[nagdu] Confronting Discrimination at McDonald's

Sun Jul 13 00:38:33 UTC 2014

I was amused…for someone who didn’t know more than a little English, her English was pretty darn good, and she didn’t seem to have any trouble following along. I think she needs demoted to floor sweeper.

On Jul 12, 2014, at 8:14 PM, Larry D Keeler via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> Don't think its ignorance. Well, maybe purposeful ignorance. Not to appear prejudiced or anything. Believe me I'm the least prejdudice person I know but sometimes folks hide behind there cultures or use language barriers to there advantage. Sometimes pretending that they don't understand when they actually mean they won't. Not that this happened here but it does happen. Also, to be fair, every type of culture can do that. I've met folks who understand the laws just fine but act like they can't understand what you are saying to them when of course, we know they do. That really irritates me the most! If you trulyy don't know something but are learning to learn, that's one thing. If you know and pretend that you don't for whatever reason that's not acceptible!
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Nicole Torcolini via nagdu" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> To: "'Marion Gwizdala'" <blind411 at verizon.net>; "'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>
> Sent: Saturday, July 12, 2014 7:27 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Confronting Discrimination at McDonald's
> 
> 
>> Is it that they don't know American law or is it that they don't want to
>> obey it? Things may have been a certain way in a native country, but that
>> does not change whether or not you get to disobey laws in America.
>> 
>> Nicole
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Marion Gwizdala
>> via nagdu
>> Sent: Saturday, July 12, 2014 12:39 PM
>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users';
>> 'Florida Association of Guide Dog Users'; nagdu-leaders at nfbnet.org; 'New
>> York Association of Guide Dog Users'; 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
>> Subject: [nagdu] Confronting Discrimination at McDonald's
>> 
>> 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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>> m
>> 
>> 
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