Racism, New Age Hijinks, and the art of book throwing

[Ironclad Alibi]

If you were German, would she say Hun bastard?

If you were a Scot, would she say Fat Bastard? (Cookies for reference.)

[wolfie]

If you were a Scot, would she say Fat Bastard? (Cookies for reference.)

Only if the store had a multi-level loyalty program, and she was a Gold member.

[chainedbarista]

We should put this woman in a museum.

only if she's stuffed; that type of interaction is not what i'm looking for in a museum display.

wonder what she'd say if she were called a 'cranky old bag?'

[blas]

I'm definetly not defending that cranky old hag's racism, but at the same time, a lot of old people still talk that way about non white people.

My Nana (God rest her soul) was notorious for always pointing out black people whenever we took her out to eat or shopping. It was pretty humiliating. After just a couple of times hearing "Oh, see that dark baby?" or "Look at that black man!" I stopped going when it was Nana Day.

And then there's my Gramma, who refers to the Hmongs around here as "Chinamen" even though they are not Chinese, they are Laosian.

[Juggler]

Oh, the New Agers. We had to move our woo woo section to where it is visible from the counter because they understand the directions to it, like "third aisle down on the right side". Now I point at it and they still wander off in odd directions. It was also the most shoplifted section.

As to the attitude. Have you ever met anyone who calls himself a "good Christian" who wasn't an asshole, a hard core lefty who wasn't a miser? Have you ever seen the grounds where an Earth Day event was held after the crowd left? People who make a great effort at showy display of virtue are compensating for something.

[Hyena Dandy]

The guy that came in looking ofr the book that he swore up and down you had and then he asked what store number. So did he go into your store and really wanted to go to the one down the street or the next town over or something? Anyways, it seems like the biggest asses are the ones that would say, "Think globally, act locally...".

Those people annoy me. I say, think globally, act globally. Because one person CAN make a difference. And public office wouldn't be public if they weren't accountable to the, well... Public.

I won't go into further details, though. That's fratching stuff.

As to the attitude. Have you ever met anyone who calls himself a "good Christian" who wasn't an asshole, a hard core lefty who wasn't a miser? Have you ever seen the grounds where an Earth Day event was held after the crowd left? People who make a great effort at showy display of virtue are compensating for something.

Yeah. People are like that sometimes. I try to avoid making an effort to wildly promote my virtue. I save that for actually trying to DO something.

Oh, the New Agers. We had to move our woo woo section to where it is visible from the counter because they understand the directions to it, like "third aisle down on the right side". Now I point at it and they still wander off in odd directions. It was also the most shoplifted section.

The shoplifting may come from the idea that if material possessions are worthless, ad only knowledge has value, surely the store won't MIND if you took it?

Of course, this ignores that carrying a book doesn't necessarily mean you agree with the contents. And that if material possessions are TRULY worthless (or even harmful, as some philosophies suggest), and only knowledge is important, then surely it makes more sense to trade something that's harming you (money) for something of true value (a book)?

[duckies4becca]

If you were a Scot, would she say Fat Bastard? (Cookies for reference.)

Get in my belly! Couldn't resist!

[mattm04]

I was in the local supermarket in early 2003 shortly before Operation Iraqi freedom began. The custoemr behind me was wearing a long coat with "no war for oil" buttons and other similar stuff. I pay and see a friend. We talk for a minute. By the time I leave the lady is in front of me. By chance I was parked a few cars down. I see her get into a Ford Excursion and look.

L: what are you smirking at
Me: well, i find it ironic you are against a "war for oil" and drive a Excursion
L: I don't use oil. I use gas!!!! Idiot!

She gets in and speeds off. I laugh.

Stupidity comes in all flavors.

[Pagan]

[B]Do you even practice what you preach?

I'm gonna be quite upfront here: I hate it when I have to deal with a customer that deals with New Age subject matter.

On behalf of new age-y types, I apologize for about seventy-five percent of us. We're not all hypocritical assholes.

Oh, the New Agers. We had to move our woo woo section to where it is visible from the counter because they understand the directions to it, like "third aisle down on the right side". Now I point at it and they still wander off in odd directions. It was also the most shoplifted section.

This is why I hate that they have the witchcraft types books over there. I usually wind up next to some fluffy-bunny that has no idea what they're messing with. Of course, there's not that many books on druidry that I can find locally. Usually wind up ordering them off the interwebs.

Although, I do find it amusing that that section is surrounded by the Christian section at the Border's near me. Get some interesting looks sometimes. I can see it going through some of their heads, "Funny, she doesn't look like a devil worshipper"

There was a Korean comedienne (Esther Ku) who did a skit once about people using the wrong slang term for her ethnicity.

"Check your Redneck-to-English dictionary! I'm a Gook, not a Chink!"

I thought that was Margaret Cho?

[mikoyan29]

I was in the local supermarket in early 2003 shortly before Operation Iraqi freedom began. The custoemr behind me was wearing a long coat with "no war for oil" buttons and other similar stuff. I pay and see a friend. We talk for a minute. By the time I leave the lady is in front of me. By chance I was parked a few cars down. I see her get into a Ford Excursion and look.

L: what are you smirking at
Me: well, i find it ironic you are against a "war for oil" and drive a Excursion
L: I don't use oil. I use gas!!!! Idiot!

She gets in and speeds off. I laugh.

Stupidity comes in all flavors.

The Ford Excursion is the huge one too...

She called you idiot?

[Hyena Dandy]

This is why I hate that they have the witchcraft types books over there. I usually wind up next to some fluffy-bunny that has no idea what they're messing with. Of course, there's not that many books on druidry that I can find locally. Usually wind up ordering them off the interwebs.

That's the easiest way. God, half the new-agey types I know are working on the basis of "Its what I find pretty"

Although, I do find it amusing that that section is surrounded by the Christian section at the Border's near me. Get some interesting looks sometimes. I can see it going through some of their heads, "Funny, she doesn't look like a devil worshipper"

I get the "Doesn't look like a devil worshipper" looks too. But if I turn and stare at them for a second, they seem to nod in understanding.

One person asked me if I was a cult leader.

Obviously if I was, I wouldn't have to buy my own Tarot cards.

I thought that was Margaret Cho?

Common gag, I hear a lot of Asian comedians use it.

Speaking of racial slurs, I once met a Vietnamese kid named Charlie.

[alowlypotato]

L: what are you smirking at
Me: well, i find it ironic you are against a "war for oil" and drive a Excursion
L: I don't use oil. I use gas!!!! Idiot!

She gets in and speeds off. I laugh.

Stupidity comes in all flavors.

Ooooh gods... That hurts my soul, yet makes me giggle.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Speaking of racial slurs, I once met a Vietnamese kid named Charlie.

'k that made me laugh.

And the New Age stuff generally is near the Christianity stuff 'cuz it's all lumped together under Religion/New Age in the grand scheme of book categorization.

[bunnyboy]

This is why I hate that they have the witchcraft types books over there. I usually wind up next to some fluffy-bunny that has no idea what they're messing with. Of course, there's not that many books on druidry that I can find locally. Usually wind up ordering them off the interwebs.

Know the feeling there... of course the two bookstores here seem to carry for about half their section the grand trinity of fluffy-dom Cunningham (actually not too bad, but rarely ever really read), Penz...pencz.... that temple of witchcraft guy (same as before, actually better IMO), and the patron goddess of fluffy bunies everywhere Silver Ravenwolf.... gah.... ok, time for this heathen to go and read some Thorsson, and the Eddas...


oh almost forgot, yeah most of mine is having to go to the "local" (if 30 miles away in Seattle is local) Occult Shop... the good one, not the other two which seem to be eco-fluffy and hippy-fluffy in flavor, for some of my books (still wish I could afford Our Troth, and some of the rest of the local Asatruar community in the area's books...*grumbles* stupid niche market,) but hey beats paying out the nose FROM the people, and it's also nice to know I can at least get my Hammer there without getting a look of OMG NAZI! because I choose to follow the old ways of the North.... aaaaaand I'll stop there before it gets told to go to fratching.

[Hyena Dandy]

Silver Ravenwolf

Silver Ra... That... That has to be made up. Nobody could possibly expect to be taken seriously, even by the fluffy bunnies, with a name like Silver Ravenw...

Oh, God, she's got a website.

And... Oh my God. The cursor turns into a broomstick.

What the hell. This is a joke, right?