I have to say something even though Correia, as moderator (see above), has already said something about disrespectful comments about store employees. I am also asking if the moderator can put this entry into a general discussion area also. It has to do with all the disrespectful, arrogant entries I see on this forum with regards to other people in the world....store employees being just one category, but I think my remarks apply to references to all people in the world.
In this particular thread the entry by Nathan Williams refers to a store manager in the parking lot who is "morbidly obese lady with a really bad perm." I think that remark was uncalled for. What does the fact the woman is obese and in your (correct or not) subjective opinion has a bad hair do have to do with anything in discussion here? To me this is just a statement made in order to put someone down and perhaps make you feel more superior or give you an ego boost. It is not relavent at all and discounts that person as a human being who is probably just trying to get through the day successfully as we all are trying to do.
Also, it seems as if it may have been in this thread, but perhaps it was another one, in which an entry was made about store employees. The entry was made by a new member, wish I could remember his signature, he referred to the store employees as "counter monkeys." I find this kind of language disgusting and offensive. IMHO this is not a forum for the purpose of such offensive and immature comments and slurs. I think that the fact we may disagree with a store policy or law/ordinance or a political opinion does not give us the right to show such disrespect for other people. Referring to store employees as "counter monkeys" is, in my opinion, reflective of completely arrogant, immature, selfish behavior by the person doing the name-calling in such a manner. For one thing, referring to store employees as counter-monkeys is rather like calling an ethnic group slope-heads or rag-heads. It is an attempt to objectify that group of people (that is refer to them as objects) and thus dehumanizes them. Folks, they are people, like us. They are just trying to get along.
Then later in this thread Hank B refers to his friend who had to walk in a store parking lot with a store manager to get his firearm to the car. Hank B seems to talk with admiration at his friend's behavior because the friend pretended to have forgotten where his car was parked so he walked this manager all around the parking lot intentionally as a way of harassing him apparently. I find that kind of behavior by the customer to be offensive. This store manager is trying to do his job and help people as courteously as he can by obeying the store rules which he does not make I am sure. Then this customer has nothing better to do but waste the manager's time by playing some little game, This is the type of thing I was doing when I was a wiseacre teen-ager of 16-17 and thought I was a big shot. Actually, all I actually was when behaving in this manner as a teen was a disrespectful, wiseacre, arrogant child.
Please, fellow members of THR...remember what THR means THE HIGH ROAD. INMHO we are not taking The High Road when we display behavior of this type. There is a lot to be said for being gentle, kind, respectful, to everyone we meet in the course of a day. Store employees are generally just following the rules of their employer. I suggest we can make their day much nicer and easier, more pleasant with a ready smile, friendly manner, and respect due anyone as a human being. This does not mean, of course, that we should not be politely assertive when necessary to protect our own legitimate self-interest. This does not mean we have to agree with store policy that in our opinion seems stupid. But taking it out on a store employee who has little or no power to change the policy is, at the least, very unjust.
Not my experience but a blood relatives.
