Because Oprah shouldn't be the only one with an audience.

[joyful_molly]

Here's a rough translation of the statement of the salesperson who, according to Oprah Winfrey, didn't want to sell her an expensive handbag because said salesperson was being racist.

The Gods know this country is xenophobic and racist at times, but both sides should be heard, and Oprah isn't right just because she has a huge audience. So here's a

Comments

[delaese]

Sounds to me like a simple misunderstanding that someone had to blow up out of proportion. Poor woman.

[joyful_molly]

Agreed. Just why this has been turned into a "scandal" is beyond me. And it's making things for those of us here who do fight racism more difficult; I bet the next time there's a confronation about racism, it will be shrugged of with "oh, are you pulling an Oprah"? It makes me angry.

[delaese]

Yeah, because when crap like that happens, the entire group of people gets painted with the same brush, and a person who really WAS hurt will be dismissed. I think Oprah was in the wrong and it almost sounds like she did it for attention.

[veronica_rich]

Just why this has been turned into a "scandal" is beyond me.

Because we had some really fucking creepy assholes as our ancestors who thought owning human beings was A-OK, and just happened to go with those who were dark-skinned. And now we're all saddled with that legacy in this country. And naturally the rest of the world is just like the USA - right? ;-)

[eglantine_br]

You know, a salesperson who had any sense of wanting to make a sale would never refuse to show somebody something they asked to see. Just doesn't make sense.

[joyful_molly]

Nowadays, the fraud might turn up hanged with bling and the billionaire wearing torn jeans an flipl flops. Every salesperson in a luxury boutique knows this. I know the shop, and I know (though not personally) the owner (she's a local); while I might not like her or her overprivileged customers, I'm glad she has her employees back in this case.

[ericadawn16]

I saw the interview where the owner said how that salesperson doesn't have the best English skills and it would be very easy to say something innocent without knowing how it sounds to the other person. We have misunderstandings all the time at work and that's born English speakers to other born English speakers.

However, the press is mentioning the asylum seekers and other incidents to make your country look very bad, like this is just representative of the greater racism. One person even claimed that Oprah's show had very bad ratings because she was black.

[joyful_molly]

However, the press is mentioning the asylum seekers and other incidents to make your country look very bad, like this is just representative of the greater racism.

I'm glad the case with the asylum seekers gets mentioned, because THAT is racism of the highst rate. Though it only concerns one village and has no legal leg to stand on, we're trying to nipping this in the bud. As usual, the places with no foreigners are the ones being paranoid about foreigners the most, while in the cities, like where I live, people are much more open and welcoming.

27% of the people living in this country are not Swiss, this does of course cause some problems, especially with the "conservative" parts of the country, where you're still a "bloody foreigner" after moving in 40 years ago from the village down the street.

One person even claimed that Oprah's show had very bad ratings because she was black.HAHAHAH! She didn't have bad ratings. She didn't have good ratings. She had no ratings at all, because her show was never aired here. Unless you follow

[jaiden_s]

It's interesting to me that nobody wants to listen to both sides. That happens more and more, unfortunately. A lot can be learned from at least listening.

[joyful_molly]

I don't know who it was, but somebody once said that two sides shouting at each other will leave both speechless. I'm afraid the art of discussion or disagreeing is almost dead... :-/

[oloriel]

I can easily see how "It's the same bag like the one I'm holding in my hands, just far more expensive. I'm happy to show you other bags" could be understood as "It's the same bag like the one I'm holding in my hands, but too expensive, you won't be able to afford it. I'm happy to show you other bags, though". I mean, it's almost a Pragmatics textbook case for how implicature and implication can get out of hand. (Much better than the example that was in our textbook, actually

[veronica_rich]

It seems to me a lot could have been avoided if Oprah had simply been an adult and insisted on seeing the bag. I'm a relative nobody and also American, and years ago when I was in a Chinese mall waiting for a restroom stall, the attendant held me back as a couple opened up, guiding other people into them and explaining the large stall would be open soon - I'm fat, and she clearly thought she was helping me. Instead of getting offended, I insisted on going into the next regular stall and explained I didn't need special treatment and that it was a fine size (and it was).

I also mitigated it with humor - "I've got to GO now" - the same way Oprah could have by saying "Oh, I can afford it."

[eglantine_br]

That is a very good point. Just saying what you mean/want is pretty rare and refreshing, actually.

[classics_lover]

THIS.

Clearly, though, the poor sales girl is being martyred for not being psychic enough to realise that Oprah wanted to hold/feel the croc bag. She actually told her that it was the same as the bag she had in her hand, but for the material it was made from, I assume she was telling her that in case Oprah was curious about different dimensions or pockets or something.

But seriously, why Oprah couldn't have said, "Actually, I'd really like to get a feel of that bag..." instead of causing an international Incident over nothing? This gives me such retail ragefeels.