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Meijer review: racial profiling 4

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6:05 am EDT
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I have shopped at my Meijer 20 yrs or so. Recently I have started having racial issues. I am a 47 yr old Black male and I am a window shopper of sorts. I love to cook and when I get bored I eat, so I go to many stores daily and look around come up with ideas. Some days I can spend 2 hours in a store and have nothing in my cart or a full cart and even then many times I change my mind and I buy nothing. Recently when going to the Hamilton, Ohio location I am getting followed in isles, people walking past me and looking in my cart, peeking around corners and stuff... no one says anything normally, not even hello :) they are not big talkers it seems :)...; but I have noticed especially one nice clean cut looking guy, dirty blond with glasses, maybe in 25-35 age range... He never speaks even when spoken too, but he stares. When and just seems like he has an issue. So day before yesterday I went in and was there about midnight or so and looked around. I was there maybe 30 minutes. I wanted some chicken strips and fries.. I got a frozen bag of Meijer brand of each. Then looked at a few other items in fresh foods and condiments and chips, spices... In the end, I decided I just go to Steak n Shake down the street, because I was tired and didn't really feel like turning on the fryer and waiting. I took food back and put it in the same place I got it and returned my cart. This Blonde gentleman and the heavy set sloppy looking cashier was standing at the door. He was on the phone by the door and she was on another side. I smiled and said have a good night and the female yelled real loud. "Thanks for stealing! Now there was another person walking in so at first I thought they were talking to the one on the phone or them. I looked back and the guy on the phone asked the girl "do you want to call in and make a report or me?" I have no idea what was said after because I went and got food and went home. So, today I go in and am being followed and people gathering to whisper and look at me.. I felt uncomfortable so I left.
I told a friend that is a cashier there what happened and he said he was told I was a thief and they are all looking for me and to catch me. WHats sad is that growing up I had very little racial issues and now in 2018 I start having issues with ignorant people.

So I want to know do you have a posted customer bill of rights? Miami University is currently doing a study on being minority/black in Hamilton and as I was talking with their team and the guy from PARC and the civil rights guy their says I need to see your customer bill of rights, then based on them and your response to my issue follow back up with them. Honestly How far will I go? I don't know. I feel like it's a waste of time, but also with all the white cops shooting black guys and racial violence and Mexican comments and stuff in the media lately, it was worth looking at closer.

Not all black people steal, even if they stole before or are drunks or addicts or whatever, don't mean they deserve to have issues with profiling. Just because I don't always buy means- I stole it. I admit I often don't put things back even cold items. When it's busy or I get a call or aggravated at something I have left a cart to sit in the front and walk out. Is that wrong? Yes, but still don't = stealing or deserve to be talked about like that. THere is an older white couple that is in that store every night. They use the store to walk and get exercise... No one follows them or calls them a thief... is it because they are white? Dress better? older? Something needs to change. My friends and family mostly say go elsewhere.. I can, but shouldn't have to in 2018... Now if I was ghetto like the same type people think of us. I could go right back and make a scene and confront any and all.. That's why they say something as your walking out and not have the boldness to stop you and ask.. just accuse as you walk away. Such cowards... If you have an issue come to me and say excuse me sir, but why are you here and leave with nothing? :) To be honest, depending on my mood you may or may not get a polite answer, but at least its direct and to the point... People get hurt doing stuff this way... Either they say that to the wrong person and they hurt them or someone sues you for discrimination/harassment/slander, or you call the police and get harassed by some idiot cop and someone like me would get angry and I would get beat or shot or arrested all for profiling done by untrained uneducated idiots.

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4 comments
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Tammi Riffle
, US
Aug 30, 2021 12:39 pm EDT

I am white so is the husband, and because we had been working in yard all day but daughter started tooth pain, we just grabbed purse and keys to get her pain reliever. We were somewhat dirty and old cloths...bought our things in self check and started to walk out first set of doors with a DRUGGED UP HOMELESS guy at our feet. We hear yelling and the druggie and us thought the old lady was yelling for him. Nope..she embarrassed us in front of everyone accusing us of stealing. Why? Because she saw us walking around the cart area behind her. WTF? This was a taste of stereotyping and zero cause. I filed a complaint and form asked how to make it right? How do you return my embarrassment in front of everyone? I am so sorry for all the racial profiling and ... gosh. I am from So. Cal. so really didn't even know racism. We were all the colors in all the neighborhoods and never did anyone including family, utter a racist word. Come to Indiana, it just is sickening. I have been fighting since 1994 when I moved here - especially in 2020 - ... oh well. It is disgusting and won't get any better with the likes of Richard Siegel up there.

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Willow T
, US
Jul 25, 2019 1:25 pm EDT

There are many types of mental illnesses that people in the community are dealing with, many of which cause them to act strangely. Acting odd, or spending too much time in a store does not mean you are a thief. A person might have OCD, or even be homeless and looking for a cool place to spend some time. Meijer employees and their loss prevention team should all have to receive sensitivity training and be more aware of psychological conditions.

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Richard Siegel
, US
May 20, 2019 10:19 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Stop crying

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Hortensia
, US
May 22, 2018 9:04 am EDT

I understand you very well. My husband and I were racially profiled today for two white ladies, one of them the manager of that Meijer, and the other one at the costumer service. They denied service in the rudest way you can imagine.
We have been costumers for 20 years too and today was our last day there. The training and education of the employees is deplorable. It is not the first harassment and bad treatment from them. We grew tired of the mistreatment. We are a biracial couple Hispanic and Arabic.
It is a shame, and I am pretty sure they do not do nothing to solve this problems.
The only I can do and in my power is spread in our communities, church, school, and social media, the fact that Meijer and their employees are racist.