Had one if "those" experiences today. I was in line at the

[Lint Head]

grocery store.
Moving at a good pace. Not a lot of items in the basket but just enough for the young lady cashier to scan and carry on a short conversation. After the standard 'How you doing today' I made the mistake of saying, "Doing well. How are you?"

She then said the following. "Just unhappy with all the people taking advantage of the government."
She continued, "It's been a long day and there has been more of them than usual. There are just too many Mexicans taking advantage. There are veterans out there that don't get the respect they deserve. My dad is a retired military and it just gets all over him. He's not in good health and me and my mom have to constantly calm him down. He gets so upset."
She finished by saying, "I get so upset and don't even like to talk about it."
I just took my bags and walked on saying to myself, "If you didn't want to talk about it then why did you bring it up?"
I am the type that would usually make a scene and call her out and her family's bigotry. But I knew it would proffer nothing and would be an exercise in futility.

[Skittles]

1. "Does it make you feel better to get your inner racism off your chest?"

racist asshole

[Lint Head]

2. I should have said that. Just wanted to get away from the stink.

[spooky3]

7. Excellent response!!!

[Skittles]

15. I absolutely DETEST someone assuming I am racist too

I let them HAVE it

there are more of us than there are of them - THEY NEED TO KNOW THIS

[napi21]

3. You are more considerate than I am. I wouldn't have created a big scene, but I would have Had to

respond top her as I careried off my groceries: "Really? Then why'd you blab to me about it?" Maybe she woukld have gotten the chance to continue herd whining to the next customer in line.

[tblue37]

20. "Herd whining"! LOL! I know it is either a typo or an autocorrect snafu, but it really

does make sense in this context!

[PdxSean]

21. Ha! I thought "herd whining" was brilliantly intentional, but I think you're right.

[DesertFlower]

4. with my big mouth i probably would have

called her a racist.

[spooky3]

5. It's a weird form of white (or maybe a combo) privilege

I get those qs from time to time and I think it's because I sometimes get sized up as likely to agree with whatever opinions the person has. And I think there is a tendency among conservatives to believe that a lot more people agree with them, than actually do, as well as to ignore etiquette rules about expressing that sort of opinion with someone who may find it objectionable.

Glad you were having none of it and hope it didn't ruin your day.

[Freddie]

11. That's a common trait with them

They just assume that everyone feels the same way and we all have "something in common." Especially if you're a middle aged white person.

[drray23]

6. i would have dumped my groceries right there and

left the store telling her I would go shop elsewhere because I too am tired but its of bigots and assholes.

[dalton99a]

8. So they're blaming non-whites for all the health issues caused by their own racism

[yardwork]

33. I was thinking the same thing.

[unblock]

9. i'd have said just keep away from foxnews. it's toxic and soul-crushing.

[greymattermom]

10. Tell her

you're sorry that exposure to toxic chemicals has affected her. For those of you who don't know, BPA in the receipts is toxic.

[Lint Head]

12. Ha!

[crazycatlady]

13. call the store

It is one thing if this were another customer, but she was on the clock. And share your experience on their social media.

If you told her you'd be shopping elsewhere, she wouldn't care. However, corporate or the manager would.

[uppityperson]

14. ++++++++ It's very unprofessional to talk politics with costumers in most

instances.

[Manly_Scream]

18. Yep, I NEVER do it.

Even if I agree with the customer's political rant, I never engage outside of a polite nod and "Uh-huh" and "I see".

Because yanno, I NEED my job.

The cashier in the OP, is probably some little girl who works there 12 hours a week for pizza and beer money, with no *real* bills to pay.

Probably feels like a failure in life and needs to have "others" to dump on to feel better.

[cwydro]

35. This is true.

And in all my long life, I've NEVER had one of these experiences that so many DUers seem to have so often.

Only hear about them right here. Fascinating.

[gordianot]

16. There are all kinds of deserving veterans some veterans are not citizens.

[Manly_Scream]

17. She must give zero fucks about her job...

You could've easily complained to the manager, and got her *severely* reprimanded if not fired.

Hell, someone in line about to pay for their groceries with EBT or WIC could've overheard her, gotten highly offended and told a manager.

Then if that happened she would be the one mooching off her parents, whilst bitching about other percieved moochers.

Must be nice...

As a grocery cashier myself, I was turned off from participating in a forum (outside of this website) for fellow cashiers of my chain to vent, because of racist dipshits like her...

Threads and threads of "How dare Shaniqua buy crab legs and birthday cake with MY taxes! I can't afford those things! If I had EBT, I would buy nothing but chicken, broccoli and rice, like it should be!!!"

[Lint Head]

19. There was no one behind or around us and I was having

lot of pain in my knee which will need surgery soon. Not to make an excuse but I was hurting so much I was afraid I may go off on her for more reasons than her obvious racism. I just wanted to separate from the situation at that moment. I am considering calling the store.

[Manly_Scream]

29. I certainly wish you would.

As others here have said, these people have delluded themselves into believing this fuckery is "common sense" and they're "not afraid to speak the truth" and the message needs to be sent that NO, it is still not socially acceptable, nor is it "true".

Getting her ass chewed by management might be enough to bring her back to reality, especially if she's very young like I'm assuming.

I don't fault you for not saying anything though. When you want to go home, you want to go home.

Her name should be somewhere on your receipt.

That may sound vindictive or petty to some people, but really it isn't.

I'm on EBT myself, and although I'm not Mexican or an immigrant, I AM non-white and subtly get accused of "not needing it" because I have no disabilities and no children.

I'll be damned if I spend my money in a store, where that behavior is accepted, and I'd let management know it.

[susanna]

23. I think you hit that nail right on the head. n/t

[susanna]

22. I have something similar happen before.

I don't know if I handle it correctly or not, because in order NOT to let it go on, I usually say something direct, like, "I am sorry you are having a bad day, but I am uncomfortable with your comments and frankly find them inappropriate."

In my mind, that puts it back on them and they begin to get a bit uncomfortable themselves about their over-sharing (especially since, as a customer, I might complain).

Of course, it probably just makes them closet Trump voters who won't answer a poll because they know they are on the wrong side of history, ethics and humanity.

Still, I am not rude by nature and really don't know how to handle that sort of thing perfectly.

Maybe we should just say, "not your job to worry about that." Who knows?

[Canoe52]

24. Totally agree with you Lint,

I've got a family like that and nothing you say is going to make a dent in their reality.

Hell, they've got all four branches of government and look how upset and miserable they are!

[JI7]

25. it's hard for some to admit but this is why Trump got most of the support he did

white people that supported him did so because they see whatever problems they are having as the fault of minorities that are taking from good hard working white people.

have you seen the clip of the racist in jc penney attacking the hispanic women ? and nobody defends the hispanic women and it appears they agree with the racist. she just goes off on them and just assumes they are on welfare and they(white people) are paying for the things they are buying.

[Lint Head]

31. I'll check the JC Penny's clip out. Now THAT would set me off.

[TeamPooka]

27. Another example of people thinking it's okay to spout their racism publicly now because Trump says

stuff like it.
This shit needs to be doused like as forest fire when it appears.
Racism has no public place in civilized society

[kacekwl]

28. Sadly, she gets all her views

from her racist dad and he got his from his racist dad and so on . Not to mention faux news and info wars.

[annabanana]

30. "Your Mom should get your Dad to stop watching FOX and the other phoney news" . . .n/t

[LaydeeBug]

32. I admire your restraint. I would have been CUSSING.

Kudos to you for walking away

[hunter]

34. I might have left the damned groceries right there and walked out without paying.

Not that I'm likely to experience something like that, living as I do in a place that's predominantly Mexican American. The majority of grocery store clerks and grocery store managers here *are* Mexican American, and many are bilingual too. So are my neighbors. So is my wife.

Years ago, the overtly racist people I'd most commonly encounter were slightly demented little old white ladies who were pining for the days of sundown towns, redlining, and all-white-male police forces who kept *those people* in their place. Somehow, since I'm a white guy, they'd assume I'd understand.

I figure most of them are dead now. The slightly demented little old white ladies I encounter these days have rainbows of children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

Racist military veterans seem to be another dwindling population. Harry Truman desegregated the military in 1948.

I think the biggest problem is all the empty-headed dingbats who are easily reprogrammed by the likes of Fox News, talk radio, and corrupt preachers.