The election of Barack Obama in 2008 was an extraordinary event in American history. A black man as the leader of a country that had fought a war over the enslavement of black people. As extraordinary as it was, it also unleashed latent racism that had been hiding quietly under three piece suits. Perhaps because President Obama is not only black, he comes from a mixed marriage:black man, white woman. This was unconscionable in the 1960’s. It seems it isn’t any more acceptable to many in 2012.
I was in a Sears in an upscale suburb of Baltimore, Maryland. A black sales associate told us of a white woman who refused to be waited on by any of the black sales associates. She had brought a number of items to the checkout and when not “served” by a white person, put down her selections and left the store.This occurred just before the election. This woman told us that the election brought out nastiness in too many people and she was grateful the election was over.
She also told us that she will be working over Black Friday-which this year begins for her at 8 PM Thursday night and ends for her at 4 AM. She won’t be receiving time and a half. There is no bonus. She told us that as a seasonal employee, as are the majority of the employees, she gets no benefits and the pay over Thanksgiving is less than full -time employees on a regular day.
More than 100 years ago Henry Ford said that employees need to earn enough money to buy the product they are producing. These employees cannot afford many of the items sold in Sears-in Sears! There is no gratitude for the Sears employees over Thanksgiving. America is becoming a land of the stingy; mean-spirited. There has been an assault an decency in this country for far too long. The greediness of those who have so much has gone beyond the pale. Compassion is in critical condition, on life support in the ICU.
