So apparently I'm racist.

[dragon_wings]

Cast of characters:
DW: me, your pasty punk white chick
M: my black manager
T: black photo tech
K: black beauty advisor
SC: black customer

Note: Most of my coworkers and managers are black. My favorite manager is black. I am *not* a racist.

Time: a few weeks ago.
I'm doing some random work near my register SC stops me to ask if we have a certain item on sale.
I tell her I don't know but I'll check. So I go to my register to check the flyer. As I'm checking another customer comes up so I ring them up. While I'm ringing up that customer SC stops at the counter across from my register and checks out a stretchy wrist band with a watch on it. When I'm done ringing up my customer I call SC over to my register.
DW: *points to the flyer* Um, this item's on sale not <item you were looking for>.
SC: Oh. Ok. *turns to walk away*
DW: Ma'am, don't forget the watch. *point to her wrist*
SC: *cue CBF* I wouldn't steal this piece of crap. *angrily hands me the watch and leaves my register*
By this time there someone had come up behind her so I ring him up. As I'm finishing the transaction SC comes back to my register and tells me she wants to talk to me.
After the guy leaves she starts in on me.
SC: I'm so offended that you think I'd try to steal that dumb watch. You're racist. I bet you're conditioned to when you see a black face-
DW: No, ma'am. Some of my favorite coworkers are black.
SC: *dismissive sound* *continued ranting about how I'm racist*
DW: *starting to tear up I page the manager*
M: *walks up*
DW: *wordlessly points to SC* She said I'm racist.
M: *looks at me then addresses SC* Ma'am, she's not racist.
SC: How do you know her mind? *then makes a comment about me crying*
DW: *nearly sobbing* Ma'am, you insulted my integrity.
SC: *dismissive noise*
DW: *to M in tears* Can I go sit in the office?
M: Yeah.

I run to the office passing T and K.
T: Are you ok?
DW: No! *explains the situation through my tears*
I sit in the office for a few minutes.
After a few minutes T, K, and M all come to the office.
Apparently SC called M an "uncle Tom," K laughs at her bullshit, and T could tell something was wrong just by my voice on the intercom.
After a good cry we all have a laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

Tonight:
She came back. And when she saw I was cashier she stops K and asks her to ring her up. The whole time she acted like I didn't exist.

[Pedersen]

damn, DW. That's just crappy behavior.

What's that about plucking the log out of your own eye before pulling the splinter from mine?

[Lyse]

Wait - she wouldn't let the white cashier ring her up, only the black one? How racist of her.

[Draco]

Wait - she wouldn't let the white cashier ring her up, only the black one? How racist of her.

Isn't it amusing how those who most often and most loudly throw around the label of racist are usually in fact racist? Then again, if this "customer" was confronted with this fact, anyone want to bet she would claim that only white people can be racist? :P

[bainsidhe]

That's all right, I'd refuse to serve her anyway due to her insults. It isn't racist to be prejudiced against assholes. (damn I wish I could've told a few SCs that to their face).

[notlovinit]

I've found the best reply when someone calls you racist is to say "You're only calling me a racist because I'm white!" Shuts them down right away. And it's true too. If someone of your own race said that a price couldn't be changed or they weren't able to help you in some way, the race card would not be played.

[Mr Hero]

SC: How do you know her mind

How do YOU?

[BroSCFischer]

I've found the best reply when someone calls you racist is to say "You're only calling me a racist because I'm white!" Shuts them down right away. And it's true too. If someone of your own race said that a price couldn't be changed or they weren't able to help you in some way, the race card would not be played.

They have found ways around that. In the OP the black manager is called an "Uncle Tom".

Never underestimate the stupidity of the small minded.

SC

[Opalin]

I've had that happen when I worked at the game store, only usually in reverse. We had customers refuse to listen to my poor white co worker even when he knew more about whatever it was they were looking for. I sympathize with you. It sucks when people pull the race card.

[thehuckster]

People don't have to even be racist towards other races, but even to their own. I don't care if she's black or not, calling someone else an "Uncle Tom" is a very racist statement.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

The best way to shut down someone who is trying to play the race card is to not care if someone calls you a racist.

They figure you'll fall all over yourself to prove them wrong.

Don't.

What do you care what an asshole thinks? Or, I should say, pretends to think. They know damn well you're probably not a racist.

[PepperElf]

I've found the best reply when someone calls you racist is to say "You're only calling me a racist because I'm white!" Shuts them down right away. And it's true too. If someone of your own race said that a price couldn't be changed or they weren't able to help you in some way, the race card would not be played.

I've never thought of that one. That's a fucking good reply.

[morgana]

The best way to shut down someone who is trying to play the race card is to not care if someone calls you a racist.

I actually told a girl once that it didn't matter to me if she was black, white, blue, green, or purple with yellow polka dots. If you're doing something stupid/dishonest/disgusting/whatever, I'm gonna call you on it.

She didn't quite know what to say to that.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

As that ranting waiter of YouTube fame says, "I don't care if you're White, Black, Red, Orange, or French! it doesn't matter, the color of your skin is ASSHOLE!"

[Grape The Cat]

<hugs> Sorry you had to deal with that DW, that woman sounded like a major league b-tch.