Dean
It’s unfortunate that in 2019, racism is still such a huge problem in the United States, but there’s no denying that it is. People still judge others just on the basis of skin color, something people of color have had to deal with their entire lives.
White people can claim that they’re not racist, but their actions speak so much louder than their words. Comedian and Twitter user Milly Tamarez (@MillyTamarez) posted a thread detailing an incident of racial profiling she experienced while trying to browse a home decor shop in Great Barrington, MA, called One Mercantile.
I never do this type of thing, but if you are ever in Great Barrington Massachusetts, do not go to One Mercantile. I spent the weekend in a small town in Massachusetts, and on the way back to the city we decided to stop by a town called Great Barrington.
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
Tamarez was initially excited to go to the store.
I researched ahead of time and saw an article from Vogue magazine of places with what we should visit when we are there, and among vintage stores and crystals shops there was this cute home decor and gift shop on the list. I was the one who wanted to go there.
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
Who doesn’t love those fancy candles?
And made my friends go there. When we get there, the shop had all these interesting knick knacks and plates, and it resembled a West Elm. They had a section of candles. Now if you know me I LOVE scents and candles. I browsed the candle section and
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
there was a lot of the scent combinations that I never heard of, and to be honest, I do this everywhere with candles because you are buying the scent you have to make sure you like it. I picked up a small travel sized candle that was priced at 8.95 but I was on the fence (
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
about it and continued walking around the store and caught up with my friends. I showed them the candle and asked what they thought and they were neutral about it. I was really considering buying that candle, but me and my friends went to a huge Target the day before & spent
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
an ungodly amount of time and an embarrassing amount of money there. Have a huge problem shopping and it is very easy for me to go overboard so I am trying to practice self control. I thought “Milly do you NEED this candle?” I didn’t. “Will this candle spark joy?” It won’t.
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
No candle would. I set the candle down and continued walking around but I felt the two store employees (a man and a woman who I can only assume are the store owners) eyes on me. They didn’t greet me and my friends but they would not stop staring at us.
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
Even when I went up to the register to look at the products they said nothing. Me and my friends were headed towards the door and I saw the woman whisper something to him and he started to follow us, rearranging the shelves near us and circling us but still not saying anything.
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
When he went back the register I talked to my friend. “Hey is it me or are we being watched?” My friends confirmed that the vibes were indeed very bad and we decided to leave the store. As we were walking out the door the male store clerk aggressively walked towards me and
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
said “Hey do you have that candle you picked up?” “No I put it down” I said. “Can you show me where you put it?” This dude made we walk through the whole store looking for the candle. It was so humiliating my heart was beating so fast and I was sweating.
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
This is just rude and disrespectful.
I went right to the area to where I left the candle and the candle was actually at the FUCKING COUNTER THEY WERE STANDING AT. Had they checked their surroundings for 1 minute they would have saw it, but instead they choose to embarrass me and my friends.
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
I keep thinking about what I could have done differently. Maybe I shouldn’t have picked up and sniffed so many candles, maybe I should have just bought the candle, maybe I should have dressed nicer, maybe my hair was too nappy that day. That is the danger of white supremacy
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
people treat you like shit for the color of your skin and make it feel like it’s your fault. And look, I love small businesses, my family has owned a small business my whole life. I’ve worked in them since I was 11. I know very well the stresses and burden being a small
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
business owner can bring a family but this ain’t it. If they were really concerned about me stealing they could have approached me. “Hey do you have questions about the products?” “Do you know what scent you are looking for?” Or even a more aggressive
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
“Did you want me to ring that up for you?” All of those things would be problematic but at least it would still have the guise of good customer service.
Which brings me to another point, I am the epitome of a dumbass millennial. I drink oat milk matcha lattes,— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
The thing is, had the owners been better about having people of color in their store, they probably could have sold Tamarez so much stuff.
I go to yoga at least twice a week, I live in WILLIAMSBURG, and I have spent lots of money on “crystals” (rocks) that will “manifest abundance.” Needless to say I am fiscally irresponsible as fuck. Had they given me the slightest bit of attention and talked to me about
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
the brand story of any of the candles or the sustainability of their 40 dollar salad bowls I would have bought so much shit because to be honest I eat that shit up for breakfast and ask if it’s gluten free. Outside of the store I was so angry and embarrassed I couldn’t
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
stop crying. My friends were visibly upset and shaken too, and I began to feel every more ashamed because my Asian friends had to experience the pain of having black skin. And for the first time in many years (since I was in college in Southern California)
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
I was ashamed of my black skin. TALK ABOUT TAKING HOME A UNIQUE GIFT. I couldn’t stop crying so much so that the woman store owner came outside. But instead of listening or asking if I was ok she immediately defended her actions towards me
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
This sounds like terrible “customer service,” if you can even call it that.
“I just want you to know we do that all the time to everyone, people steal from us all the time” This woman was really arguing with me. I didn’t break from crying but was pissed off “You don’t know me, I have a really good job and make good money, I don’t need to steal.”
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
no one checked in on us and asked if we were ok. They just saw a white woman aggressively talk to a group of women of color and no one questioned it they just walked by, shrugged their shoulders and continued their Sunday. In fact one customer heard the commotion outside
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
The whole time this woman was arguing with us outside at least 15 people walked in her store. All white people, and closed the door so the other customers wouldn’t hear what was going on and that is the fucking problem.
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
This happened in Mass, a “blue” state. These are people who replace dryer sheets with wool dryer balls and scoff at the racist shit Trump says, but they are just as bad if not worse. Finally this woman says “just like you say, you don’t know me. I don’t profile people”
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
Then it became crystal clear to me why the store owner was outside. It wasn’t to check in on me or apologize for bad customer experience (for the record neither the man nor the woman apologized) it was to make HERSELF feel better about the situation. Now I am no stranger to the
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
concept of white people wanting absolution for their guilt, and I even made a satire site based off of it (shout out to https://t.co/aKVZdtGwZ4) The fact is, she wants to believe she is not racist when her actions, and frankly speaking her haircut, say wildly different things.END
— Whacktose Intolerant (@MillyTamarez) March 18, 2019
As sad and upsetting as it is that this still happens, it’s important that people keep talking about it. It was brave of Tamarez to share her story and hopefully it will get more people examining the things that make them treat people the way they do.
h/t: Someecards
