I am writing about Rite Aid firing a dedicated employee who was physically attacked after politely asking an angry, defiant, and likely mentally unstable customer to wear a mask in the store during the Covid pandemic.
Our country is in the middle of a pandemic, and there are angry and mentally unstable people who react to the simplest requests for respect toward others with violence. This apparently happened in Rite Aid's York, PA, store recently, directed toward an employee, Elena Santiago. She was physically attacked, works and lives in a somewhat dangerous area and so carries pepper spray and a knife to protect herself, and uses it after trying repeatedly to reason with the attacker to simply put a mask on or leave the store. As a sign of how divided and unhinged our country has become, at least one person has been killed for enforcing a mask requirement.
Rite Aid Corporate responded that they fired her because it was not her job to enforce the mask requirement. How absurd! Masks are required by the state of PA and she works in a pharmacy where many older or ill people are picking up prescription meds. They are more susceptible to catching the virus and this angry man refused to wear one. She is a hero for standing up to this man in an attempt to protect everyone.
Her response was NOT AN OVERREACTION! She was protecting herself against an angry and mentally unstable person who attacked her.
I am horrified at Rite Aid's response in firing her. Whether the company realizes it or not, they are supporting the fringe element, like her attacker, instead of supporting caring, concerned citizens. Their actions are reprehensible. They are despicable. They are emboldening the covid-deniers and other groups such as militias that resent government interference, even when it is so limited as to require wearing a damn mask.
Shame on you, Rite Aid. I'm going to post my comment everywhere I can online and will not ever spend a cent in your store unless and until you reinstate Ms. Santiago.
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