I'm just blown away by how Your Boss has invented a unwritten "the store has secret not-for-sale inventory" policy, noted that it could mean that the clerk isn't racist, and just assumed that such a policy exists, even though the clerk didn't mention it. Because it CAN'T BE RACISM. EVER. Dude has an IQ of like 95.

No wonder he couldn't keep up with Aesop's Fables. That's heavy lifting.

I'm fine with more or less believing Oprah, but I think there's too little info here. I mean I know Euros are lol racist, much more so than they think, especially the continental ones, but my jimmies are having a hard time rustling up for this. Other than as symptomatic of larger issues (which it is), I'm about as concerned as Oprah encountering racist luxury goods clerks as I am about white guys being "unfairly" tried for shooting people.

Fly, you are clearly a witty guy and a good writer, expand your repertoire--healthcare, guns, tax rates, etc. (well, I guess you also post in SE, so there's that). [Bracing for inevitably hurricane Fly blowback.]

It's really not about this particular example of course. Who cares about this random Swiss woman or about Oprah's feelings when it really comes down to it? It's just quite hilarious the anger you get built up over this meaningless example that most likely has exactly zero to do with Oprah being black.

There is plenty of racist stuff happening everyday that should be called out and laughed at. This just (likely) isn't one of them.

http://www.lamborghinimiami.com/

I don't see anything on their website about any policy about test drives, so just stroll on in and ask to drive the new Gallardo.

Fly beat me to it, but does it not follow that if they usually didn't show people that particular bag, or normally didn't show off the way expensive bags, the store owner or the employee in question would have mentioned that?

Given that it would be in their best interest to clear up any confusion, you'd think they'd take advantage of making statements to clear up any confusion by explaining the unwritten policy or whatever that dictated why they acted that way, no?

Because I'm forced to believe such a policy must not in fact exist, because no one mentioned such a policy. So either we can just have magical beliefs about fairies and other things that don't exist, or we can look at the facts of the situation. I prefer facts. If you prefer magical fairies, no one here is going to be able to change your mind.

Only $100 to test drive a Lamborghini? any old poor could afford that.

JFC. The policy isn't the important thing, it's just an example, a placeholder, of a more logical answer to what happened than racist clerk. Maybe they don't want to share they have that policy for some reason? Maybe they don't have that policy and I'm completely wrong? Maybe it was a language barrier issue as the store owner said? The details of what happened and why are 100% unknowable to anyone but Oprah and the clerk. I'm just making **** up as I go along, filling in the gaps with what might make more sense than blanket accusing this woman of racism.

Why am I doing that? Because the whole thing doesn't pass the smell test. Again, this is a high end boutique. Oprah is in there looking at bags that are multiple thousands of dollars, and the clerk has no issue with this at all. But when Oprah asks to see the 40k bag, the clerk's racism kicked in because ___________? Fill in the blank.

It's nonsensical. It's like seeing a cop let a bunch of black drivers fly by at 20 over the speed limit and then accusing him of profiling when he pulls a black driver over for going 25 over.

Note: this is exactly my argument! That Your Boss KNOWS IT JUST CAN'T BE RACISM, ANYTHING BUT RACISM. The actual specifics don't matter, all that matters is the aggrieved white person tribalism.

Well lending out a new Lambo for test drives is expensive, showing a bag is not. Also a large percentage of these exotic cars are preordered and never test driven before delivery.

I didn't say it can't be racism. I'm saying it doesn't really make sense that it's racism because of other things we know about the situation.

Try again:

That wasn't hard.

Can you, with all your creative energies for coming up with random bull**** to explain away how it's not racism, not think of any scenario wherein the lady behind the counter might feel compelled to show off their normal merch, but decide a person must not be worth showing the high end stuff to based only on their appearance?

Sure, of course there is a scenario where this woman decides she needs to play nice with the black lady but never really trusts her and draws the line at the 40k bag. Of course that's a possibility?

There are other possibilities too, as outlined itt and in the store's comments. But when all you've got is a hammer.....

Clearly we need to send in a similarly dressed white woman to see what goes down

This clerks reputation is basically ruined, right? Looks like she's not going to lose her job, but this clearly sucks for her.

How sure does Oprah need to be that her not getting to see the bag was about her being black and not doe to a store policy or a language barrier or something else? As more comes out it sure seems like Oprah was playing it a little fast and loose with the facts, but the damage is done essentially.

Maybe this clerk is a massive racist who deserves all of this, but if she's not....

Again, just to prove how effortless is it to understand the panicky and angry incomprehension that governs the Your Boss' of the world:
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/marc-lamo...arge-on-piers/

HEAVENS TO BETSY THINK OF THE CHILDREN BEFORE YOU MAKE SUCH RECKLESS CLAIMS

The real victim, IN EVERY STORY, in the deluded cesspool that is Your Boss' existence:

WHITE PEOPLE.

Yes, completely agree. Throwing around comments like it being "a pretty significant charge to levy and a little reckless on her part" are definitely panicky and angry.

I like this point. Should we be more concerned with false positives or false negatives for racism, becase we cannot know whether event x was racist with certainty? I mean obama rodeo clown maybe was tying to convey some kind of positive "obama is down with rustlers" message.

Seems to me it's likely better to be over inclusive in calling out racism, as it at least helps people to monitor racist-seeming behavior. I mean unnecessary self monitoring is obviously a major burden, but probably not as harmful as appearing to slight/oppress someone due to their skin color.

Insert stewart lee "political correctness gone mad" routine.

Seriously Your Boss is talking about how the clerk is "basically ruined". Not that she's getting fired or that you even know her name, but my God, she was ACCUSED OF RACISM. Your Boss cannot imagine anything worse, which is why he is compelled to defend George Zimmerman* and that Obama bowing billboard .

But he's pretty blase about claiming black people vote for other black people because of race.

*Note that he phrases this as not a claim Zimmerman wasn't profiling but as a defense of racial profiling generally. So suspecting young black males of being criminals because of their race is just common sense(and if they end up dead, eh), but BY GOD you better not accuse a white person of being racist without 100% PROOF. You could basically ruin her life!

Cliff's: **** this guy. Seriously.

You are still ignoring her description of it, the one who was there, and have no rationalization why. I provided quotes.

So your Nazi rant has no relation to Oprah's claim.

You are discounting the experience of the person affected and replacing it with a discursion about absolute proof and daydreams and put Nazi words in her mouth.

But that sort of treatment is as common as sparrows. Clerks constantly steer customers toward what the clerk thinks they're most likely to buy, especially by what they might afford. The clerk discounted three attempts to see the megapurse, and Oprah sensed that the clerk refused to consider if she could afford it. And you completely discount her senses. You make this thread gold.

In before "boss must have reasons other than race to ignore what Oprah actually said."

The racism deniers are the ones that really care. Look at the tape. Bill posted the story. There were some lols and some harsh words for the Swiss. Then people went back to talking about hot black women. It wasn't until racists insisted on proving that this wasn't actually racism that this topic exploded.

When was the last time on 2+2 you called out and/or laughed at anything that was racist against black people?

Honestly, I'm not 100% sure. Probably Paula Deen?

Man, nothing but the hottest fire for the racism that REALLY matters:

Your Boss

Well, this is actually what I was thinking about:

Not that it at all matters one single bit. I don't post here that much, just lurk and read a handful of threads, and post when I have time at work and find something worth arguing about. I just don't really see the point in posting in response to everything that I'm in agreement with most everyone on to add to the circlejerk, or when a subject has been been beat to death when I'm catching up on three days worth of LC thread, or whatever. I just pop in here and there. These edge cases where some of the posters go HAM on racism is a spot that catches my interest a lot of the time because I think it's 1) fun to see how angry Fly gets and 2) because I think it's a topic that is really important (I live in a hotbed of racism, and likely do more to combat it irl than any of you guys come close to sniffing) but is one that is overdone here and other places, and ends up being counterproductive to actually fixing anything.

Here's an analogy; A lot of people here think the Republican party is so crazy and out of touch that they are essentially allowing the Democratic party free reign, with no checks basically to keep each party good at what they are supposed to be good at, thus lessening what the Democratic party stands for, even as they win more and more. We need a secondary party to challenge those who are right in order to keep them headed in the right direction.

Haha so awesome, wish she did