FHLColorado

Student Photojournalism Seminar

Daily Radio Update: Eastern Colorado

Daily Radio Update: I-25 Corridor

Daily Radio Update: Western Slope

Safety on Wheels Campaign

Colorado Women's Sports Fund

Gold Crown Youth Sports

Colorado Sports Hall of Fame

Sporting Woman Community Fund

To order a copy of a newscast, contact Spill Productions at 303-623-5565


User-generated high school sports video clips

Is THIS Racism?

By GJFlash

While we're on the subject of race, I would like to relate a story to you and get some opinions, if you good folks have a minute to comment...

An African-American friend of mine was doing a home repair job in Highlands Ranch last week. That part of town is predominantly white (which is kind of like saying that snow is predominantly white).

The starter went out on his truck, and he had to walk to Checker Auto to get a new one (we'll forget the fact that he was harassed, called racist names, and threatened all the way there...one man actually SPIT on him as he waited to cross the street).

This was on a Saturday, when auto supply places are very busy.

He went up to the white cashier and politely asked her if he could get a new starter.

"You have to go to the parts counter," the white girl snapped, very rudely.

He went back to the parts counter and stood there, and was completely ignored by the white employees working behind the counter.

He watched, with growing anger, as one white guy after another white guy was given service, but the white employees behind the counter wouldn't even look at him (much less help him).

No exaggeration, white people would walk into the store, stand in line behind him, and the white employees at Checker would literally look right through my black friend and say "can I help you, sir?" to the white man standing behind him. By his count, 17 white people walked in after him and were given prompt and efficient service, while my black friend was completely ignored.

My black friend didn't say anything, he just stood there. He stood at the very front of the counter and was completely ignored for more than 15 minutes.

Finally, he said something to the white employee standing right in front of him.

"Is there a number I can take or something?", he asked kindly, "because I've been standing here for fifteen minutes and you guys have helped everyone who comes in here except me."

The white employee behind the counter smirked at him and said, and I quote:

"Why don't you go back to YOUR neighborhood and make THEM help you."

My friend didn't say anything (wisely, you know how racist white people can be), he just turned around and left.

When he got home, he called the Checker home office customer care number, told them this story, and was laughed at. They told him that he "was imagining things." When he asked to talk to a supervisor, they laughed some more and actually hung up on him.

My black friend eventually had to go "back to his own neighborhood" to get a starter (and no, he did NOT get it from those racists at Checker).

In my opinion, this is racism. I would like to know what you guys think.

Should my black friend call All Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and Barack Obama and sue the living crap out of Checker Auto?

Should this be a story worthy of national headline news?

Have you formed your opinion? Would you like to comment?

If so, please comment BEFORE reading the following...

This did NOT happen to any of my African-American friends...

...It happened to ME, and I AM WHITE.

I was NOT in Highlands Ranch, I was at 38th and Federal, a predominantly Hispanic area (which is like saying...well, let's just say that there are NO white people living in that part of town).

All of the Checker employees were Hispanic, and all of the customers were also Hispanic (and yes, I was harassed, called racist names, and threatened all the way there by the neighborhood Hispanics, and yes, one Mexican spit on me as I waited to cross Federal Blvd.).

Is this still racism? If not, is it because I'm white?

The "good" folks at Checker Auto sure seemed to think so.

Where's MY Jesse Jackson? Who will be MY Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.?

I would really like to hear some opinions on this, and I would like to ask that you throw your money down the toilet before giving ONE THIN DIME to the RACISTS AT CHECKER AUTO SUPPLY. Thanks for your support.

Please discuss.