# I pit the soon-to-be-named racist lady from Danville, VA (Lowe's delivery story) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 10, 2015, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-soon-to-be-named-racist-lady-from-danville-va-lowes-delivery-story/727458 "2015-08-10T16:13:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-soon-to-be-named-racist-lady-from-danville-va-lowes-delivery-story/727458/1 "2015-08-10T16:13:43Z")
[Story here](http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/lowes-allegedly-replaced-black-delivery-driver-white-man-accommodate-racist-customer). [Also here.](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/lowe-driver-replaced-va-customer-racist-request-article-1.2320091)[And here](http://www.businessinsider.com/lowes-manager-allegedly-complied-with-a-customers-racist-requests-2015-8). This is basically blowing up all over the internet right now. The basics: Marcus Bradley has worked at Lowe’s in Danville, VA for 11 years. He was on his way to make a delivery when his manager called him, telling him not to make the delivery. It seems the customer (pictured in several of the stories, but not named) had called and demanded that her delivery driver be white; the manager complied with the request. That manager has now been fired. Mr. Bradley, having done nothing wrong, still has his job. The customer, however, has no regrets, yet, about her request: > [@](#): > > A TV reporter tracked down the customer in question, knocking on her door and asking her side of the story. > > When asked whether it was true that she had made the outrageous request, the woman said: ‘I got a right to have whatever I want and that’s it.’ > [@](#): > > The woman was also asked how she felt about her treatment of the delivery driver and asked whether she ‘felt bad’ about the incident. > > However, the customer remained unconcerned by her action, sternly insisting: ‘No, I don’t feel bad about nothing.’ I said “yet” because I have a feeling that with her picture and city listed, it won’t take long for folks like 4chan or Anonymous to track her down and out her publicly, and she may feel differently about her demand if that happens. Meantime, I think she is a total fucking douchebag and deserves to be pitted: piss on you, you unhappy, miserable, rotten, filthy, lousy excuse for a human being; may your progeny find themselves hopelessly confused by life and unable to reproduce; may your life be filled with the same kind of blanket disapproval and rejection that you inflict on others, and may there rest of your days be as restless and uncomfortable as you desire to make other’s. Tangential pitting can include the now-unemployed manager and people who think that racism in America doesn’t exist. ---
**Author:** ![TheSeaOtter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed655f/32.png) [@TheSeaOtter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheSeaOtter)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-soon-to-be-named-racist-lady-from-danville-va-lowes-delivery-story/727458/2 "2015-08-10T16:26:01Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Tangential pitting can include the now-unemployed manager and people who think that racism in America doesn’t exist. I’m reserving judgement on the manager - I suspect the company’s training puts a lot of emphasis on ‘the customer is always right’, and not much on ‘…except sometimes, the customer is sometimes an idiot racist who should be told to fuck right off’. Other than that, full endorsement. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-soon-to-be-named-racist-lady-from-danville-va-lowes-delivery-story/727458/3 "2015-08-10T16:29:57Z")
Wow. Hopefully, he wasn’t delivering one of those jockey hitching posts, because that could have been really awkward. Nah, she probably already has one. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-soon-to-be-named-racist-lady-from-danville-va-lowes-delivery-story/727458/4 "2015-08-10T16:32:04Z")
> [@TheSeaOtter](#): > > I’m reserving judgement on the manager - I suspect the company’s training puts a lot of emphasis on ‘the customer is always right’, and not much on ‘…except sometimes, the customer is sometimes an idiot racist who should be told to fuck right off’. > > Other than that, full endorsement. Perhaps you missed the statements from Lowe’s included in various stories: > [@](#): > > Lowe’s told Business Insider that “those who were involved in the decision are no longer with the company.” > > “As soon as it was brought to our attention, we began an investigation and handled the matter swiftly,” the company said. “Diversity and inclusion are core values at Lowe’s, and under no circumstances should a discriminatory delivery request be honored. Our senior vice president of store operations, Terry Johnson, met with the two drivers last week to apologize and let them know how much we appreciate the work they and all of our drivers do.” They also tweeted about the incident: > [@](#): > > @Catbe1 Cathy, diversity & inclusion are core values at Lowe’s. The individuals involved are no longer with the company. Yeah, I understand the manager prolly just wanted to make a customer happy, but as a manager, they are paying you to think (a little) and he should have realized this was something unusual (and just flat-out _wrong_) that needed consultation with one of his bosses. Knowing right & wrong and knowing your limitations as a manager are part of the job, IMO. Certainly being able to see controversy coming and getting out of the way are things a manager should be able to do competently. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-soon-to-be-named-racist-lady-from-danville-va-lowes-delivery-story/727458/5 "2015-08-10T16:36:36Z")
This reminds me of the time some guy who wanted to sell his home advertised that there be [no Asians](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YM9Ereg2Zo) ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-soon-to-be-named-racist-lady-from-danville-va-lowes-delivery-story/727458/6 "2015-08-10T17:19:06Z")
My only solace here is that the horrible racist woman is old. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-soon-to-be-named-racist-lady-from-danville-va-lowes-delivery-story/727458/7 "2015-08-10T17:21:25Z")
Maybe it’s the lighting but the old biddy almost looks darker than the driver! ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-soon-to-be-named-racist-lady-from-danville-va-lowes-delivery-story/727458/8 "2015-08-10T17:21:27Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > …people who think that racism in America doesn’t exist. A pox on them and all their strawman progeny. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-soon-to-be-named-racist-lady-from-danville-va-lowes-delivery-story/727458/9 "2015-08-10T17:23:25Z")
> [@unnamed lady](#): > > I got a right to have whatever I want and that’s it. When did we get this right? I must’ve missed it, because there’s a hell of a lot that I want that I don’t have. WRT racism, we should be happy that this sort of thing is unusual enough to merit being national news, and that the manager involved is swiftly and publicly given the boot. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-soon-to-be-named-racist-lady-from-danville-va-lowes-delivery-story/727458/10 "2015-08-10T17:26:32Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Yeah, I understand the manager prolly just wanted to make a customer happy, but as a manager, they are paying you to think (a little) and he should have realized this was something unusual (and just flat-out _wrong_) **that needed consultation with one of his bosses.** [bolding mine] Only the most spineless of managers would require consultation with their bosses before making a command decision on an issue like this. Seriously, what competent manager would think to themselves, “hm, I better check with my boss to see whether it’s appropriate/legal to replace the black delivery guy with a white delivery guy”? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-soon-to-be-named-racist-lady-from-danville-va-lowes-delivery-story/727458/11 "2015-08-10T17:30:13Z")
Patients have on occasion demanded white physicians. Incredibly, a few hospitals/clinics have [given in](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/10855575/Racist-couple-demanded-white-doctor.html) to such requests. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-soon-to-be-named-racist-lady-from-danville-va-lowes-delivery-story/727458/12 "2015-08-10T17:30:25Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Maybe it’s the lighting but the old biddy almost looks darker than the driver! She also looks like she’s never had a moment’s joy in her entire life, and has a face like a melted candle. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-soon-to-be-named-racist-lady-from-danville-va-lowes-delivery-story/727458/13 "2015-08-10T18:02:26Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Patients have on occasion demanded white physicians. Incredibly, a few hospitals/clinics have [given in](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/10855575/Racist-couple-demanded-white-doctor.html) to such requests. When I worked in Texas, we had a doctor on staff who was as American as apple pie and baseball, but had an Italian last name that could have passed for Spanish if you really butchered the pronunciation. We would regularly get calls from new patients (invariably old white people) who clearly didn’t want a Mexican doctor, but didn’t want to just come out and say “Is this doctor so-and-so a Mexican?” I told my employees to play dumb, and many hijinks were had as the callers would ask all these backdoor racist questions like “Where did he go to school?” and “Does he speak any other languages than English?” ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-soon-to-be-named-racist-lady-from-danville-va-lowes-delivery-story/727458/14 "2015-08-10T18:09:32Z")
> [@RobDog](#): > > She also looks like she’s never had a moment’s joy in her entire life, and has a face like a melted candle. I would love to introduce her to the much older woman whose grass I mowed yesterday. A friend asked if I’d give him a hand doing a widowed neighbor’s yard work. It was a pain in the ass, but I got our lawn tractor onto my utility trailer, drove over, and mowed her largish lot. Afterwards she invited me in for horribly sweet lemonade. She thanked me profusely, telling me the church was a lifesaver. I told her I was there _not_ on behalf of her church, but because her neighbor Mike asked me to lend a hand. I told her Mike was a caring neighbor. She asked what church I attended. I told her I didn’t. She told me if she knew I wasn’t a Christian she would have never allowed me on her property. I win! I never have to help her out again. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-soon-to-be-named-racist-lady-from-danville-va-lowes-delivery-story/727458/15 "2015-08-10T18:27:46Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I win! I never have to help her out again. Did you at least return her grass? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-soon-to-be-named-racist-lady-from-danville-va-lowes-delivery-story/727458/16 "2015-08-10T18:30:00Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Did you at least return her grass? I could have, actually. It was close to knee high, so I bagged it making two passes. My buddy (her neighbor) took the clippings to his property to compost. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-soon-to-be-named-racist-lady-from-danville-va-lowes-delivery-story/727458/17 "2015-08-10T18:56:05Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > . . . and people who think that racism in America doesn’t exist. Perhaps a better word would be “say” rather than “think.” ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-soon-to-be-named-racist-lady-from-danville-va-lowes-delivery-story/727458/18 "2015-08-10T19:08:09Z")
Danville VA. About 20 miles from where I grew up. Crazy racist old lady is not an anomaly there, unfortunately. Lots and lots of people there still living in the 1950s, race relations wise. Old lady should have been told that the dispatcher has no way of controlling which delivery driver comes to her house. If she can’t handle that, then she can put on a clean housecoat and bring her baggy ass down to the store to pick up her close-out washer. ---
**Author:** ![Emiliana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@Emiliana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emiliana)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-soon-to-be-named-racist-lady-from-danville-va-lowes-delivery-story/727458/19 "2015-08-10T19:08:33Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I would love to introduce her to the much older woman whose grass I mowed yesterday. A friend asked if I’d give him a hand doing a widowed neighbor’s yard work. It was a pain in the ass, but I got our lawn tractor onto my utility trailer, drove over, and mowed her largish lot. > > Afterwards she invited me in for horribly sweet lemonade. She thanked me profusely, telling me the church was a lifesaver. I told her I was there _not_ on behalf of her church, but because her neighbor Mike asked me to lend a hand. I told her Mike was a caring neighbor. She asked what church I attended. I told her I didn’t. She told me if she knew I wasn’t a Christian she would have never allowed me on her property. > > I win! I never have to help her out again. Jesus was so proud. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2015, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-soon-to-be-named-racist-lady-from-danville-va-lowes-delivery-story/727458/20 "2015-08-10T19:19:40Z")
> [@TheSeaOtter](#): > > I’m reserving judgement on the manager - I suspect the company’s training puts a lot of emphasis on ‘the customer is always right’, and not much on ‘…except sometimes, the customer is sometimes an idiot racist who should be told to fuck right off’. > > Other than that, full endorsement. I have a hard time blaming the manager here. He, as you said, probably resorted to the “make the customer happy, even the assholes,” training he received. Put the blame where it belongs here, on the racist bitch. Tell her she is not welcome in Lowe’s again. Period. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-soon-to-be-named-racist-lady-from-danville-va-lowes-delivery-story/727458.md?page=2)