Hobbycraft refused to sell paint to black man as ‘he may use it for graffiti’
Louis Gray says he was racially profiled after trying to buy spray paint to make over his son’s bicycle helmet
Louis Gray says he was racially profiled after trying to buy spray paint to make over his son’s bicycle helmet
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There's a photo of this guy in the article. He looks white. Maybe the lighting in the photo is way off, but I have a hard time believing that they profiled him based on his appearance.
Edit: The photo in the article is a good representation of his appearance. Here's another one.
Dude is literally the same color as I am, a light-skinned Black person, going by the picture, and yes, I’ve had clerks follow me in stores and white women clutch their purses when I pass, and every man in my family, all of whom are that color, have a “being pulled over by the cops” story, so I’m not exactly sure what you’re trying to do here.
Please try to be a serious person.
I never once claimed to be a “victim,” so don’t put words in my mouth. But racism is real and it happens, no matter how much some folks really want to pretend it’s just folks looking to be “victims.”
did you really just "racism exists? are you sure?" someone?
As an old white lady myself I'm disappointed in you, trying to find any tiny excuse to deny the racism that's all around you in our world.
You sure you aren't a being a titanic jerk right now? Even your username might be evidence that you're consumed by negativity, but that's beside the point. Why would you assume they're hallucinating that racism exists? Seriously: stop and ask yourself that question. Why side against this person who has done nothing but share their experiences?
I'm a white dude from the southeast and I have these stories: the only time I've gotten harassed by podunk shitheel cops is when I'm around Black and Latino friends, and when I had a truck with FIGHT RACISM written on the back. The only time I get followed around stores is with friends that just so happen to be darker than me - what a coincidence, eh? On the other end of the spectrum, I've had to put up with racist shit being shared with me out in the sticks from white folks who assumed I'm as racist as they are. Saying that folks are looking to be a victim makes you either complicit in or ignorant of racism that still exists in the here and now, and more than likely some of both.
TLDR: If you're not a troll, then all I have to say is bless your heart. Look inward and try to improve yourself.
Man shut the fuck up. Just because the USA was able to pretend we thought people who looked like that were white to steal physicists from Iran for a little bit, doesn't mean he is white passing. Also notice the guy's hairline is clearly that of a dad, why would you card him. Fuck off idiot
The store is saying he was challenged for not having ID, as a challenge 25 thing.
So forgetting the colour of his skin, do you think he looks 25 or over?
He looks like he's probably at least 25 but if I could get in trouble for being wrong, I think I would card him.
And would you additionally say that "We can’t serve you, you could be doing graffiti with this” as was claimed in the article?
Maybe, if he asked me why I wouldn't sell him the spray paint without seeing his id. In that case, it would be an explanation of why the id-check policy exists, not an expression of my belief that he looked like a vandal. (Although by that point, I would suspect that he might be up to no good specifically because he was refusing to show me his ID.)
But you would sell it to an ID-less older white guy no problem, as they did? This guy does not look like he's 25 or under.
I had a noticably receding hairline before I was 25. I'd sell to someone who looked old enough to be his dad without needing id, but if I could get in trouble for not carding someone I should have carded, I wouldn't bet my job on the fact that he isn't an older-looking 24.
I do, but making a big deal over his white grandad not getting carded is a bit much for me.
"skinhead punk" lmao
What, you wanna check the tag on my Fred Perry shirt?
Ok buddy, now go back to doing what they tell you.
Uh huh.
That picture doesn't look like "a white guy." You might not be sure he's Black, but he definitely looks "of color," at least. Enough for racism to play a part in the interaction.
Remember he just claims that they racially profiled him, he has no evidence of it other than they stopped him. They claim it was because they have a policy that they don't sell to anyone who looks under 25 without an ID...he's 32, not sure if I think he looks under 25, although I could easily see someone not having a good grasp on this and not being sure. It's not like he looks old.
His complaint is also that he brought in his grand father (lol) and they sold to him without an issue. Well, duh, I'm sure someone much older him doesn't look potentially under 25.