I went to pick up a few toiletries at lunch and came up against a lesson in immigration and entitlement. I was in the vitamins, listening to several foreign women chattering away loudly in the next aisle over. Irritating? Oh yeah, but what are you going to do? They are entitled to speak whatever language they want while out shopping. They may be new and working on their English skills, and their native language is more comfortable for them. Whatever the reason, it's none of my business.
So rounding the corner to head down the lotions aisle, I see them standing right in front of what I need. Three Somali women, dressed head to toe in native garb, laughing and talking in Somali and blocking the whole aisle. I saw two shoppers head down the aisle, see them and back out; I'm not that timid. I walk up to them, politely ask to get what I need, and start to reach for my body lotion. That's when they turn, proudly displaying their Walmart employee badges, and shift to block my access. One of them tells me, "No English, no English." WTF?! Seriously?!
So I pantomime that I need to get past them and get my lotion, they giggle, chatter and turn their backs to me, not ceding an inch. Don't mess with a redheaded Texan, bitches; I gently pressed past them and grabbed my lotion. I decided I'd shopped enough and headed straight to Customer Service where I waited for 25 minutes while the service rep tried to explain to the non-English speaking Hispanic woman why she couldn't return used panties. When I finally got up there, my blood pressure was pounding behind my eyes and I had a massive migraine starting, but I used my polite reasonable words. I explained that I had been treated rudely and dismissively by three employees who were taking a break in the lotions aisle. I explained they pretended to not speak or understand English, and refused to allow me access to the products they were blocking. Since I couldn't pronounce or even spell the names on their tags (not a single one of them was Beth or Peggy), I described them as closely as possible considering I could only see fabric, the tips of their shoes and their faces. And that's when I was told that they were NOT required to speak English, that they were hired to interact with Amarillo's Somali community, and not English speaking customers. Furthermore, I was being unreasonable to expect them to act a certain way. I was basically treated as a redneck bigot and told if I didn't like interacting with other cultures, I shouldn't shop there. Absolutely fine with me.
No surprise here, this is the same suburban Walmart that was featured in my back to school entitlement post. This is the store the farthest from the Somali community (there are two others within a couple of miles of their neighborhoods), it is in the upscale Southwest area where homes range from $250K to $750K, and one million-plus dollar gated community. Not a lot of Somali refugees. So one wonders, just how much work do they do? How often are they called upon to translate or interact? Are these some of those jobs we're told Americans won't do? How many qualified American applicants were turned down so these women could have these jobs?
So yeah, I'm done with Walmart; and I left the lotion on the Customer Service desk, not another penny.
15 comments:
Wow, dissed in your own city,by imported Muslims, cheerfully imported to destroy our country, by our own goddamn government. America has a culture, if they want to come here, they need to leave the third world behind...
Remember when Wal-Mart was synonymous with America?
Good for you Angel my dear, to complain and to tell them off. I get pissed off sure and I mark it in my notebook for inclusion for retribution when things get real froggy. Some conciliation...them being brightly dressed and of color, think target rich environment.
Dear, If you encounter such rude behavior again, go to the home and garden area. Next find a pump up sprayer and assemble it. Then travel to the hardware department and find a gallon of Coleman fuel. Add fuel to pump up sprayer. Pump up the sprayer, return to the problem area and display the effects of said pump up sprayer on offending clothing. Then hold up an old cigarette lighter. The message will be received.
I'm shocked. Shocked you have "polite reasonable words"
:-)
Amarillo is one of the greatest recipients of the "refugee resettlement" program. Just sayin'.
Relax. Today, in Las Vegas, an executive order was signed. It is a very big step towards the surrender of the sovereignty of the United States. We all know that other executive actions are imminent. Congress is too weak and cowardly to stop them.
So. Up until today, our hometowns, our states, our superstores and our country were sovereign to the American people. The president today made it official that "This land WAS our land" and that we will soon be forced to accept that, not only should the rude behaviors you mentioned be tolerated but that soon now we should also pay for what they are buying, carry it out to their car for them and accept that now "This land is THEIR land"
Will the American spirit prevail? I think everyone is too busy playing with social media and taking selfies to even notice.
Or care.
Bx, I think you are wrong. There is a strong undercurrent of deep down, old fashioned , American PISSED OFF growing all over this country. Look around, see the little Gadsdens on folks back windows? Checked the guns n ammo sales numbers? Folks are pissed, and our numbers grow some more every day.
Seriously, you should have said "excuse me" a couple of times first. Say it very politely the first time, then a little sterner the next time. Then yell loudly, "get the fuck out of my way, bitches, or I'll run you over with the shopping cart!" And then, if they don't get oud' da way, run 'em over!
I do believe the start of the next Civil War is coming soon. It will be way bloodier than the first.
Rusty
Rusty, you nailed it. I stopped doing business with Wally World years ago due to their anti-American policies. Any business that does not speak English is one I will not do business with and I am very vocal with a business if they do not do so. I do buy my vegetables at the local Asian market but they have embraced the American melting pot and offer a Veteran discount and thank me for serving our country every time I am in there.
Y'all got somalis there? Really? In Texas?
Only thing we got here in Ceres is illegals, a shitload of Indians (dot not feather) and a couple of gay guys that moved over from the coast.
The only thing that surprises me about your encounter is that the Somalis were actually working for a living. Rarely happen here in the UK - they are Britain's least economically active "ethnic" group (71% inactive) and most are on benefits.
JonT
I would have abandoned my quest to give Wal-Mart my hard-earned money earlier, but you probably sent a clearer message by leaving the merchandise at the Customer Service desk.
I don't shop at Wal-Mart if there are better options available. Even their Red Boxes are Blue.
if this happens to me in ANY store...i will proceed to the meat section....select the biggest ham available.....return to the offending muslimes...beat the tar out of them with a non-halal piece of pork...lay bets on whether they return to work or not....call spouse for bail money, money well spent.
If you could call what she described as "working".
Filling HR jobs to assist non assimilating migrants/refuges at the expense of jobs for people who do want to earn.
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