earned money in an establishment in which I'm insulted.  One simply shouldn't have to suffer these indignities - imagine your feelings being hurt practically every single time you do something as mundane and as necessary as shopping.

[SunMo]

you still haven't explained why these stores are tageting you.  you must have a good idea why. 

[Crossroids]

One other question...do you fit a profile, other than any stupid race thing, that would arouse suspicion?  Do you portray a certain kind of image that would set off an alarm to the store security folk?

Well, the short answer is that it is a difficult burden to be a black shopper who happens to suffer from depression and social anxiety disorder.  I guess with these "afflictions", there is simply no hope for me - people who are desperately looking for a prime suspect zero in on me, I guess.

There is so much more I want to say/expound upon...

[Wingspan]

Sh*t - I have so many hurt/angry feelings, and so many accumulated experiences, that I can't even organize my thoughts.  But anyway...

In my case, employees are too quick to jump to conclusions about me - I mean, disturbingly quick, and 100% of the time, they are disturbingly WRONG.  Like I said, shoplifting wasn't even in the realm of my consciousness until it was rudely PUT there by prejudiced, bigoted employees who seem to be jumping at the chance to degrade me by treating me like a suspect.  The patterns of behavior that I've experienced at the hands of employees signify a troubling problem.  And it is simply unacceptable to me to be spending my hard-earned money in an establishment in which I'm insulted.  One simply shouldn't have to suffer these indignities - imagine your feelings being hurt practically every single time you do something as mundane and as necessary as shopping.

how do you portray yourself?

during a shopping trip, how long do you linger in the store? there;s a difference to store managers of people that are casually browsing the aisle's and people that look like they are loitering.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

What you need is a disguise.

[Zanshin]

One other question...do you fit a profile, other than any stupid race thing, that would arouse suspicion?  Do you portray a certain kind of image that would set off an alarm to the store security folk?

Well, the short answer is that it is a difficult burden to be a black shopper who happens to suffer from depression and social anxiety disorder.  I guess with these "afflictions", there is simply no hope for me - people who are desperately looking for a prime suspect zero in on me, I guess.

There is so much more I want to say/expound upon...

You're Ricky Williams.  I knew it.

Mmm, maybe not Ricky...but I bet you live in Florida. ;-)

[Crossroids]

you still haven't explained why these stores are tageting you.  you must have a good idea why. 

I really don't think there is a good reason why these employees are targeting me - in this situation where they are unfairly targeting an innocent shopper, is there any reason that is "good"?  I think these employees are looking for any little thing and, in their prejudiced, paranoid minds, they turn it into something suspicious.  A when you are black, they are going to see any little thing as an alarm bell, and construe any kind of behavior as "suspicious".  I am not exaggerating when I say that certain shoppers (i.e. blacks) can't so much as lift a finger "the wrong way", or stay in one area more than 5 seconds, without some overly-suspicious, prejudiced employee thinking that they are shoplifting.

[Crossroids]

You're Ricky Williams.  I knew it.

Mmm, maybe not Ricky...but I bet you live in Florida. ;-)

Well I do feel a special "kinship" with Ricky...

You're close - keep guessing - lol.

[hunt]

bob hope?

[Zanshin]

you still haven't explained why these stores are tageting you.  you must have a good idea why. 

I really don't think there is a good reason why these employees are targeting me - in this situation where they are unfairly targeting an innocent shopper, is there any reason that is "good"?  I think these employees are looking for any little thing and, in their prejudiced, paranoid minds, they turn it into something suspicious.  A when you are black, they are going to see any little thing as an alarm bell, and construe any kind of behavior as "suspicious".  I am not exaggerating when I say that certain shoppers (i.e. blacks) can't so much as lift a finger "the wrong way", or stay in one area more than 5 seconds, without some overly-suspicious, prejudiced employee thinking that they are shoplifting.

Well, I think that's oversimplifying it a bit.  It depends on where you live, what the population looks like there, how you dress, how you act, etc.  I don't think it's that blanket.  A black guy in full hip hop gear would draw more attention than a black guy in a suit in most places.  Right or wrong, it goes beyond *just* a race thing.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

You're a 420 fan, I guess.  Maybe if you reek of MJ, store security won't trust you.

[rjs246]

Eddie George?

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Darwin Walker?

[Zanshin]

Well I do feel a special "kinship" with Ricky...

You're close - keep guessing - lol.

Nah, I feel pretty good about my current guess.  But I won't give you up .

[SunMo]

  I am not exaggerating when I say that certain shoppers (i.e. blacks) can't so much as lift a finger "the wrong way", or stay in one area more than 5 seconds, without some overly-suspicious, prejudiced employee thinking that they are shoplifting.

you are exaggerating, but that's fine. 

i used to work for a rental store place when i was a teenager.  i never worried about people stealing anything.  then, one day, a couple teens, yes they were black, sole about $200 worth of shtein while i was working, snuck it out.  i got my ass chewed out and almost fired.  from then on, when i group of black teens came into the store, i was suspicious and i kept my eye on them.  was i prejudice?  no, i was remembering past experiences.  i never harrassed anybody, but i did ask to check their bookbags when they left, and i'm sure they were pissed at me, but who they should've been pissed at the were the black kids who came into the store before them, stole shtein and almost got me fired.  this would've been the same if would've been white kids, indian kids, whatever types of kids that had done it before on my watch, because they got me suspicious.  so while you will never steal anything, don't just assume everybody is a racist because they are suspicious of you in a store.  sometimes there is a good reason for people to be suspicious and that reason comes from past events.