Oprah's Shopping Incident Evokes Emotions From Minorities
Oprah Winfrey's snub by a Paris luxury boutique has apparently struck a nerve among minority shoppers.
Earlier this month, Winfrey and friends stopped by Hermes after the boutique had closed. She said store staffers wouldn't let them in -- even though there were other shoppers inside.
One of Winfrey's friends said the talk show host described the incident as "one of the must humiliating moments of her life."
A sociologist at the University of California, Davis, said the incident "picks up on every inkling of discrimination" that blacks might experience in everyday life. Bruce Haynes said the presumption is that people with wealth get treated equally. But he asked, "Where's Oprah's equality?"
Meanwhile, the author of a black etiquette book said there's an assumption that a black person has no place in a luxury establishment. Harriette Cole said the Oprah incident "proves how deeply ingrained" racism is in global culture.
Black etiquette? Eboniquette?
Hermes said no snub was intended -- and that the store was getting ready for a private public relations event, at the time.
Those filthy French bastards! How dare they do that to our gal Okra! Let's burn down John Kerry's house!
What? The place was closed before she got there?
Sorry, France.
Apparently, Okra thinks she must be treated better than anyone else.
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