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Radio Shack - Racial Profiling

Steve of West Palm Beach, FL, sent the following letter to Radio Shack's headquarters:

Re: Store in Greenacres, Florida

Ladies and Gentlemen:
This letter is a follow-up on a call I placed to your corporate office and as of date have not had a courtesy call back. On Monday, March 20, 2000 I went to the Radio Shack store in Greenacres, FL., like I've done so many times in the past. I've purchased all and any of my electronic equipment from RadioShack.

On this day I went into the store with my 21-year-old stepson, who happens to have very dark skin, (I am white, Italian), to replace an adapter. I went to the section where the adapters are and proceeded to ask my son to remove a pair of headsets I brought to the store with me that I use on my private plane. He removed the headsets and I opened a package to compare adapters. The adapter I picked up fit my headsets so I handed the package with the adapter enclosed to my son and told him to hold it, that would be the one we'd take to the register.

At this point a man who identified himself as the store manager came and told me that I was being recorded for theft! He proceeded to insult and embarrass me with no discretion. I obviously became defensive at the accusation. At this point it still hadn't occured to me that in the past when I've walked in there alone and spent hundreds of dollars, I was never approached in this manner.

Then another man came and with his body language spoke loud enough, again confirming I was being watched and hurried out for possible theft! I asked the manager to show me the recording of my alleged theft and he refused. I then requested he call the Sheriff so that we can view the so-called theft video and he refused. He then proceeded to become condescending and repeatedly say, "Have a good day, sir".

Every time I attempted to speak he would repeat the same thing. I told him I was going to report him to his corporate office and he said, "Go ahead, I'll show them the video of you stealing". Again I requested justice and was refused with his "Have a good day sir".

I feel that if it were not for my son being with me this racial, bigoted action would have never happened! I would like an apology for the shameful and unconstitutional treatment my son and I received at your Greenacres store. Since I have not heard from your corporate office and at this time and am convinced I never will, I am sending a copy of this letter to the NAACP and the Consumer Affairs Dept. in a hope that the NAACP will take some action against your bigoted Greenacres, Florida manager and his companion!

The sad thing is that my son is so used to being treated as a lower class person, because of the color of his skin, that he said, "Dad don't worry about it, this happens to me everywhere I go". That quote should put anyone with a heart to shame! That quote will be in my heart as an ache for the rest of my life!

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