All over the country, maskholes continue to berate, threaten, and even assault store workers just trying to do their jobs. And in this particular incident, the perpetrator cuts a menacing figure and becomes violent.
What happened: The incident occurred at the Korean American supermarket’s location in West Huntington Drive, Arcadia around 6:15 p.m. on Aug. 6. Emilie Tan (@emilieeetan), who was shopping with her boyfriend, managed to film parts of the chaos.
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Tan told NextShark that they first found the man arguing with the manager at the back of the store. At the time, the man was “already visibly aggravated,” yelling in the manager’s face and refusing to leave “because he didn't want to wear a mask.” The man had the manager in a corner while a security personnel contacted the police. At that moment, Tan and her boyfriend chose not to intervene to prevent escalating the scene “into something worse/physical," since the man was "unpredictable" and the manager was "still professional.” However, they stayed in the area to ensure that the manager was not alone. They also attempted to ID the customer.
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The incident took a worse turn when the man shoved a cart and flipped it in the direction of the manager “in an attempt to ram him,” Tan said. Three female customers then began to intervene, and this is when Tan took out her phone to record the scene. “I started filming when I noticed an immediate change in the man's expression and body language. He began directing his hostility toward the women,” she said.
The man is also shown to accuse the store manager of assaulting him, when he is just trying to protect the three females in the maskhole’s path. To the manager’s credit he demonstrates consummate professionalism, and protects the customers while maintaining his dignity and keeping the situation from escalating.
All over the country workers have to endure abuse and intolerance from customers from everything from masks to race. It is its own epidemic. Now while the videographer in this case does not claim the man said anything racial, one has to feel for the gentleman in this situtation given the most recent, and prevalent history of abuse against the Asian community.
And just how bad are workers being treated?
NEW YORK (AP) — A dozen retailers including Gap GPS, +4.41% and H&M HNNMY, -0.47% are collaborating on a campaign this fall to enlist customers to combat bad behavior against retail workers.
The campaign, spearheaded by nonprofits Open to All and Hollaback as well as the Retail Industry Leaders Association, comes as workers face increased harassment as they try to enforce social distancing and mask protocols during the pandemic. Among those who have been the targets of abuse are people of color, those with disabilities and those who identify as LGBTQ.
Calla Devlin Rongerude, director of Open to All, said the campaign is not asking customers to step in to physically stop altercations, but rather to help de-escalate the situation and show support for workers.
It is so bad that retail stores had to create a “be kind to workers” campaign. That is really bad. What I would say to anyone reading this, is that chances are the clerk or barista you are delaing with is working long hours, and dealing with any number of unpleasant people on a daily basis. And no matter what stare or look you may perceive, or a tone you might hear, it would be best for all of us to try to be nicer to them, and one another in general.
We need to just be a bit more patient, and a bit more friendly. Ok a lot more than a bit.
This is just another maskhole in a nation full of them. But there are two elements of my story title, that convey two different angles of the story. And I think the takeaway should not be a maskhole, but the high emotional IQ manager who kept things from getting out of hand.
We are seeing each day another story of dignified Americans, the ones that are pulling together for each other and doing the right things. That is why I titled it this way-the lede is not the transgressor, but the hero.
If you share or retell this story, please remember to amplify the efforts of the hero. The zero is a dime a dozen.
-ROC
I am weak, dealing with a stretch of fatigue I have been unable to pinpoint. We continue to monitor for cancer recurrence. This is the only living my health allows me to earn and I appreciate you. My newsletter is unaffected. Sign up here to subscribe! It publishes every Wednesday and is full of original reporting, laughs, and fun!
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-ROC