Re: When Encounter Racism! (OT)

On Sun, 12 Aug 2007 12:05:18 -0400, ian <ian.not@xxxxxxx> wrote:

Chris Blunt wrote:
On Sat, 11 Aug 2007 22:22:02 -0700, Noi <tawee3@xxxxxxx> wrote:

On Aug 11, 11:26 pm, Chris Blunt <chris_bl...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Fri, 10 Aug 2007 20:48:00 -0700, Noi <taw...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
I was shopping for several items of clothing. When paying I decided to
use a check rather than a charge card. The clerk (initials XX) asked
for my driver's license. She proceeded to write my license number on
the check: I stopped her and said that she didn't need the number as
she could verify the address and signature by the license. She said
that to do that was "corporate policy". At that point I took back the
check and said that I would pay with my Visa card. The clerk then said
"I need two forms of ID". I showed her my Employee Secure Photo ID
along with my Driver's License. That still wasn't enough for her--she
then asked for my zip code, stating that she couldn't process the
purchase without it. I told her that I also have XXX charge card and
all information about me should be readily available in your computer
system. She still insisted that she will not process the sales unless
I gave her the zip code. At that point I felt insulted enough and
leave the store.
By the way, I am Asian.
Noi,

I think it may simply be that the clerk became suspicious of you when
you refused to allow her to write down your driver's license number
and took your check back. The fact that you decided not to continue
paying by check just because she wanted to take down some details from
your ID might have raised a red flag in her mind and she decided to be
extra cautious when you decided to switch to paying by credit card.
Remember that there's a heck of a lot of fraud going on, and staff are
always told to be extra vigilant when customers act in unusual ways
when paying for goods.

Its always too easy to put these events down to racism when you are
part of a racial minority in a society. I know I sometimes felt the
same way when I lived in Thailand and things like that happened. In
most cases, racism has got nothing to do with it, but that's often the
first thing that enters your mind when you are annoyed by incidents
such as this. From your story, there's nothing to indicate your race
was in any way connected to what happened. That was just an assumption
on your part.

Chris- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -
Obviously you didn't read my letter or have no logic to comprehend
it! Remember, I have a charge card with this department store. They
already have ALL information about me, plus TWO ids. I have been
using credit card and writing check for many years. I never have to
provide two forms of ids plus zip code to complete a business
transaction!

Perhaps you do not care about protecting your personal information
such as your driver license #s or social security #, but I do,
especially with the increasing of identity theft today.

I did read your post, Noi, and I'm not trying to be critical of you.
You may have a charge card with the store, but you weren't using it at
the time, so they wouldn't have known who you were.

I'm just trying to put myself in the position of the clerk who dealt
with you. If I were that person, and a customer who initially intended
to pay by check suddenly changed their mind and took the check back
when I tried to copy down details of their ID then I'd be a bit
suspicious too. I would wonder why they were backing off from using
that form of payment. I don't think its unreasonable to write down
your license number if your driving license is the type of ID you
choose to use.

You said your husband went to the same store and didn't need to show
two forms of ID to use a credit card, but the circumstances were
different then. Why not ask him to go there and do exactly what you
did. He should try to pay by check, then, when the clerk tries to
write down his license number he should object to that, change his
mind, take back the check and use a credit card to pay. Only if he is
treated differently can you reasonably claim that racism is behind
this.

Chris

The problem for all minorities is that racist acts are almost never
clear-cut. There are nearly always plausible alternative explanations,
ways of reframing the situation that facilitate denial of the basis.

I had a minority girlfriend who had incredible references from the Air
Force about her nursing abilities, but here in Northern Virginia door
after door remained closed to her. Jobs would suddenly be filled, or no
longer required - only to pop up in the local ads again a few weeks
later. She could never be sure. She even removed her corn-rows
eventually, but it didn't help. She was very tentative in identifying it
as racism, but that is what we both came to believe. I had thought that
I lived in a live-and-let-live society, but I don't think that any more.

You're right Ian, racism is certainly alive and well. I used to
believe racism was a leftover from past ignorance that would
eventually fade away, but unfortunately, if anything, it seem to be on
the increase rather than diminishing. I can only put this down to
greater numbers of people moving around the world, resulting in
societies which had previously been relatively isolated culturally
being forced to adapt to accepting others in their communities. I
suppose this boils down to some primitive instinctive defence
mechanism by which a community protects itself from outside invaders.

I myself have lived as a minority in various countries for most of the
last 30 years. I recognised in Noi's story a situation that I have
personally been in many times when I've felt victimised over some
similar occurrence. My instinctive reaction was so often to believe
that I was being targeted because of my race. That sometimes might
have been the case, but often when I've looked back on events later
after cooling down I've realised I jumped to the wrong conclusion. I
simply tried to suggest to Noi that she may have made the wrong
initial assumption about the incident, but unfortunately she seem to
have taken offense at what I said.

Chris
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: When Encounter Racism! (OT)
    ... use a check rather than a charge card. ... The clerk asked for my ... She proceeded to write my license number on the check: ... Could not prove she verified--or does Noi figure clerks are not answerable ...
    (soc.culture.thai)
  • Re: When Encounter Racism! (OT)
    ... use a check rather than a charge card. ... The clerk asked ... She proceeded to write my license number on ... extra cautious when you decided to switch to paying by credit card. ...
    (soc.culture.thai)
  • Re: When Encounter Racism! (OT)
    ... use a check rather than a charge card. ... She proceeded to write my license number on ... check and said that I would pay with my Visa card. ... most cases, racism has got nothing to do with it, but that's often the ...
    (soc.culture.thai)
  • Re: When Encounter Racism! (OT)
    ... use a check rather than a charge card. ... The clerk asked for my ... She proceeded to write my license number on the check: ... Could not prove she verified--or does Noi figure clerks are not answerable ...
    (soc.culture.thai)
  • Re: When Encounter Racism! (OT)
    ... use a check rather than a charge card. ... The clerk asked ... She proceeded to write my license number on ... check and said that I would pay with my Visa card. ...
    (soc.culture.thai)