Les Schwab Welcomes Everyone
Went down the Les Schwab Tire in Eureka yesterday to get a couple new tires. I'd actually stopped by Monday morning but they were way too busy. After driving by Tony Gosselin Tire and them looking too busy, I decided to try Les Schwab again.
They were busy, but not as busy as on Monday. Went inside, got the work order squared away and the guy told me they'd been averaging about a 45 minute wait. Whatever. I'd decided to get tires at this point no matter how long it took.
The wait actually turned into more like an hour and a half or so, but it didn't seem all that long. I amused myself by watching the goings on. Specifically, the way the Les Schwab crew handled themselves their customers. Secondly, the customers and their car's particular problems.
I've always been impressed with the Les Schwab workers. Well trained and highly motivated, what more could you ask for? I paid particular attention to the way they'd get to customers as soon as they walked in the door, assuming they could. Sometimes there would be two or more coming in at the same time. They used to come running out as soon as you parked your car. Not sure if they do that anymore.
In the office, they walk right up to customers, no matter what they look like. Even the freakish looking guy with tattoos way up his neck onto the side of his face. He gets treated the same as everyone else. Then the negro walked in.
The Les Schwab guy walks up to him and asks "How can we help you?". I couldn't hear much after that but vague references to what he needed taken care of. The worker was courteous and took his order, taking his keys after everything was settled. Just as he would with everyone else.
I got to thinking what would I have done if the Les Schwab guy told him, "We don't allow coloreds in here"? I figured I'd probably get up and leave, had my truck not had the front two tires removed at the time. I'm sure many others might have done the same.
That wasn't in the cards with Les Schwab and it was business as usual for the worker, without a second thought.
You can be sure that it's Les Schwab's corporate policy to serve all customers. Regardless of civil rights law, that's where businesses are today. I doubt, as Freakadazoo suggested here recently, that there would be wholesale discrimination in this country today if it weren't for the Civil Rights Act. It's not part of the American psyche anymore.
Get rid of the Civil Rights Act tomorrow, and I feel safe in saying Les Schwab and 99.99% of American businesses would serve everyone the next day just as they always have. Besides, when you think about it, they'd simply lose too much money if they didn't.
posted by Fred Mangels @ 9:42 AM
8 comments
8 Comments:
A negro? Who says that anymore? It's not 1952!!!
I do, mostly to get a rise out of people. You might have missed the poll I posted here a while back asking if the term "negro" was racist.
You are severely ignorant of the race issue in this country. Les Schwab is not reflective of the entire nation.
" It's not part of the American psyche anymore. '
HAhahahahahha!
Have you checked out any neighborhood community pools lately? ANY?
November of 1963, I and six fellow newly minted Marines had a train layover in Richmond, Va on our way home for first leave. One of us, George, was black. We had all gone through boot camp together.
We decided to hit a local bar for a few beers. We entered one and all sat down at the counter when the barkeep came over to me and said, "I can serve you all but I can't serve him." It took a minute or two for me to even figure out what he was talking about since I had never witnessed much less been involved directly with blatant discrimination before. He, of course, was referring to George. I will never forget the feeling of anger and humiliation I felt as a white man by this introduction to 'southern hospitality'. We all got up and left. Did I mention we were all in uniform? I remember George telling us that, for him, it was nothing He was used to that kind of treatment even in NYC where he was from.
LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act into law in July, 1964 and it couldn't have been any more welcomed by minorities as it was for me too because of that vivid experience. The CRA did not change anything overnight either. Get that straight. Racial equality without discrimination is still a work in progress whatever your myopic, Les Schwab showroom libertarian fishbowl view might be.
There is a big difference between businesses that sell commodities, like tires, and businesses engaged in more social setting services, like bars and restaurants. Try googling Denny's together with the word 'discrimination' and see what pops up.
Didn't need the Civil Rights Act! Geez, Fred, you're quite the comedian.
I never said we DIDN'T need a civil rights act. I suggested it's not necessary now. You're talking about the '60s.
Right, I forgot. John Roberts says we're in post racial America and we don't need a voting rights act anymore either. What we need is voter fraud protection instead. Welcome back, Jim Crow.
Well, you did get a rise out of me. I laughed at you because you sounded outdated and unaware. Not with you. At you.
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