I Beg to Differ: Is Racism Truly Happening in Plain View Today in America?

If someone told me that racism has finally ended, I would head for the hills. In today's world it's hard to see blatant gestures of racism and/or prejudice although we are well aware that it is still prevalent. Well long behold! There is a certain trend of prejudices that has been brewing amongst retail companies, particularly drug stores, over many years.

In a report by allbusiness.com, June 2002. A lady becomes distraught In an effort to find her brand hair care product, and ends up scurrying out of the store, leaving comments that the African American products were in the back. No where near the hair care product aisle.

But wait! Before we jump the gun, is it merely a coincidence? Nah! Big businesses do not bet their money blindly on chance. Instead they strategically market and perform tedious market research. So maybe it's just that. A marketing scheme, where products that do not produce satisfying revenue gets placed about the store in accordance to popularity. The most popular being in the front.

In my own personal experience at a RiteAid drug store in Greenville, S.C. a friend and I searched for an African-American type, hair care product. Naturally looking down aisle 7(hair care products) we would not find his brand. In the very next aisle was a continuation of hair care products, amongst other things. We were sure we'd find it here. However, our searching led us to no avail. Finally, after scanning through the remaining aisles

Alas. In a very segregated section, in the back of the last aisle, across cosmetics, sat the brand we were in search for.

Such a mistake, I thought to myself, that the stock boy would mistakenly and even carelessly misplace this product. In fact all African American hair care products come to mention. Approaching the register with our buy, I kindly greet the attendant and then ask a question. "Sir, I just wanted to inform you that this hair care product was found in the wrong section" with a slur and half smile , I informed him that his stock boy may have had a rough night last night. Instead of a 'not expected' apology, the cashier exclaimed, "Oh! Well, it's not in the wrong place. It goes there where we keep the relaxers"

Now what relevance did that reply have to my question. "Where the relaxers are!. But that is a hair care product as well." "Yeah! Well, that's how it's done according to the plan-o-gram." To myself, I'm thinking this guy knew from the first question where I was getting at. So to give me those responses set an ugly tone with me and retail drug stores. Or any other businesses with practices as such.

I suppose when and if I ever get to talk with those drug store CEOs, I can ask them to clarify the misunderstanding for me, because I refuse to believe that this thing they're doing is all for the right reasons.... "Right?"