[Blindtlk] Confronting Discrimination at McDonald's

Sun Jul 13 02:07:53 UTC 2014

Ray,
	Again, you can criticize the way it was handled, if you wish; it is
my experience that, when we confront discrimination, we are made to be the
offenders while the person promulgating the discrimination is defended. We
were discriminated against and you defend the perpetrator? 

Marion Gwizdala

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ray Foret
Jr via blindtlk
Sent: Saturday, July 12, 2014 4:43 PM
To: Cherylandmaxx; Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Confronting Discrimination at McDonald's

Well, I would say that the way you handled that was spot on.  What I feel
the necessity to point out here is this.   My issue is not with what was
said:  rather, the way it was said.  Believe me folks, that does make a
bigger difference than you might imagine.

Sincerely,
the Constantly Barefooted Ray, Still a very happy Mac and iphone user!
Sent from my Mac, the only computer with full accessibility for the blind
built-in!

On Jul 12, 2014, at 3:38 PM, Cherylandmaxx via blindtlk
<blindtlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> I had similar issues back in 2010 when we went to our local Old country
buffet restaurant. Now when we got there same thing we had been there at
least twice a month since they opened.
> 
> Nelson speaks Spanish the staff the manager who we know was out at a
meeting and the staff were primary Spanish. They lied and told us that they
spoke to the manager told us we weren't allowed to bring in the dog. Nelson
explained in Spanish that it was against the law. Some of the other patrons
told them the same.
> 
> They said they didn't care.
> 
> I called the local news station here called the police got a report.
Plus since this was at our local mall we got mall management and security
involved.
> 
> The manager who we know saw the story on the news. Called the mall to get
our contact and apologized.  The restaurant staff got a presentation from me
and Nelson a few days later.   The people who treated us like crap were
there and said in front of the managers that they would do it again if it
happened. The managers fired these employees
> 
> Apologized to us and have a sign in window about that they proudly welcome
all service animals.
> 
> We did all we could.  But there will always bad apples in the bunch.
> 
> 
> Cheryl Echevarria
> Echevarria Travel
> www.echevarriatravel.com
> Echevarriatravelblog.com
> 631-456-5394
> Reservations at echevarriatravel.com
> Cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com
> 
> <div>-------- Original message --------</div><div>From: Marion Gwizdala
via blindtlk <blindtlk at nfbnet.org> </div><div>Date:07/12/2014  3:39 PM
(GMT-05:00) </div><div>To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,        the National
Association of Guide Dog Users'" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>,'Florida Association of
Guide Dog Users' <flagdu at nfbnet.org>,nagdu-leaders at nfbnet.org,'New York
Association of Guide Dog Users' <nyagdu at nfbnet.org>,'Blind Talk Mailing
List' <blindtlk at nfbnet.org> </div><div>Subject: [Blindtlk] Confronting
Discrimination at McDonald's </div><div>
> </div>
> Please feel free to disseminate and repost this message as widely as 
> appropriate.
> 
> 
> 
> Dear All,
> 
>                Some of you were unable to access the video, so, thanks 
> to a fellow Federationist who posted it to his YouTube channel, here 
> it is to view!I have also included a brief narrative from merry that 
> will offer a little more background before the link.
> 
> 
> 
> Fraternaly yours,
> 
> 
> 
> Marion Gwizdala, President
> 
> National Association of Guide Dog Users Inc.
> 
> National Federation of the Blind
> 
> (813) 626-2789
> 
> (888) 624-3841 (Hotline)
> 
> President at nagdu.org
> 
> http://www.nagdu.org
> 
> 
> 
> High expectations create unlimited potential for the blind!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Before everyone views the video I will give a brief description of 
> what happened before the video was taken.
> 
> 
> 
> Marion and I walked into our local McDonalds- we have been in this 
> restaurant hundreds of times.  I have lived in this area off and on 
> since
> 1988 and have been a permanent resident since 1997.  Marion and I 
> bought our house here in 2003. This area is great for pedestrians 
> because it has  some stores and restaurants within walking distance -
perfect for our lifestyle.
> 
> 
> Continuing on...
> 
> We stood together in the lobby waiting for an available cashier for a 
> few minutes.  When we approached the counter a  young man came from 
> the back of the restaurant and stated that the manager said no dogs 
> allowed. We shared these were service dogs and the cashier stated it 
> as well.  I then asked to speak with his manager, he replied that his
manager did not speak English.
> 
> I was actually dumbfounded by this.  We ordered our food and got our 
> drinks and sat down to eat.
> 
> 
> 
> As we ate we discussed with each other that we needed to educate the 
> manager before we left and video this interaction.  We were going to 
> ask for a translater.  We video recorded  an introduction before 
> moving towards the counter area.  As we began to move toward the 
> counter area the manager approached us.
> 
> 
> 
> Now some thoughts before we spoke to her.  Yes our neighborhood has a 
> great deal of Hispanic speaking individuals, our local Latin American 
> Grocery store has the best and cheapest Cuban sandwiches. Back to 
> topic:  As we discussed over our meal although there is a great deal 
> of Hispanic speaking individuals in our neighborhood there is a higher 
> percentage of English speaking people.  It did not make sense to us 
> that McDonalds would put a manager in a restaurant that does not speak 
> English well.  The video will show that the manager still claims she 
> speaks little English.  After the recording, our cashier was in the 
> lobby taking a break and I asked her if the manager spoke English she 
> stated she did.  Unfortunately, as the video will demonstrate, the 
> manager took no responsibility for her employees actions and basically
threw them under the bus.
> 
> 
> 
> We have worked in the past with this McDonalds to do local events and 
> have contacted a member of upper management (Director of Marketing) 
> for the Corporation.  I am sure we will hear from him on Monday.  He 
> can view the video as well.
> 
> 
> 
> I was a restaurant manager in 1984 and if something liked this 
> occurred in my store, I would have been proactive! I would have been 
> at my customer's table while they were eating, took their receipt, 
> reimbursed them their money, gave them tickets for free meals on their 
> next visit,and  I would have told them my employees were wrong in 
> their behavior and I would train them appropriately.  This manager did 
> none of these things and only appeared to have her employees do her 
> dirty work and then be deceitful in the area of communicating with us.  
> Apologies are not well received when they don't appear genuine! Now for
the video!
> 
> 
> 
> http://youtu.be/kePK2vedOog
> 
> 
> 
> Merry Schoch, Vice President
> 
> Florida Association of Guide dog Users
> 
> 
> 
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