Another day, another racist-ass racist caught on camera being—you guessed it—a racist ass. Today’s shame spiral is brought to you by Allsup’s Convenience Stores, a regional chain that most folks outside of Texas and New Mexico have probably never heard of—until one of their clerks made headlines this weekend for being an overzealous bigot.
Santa Fe police officers were forced to respond to a completely wasteful 911 call made by an unnamed Allsup’s employee on the evening of August 3. According to cell phone video of the incident provided to local TV station KRQE, the employee abused the emergency service in order to ask police to get Jordan McDowell, 22, out of the store—because he was black.
“There’s nothing right about this. Racism in America never truly died.”
McDowell, a pre-med student at Xavier University of Louisiana—an HBCU known for making some damn good doctors—has been visiting The City Different since July, studying Native American culture as part of a summer class. Around 8 PM on Friday, McDowell selected and paid for a package of Sour Patch Kids, then decided that might not be enough junk food to get him through the night.
As he wandered the aisles looking for other snacks, he realized that the unnamed clerk, whom I’ll call Racist Rhonda because I’m fresh out of candy puns, was watching his every move.
“She had been in the corner the whole time, watching me.”
McDowell whipped out his phone and hit “record,” like any seasoned person of color would in today’s racist-ass climate.
Racist Rhonda then called 911, in an utter waste of an emergency dispatcher’s time. The video only shows one side of the conversation, of course, but thankfully, it’s the important side.
“I want him out of the store right now. Because he’s being arrogant. Because he’s black.”
Police spoke with both Racist Rhonda and McDowell, and the visiting student was able to leave without further incident.
"We took no action as the man did not violate any laws in the City of Santa Fe," a spokesman for Santa Fe PD told Newsweek by email. "We were asked by Allsup's to trespass the individual from the business and our officers did so. No charges were brought against the employee by the man in question, so there’s nothing more we would do.
"No report was done, as it was a simple trespass and the individual was escorted from the business."
Racist Rhonda, who remains unnamed and still had a job as recently as Tuesday, seems to have a very different recollection of Friday night’s events.
KRQE News 13 spoke to the employee seen in McDowell’s video at the store Tuesday. The employee denied speaking of McDowell’s race. After KRQE News 13 showed the employee the video clip, she continued to deny speaking of McDowell’s race, then refused to speak any further about the incident.
Allsup’s corporate office has refused to comment; however, a man—identifying himself as the store manager—told KRQE that the employee’s behavior was “unacceptable.”
McDowell, for his part, is keeping positive.
“This was our first time down here,” said McDowell. “I explored the native lands, I loved it, I enjoyed it, I enjoyed the feasts, seeing the dances, everything of that nature.”
McDowell, whose goal is to become a surgeon, says he doesn’t harbor bad feelings towards his experience in New Mexico.
However, he says he wants others to know what happened to him in Santa Fe and encourages others to speak out about their own experiences.
“I just want everyone to know you still have a voice, you can speak up, you still can do your part and that's what I’m going to continue to do,” said McDowell.
Wise words, indeed. Here’s hoping Racist Rhonda learns something, too. Yet as these incidents continue to happen again and again and again and again, this latest nonsense raises the question: when will these constant abuses of 911 finally be deemed worthy of punishment?
Watch the full KRQE segment below:
