# What would you have done in Oprah's place (racism in Switzerland)? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 9, 2013, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821 "2013-08-09T18:14:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/41 "2013-08-09T23:22:08Z")
I suspect overinflated bling like that designer purse carries a 50% markup. Maybe more. So the shop perhaps lost 19k profit on that 38k purse. The saleslady lost her commission. A hefty loss for treating a rich customer poorly. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/42 "2013-08-09T23:22:35Z")
> [@markdash](#): > > So a salesperson was either racist or an asshole or possibly both. How is that worth going on TV about? > > Seems like a much better strategy would have been to kindly tell the person, “You may not think I can afford this purse, but I made $x million last year. I have more than enough money to afford this purse, but because of your treatment, I will never purchase anything in this store. Ever.” She went on TV after it was reported that Switzerland was enacting some draconian segregation laws against refugees seeking asylum to illustrate what seemed like a racist incident she encountered. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/43 "2013-08-09T23:22:51Z")
First Anne Franks, then Rosa Parks, then Matthew Shepard. Now this. When will the hate end? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/44 "2013-08-09T23:29:32Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > If I had Oprah’s money, I’d spend tens of millions of it getting proper photo ids for black people in those states that are going ape-shit over voter id laws. Reported for calling black people apes. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/45 "2013-08-09T23:36:09Z")
Poor Oprah. She’ll have to wipe her tears away with million dollar bills. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/46 "2013-08-10T00:17:51Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > First Anne Franks, then Rosa Parks, then Matthew Shepard. Now this. > > When will the hate end? That’s kind of my thought. On the one hand, it’s inexcusable and almost certainly racist bullshit on the employee’s part. On the other hand, if we’re gonna solve the evils of the world, a massively rich person not getting to see a handbag ranks lower than one or two other injustices I can think of. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/47 "2013-08-10T00:21:48Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > 1: Buy _everything_ in the store. > 2: Immediately return it all. Now we’re talking! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/48 "2013-08-10T01:21:17Z")
I was telling this story to my wife and added, "It is not up to salesman to tell a customer something is too expensive for them. My wife replied, “If you’re Swiss you can!” We have lived in Switzerland for a total of nearly three years, about half in Zurich and half in Fribourg and got to know the Swiss fairly well. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/49 "2013-08-10T01:34:05Z")
Devil’s advocate: So I guess we found the point at which casual racism is okay or not worth dealing with/worrying about? If the person getting discriminated against is rich enough? ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/50 "2013-08-10T02:13:54Z")
> [@Mr.Kobayashi](#): > > If I were her I’d be sorely tempted to buy the place out and fire her stupid ass. > [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > What are Swiss labor laws like? It might not be that easy to just fire someone for being an asshat. Ok. Buy shop but instead of firing the clerk, get rid of all stock other than display goods. Keep paying clerk to explain that each item a customer wants to purchase is out of stock… Presto, one of the worst jobs in the world. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/51 "2013-08-10T02:26:06Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Devil’s advocate: So I guess we found the point at which casual racism is okay or not worth dealing with/worrying about? If the person getting discriminated against is rich enough? I don’t think anyone thinks that. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/52 "2013-08-10T02:41:43Z")
Maybe it was because she acted like a typical American tourist, didn’t speak any native languages, and expected to be treated like the queen she has become accustomed to. I don’t see any reason why Queen Oprah, unknown in Switzerland, couldn’t have simply engaged the clerk in a friendly conversation about affordability. “Yes, ha ha, don’t worry. I can easily afford the purse. I’m quite famous in the US. To tell you the truth, I’m thinking of buying it as a gift for another famous person from the US.” Is that all that fucking difficult you entitled bitch? ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/53 "2013-08-10T02:56:59Z")
Maybe I am missing something here. What evidence is there that this is racism? mmm ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/54 "2013-08-10T03:02:29Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Maybe I am missing something here. What evidence is there that this is racism? > mmm If the story went down as it did, IMHO, it’s certainly suggestive of a salesperson who sized up a person and came to a conclusion based on that assessment that they couldn’t afford a certain item. Sure, it might have been based on something else–maybe Oprah was looking particularly disheveled and poor that day, but _something_ suggested to the salesperson that Ms. Winfrey couldn’t afford a particular purse. That is, if the story went down that way. ---
**Author:** ![Tequila\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a6a055/32.png) [@Tequila\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tequila_Party)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/55 "2013-08-10T03:05:59Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Maybe it was because she acted like a typical American tourist, didn’t speak any native languages, and expected to be treated like the queen she has become accustomed to. > > I don’t see any reason why Queen Oprah, unknown in Switzerland, couldn’t have simply engaged the clerk in a friendly conversation about affordability. > > “Yes, ha ha, don’t worry. I can easily afford the purse. I’m quite famous in the US. To tell you the truth, I’m thinking of buying it as a gift for another famous person from the US.” > > Is that all that fucking difficult you entitled bitch? That doesn’t presume a lot. No, not at _all._ ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/56 "2013-08-10T03:12:39Z")
> [@Tequila\_Party](#): > > That doesn’t presume a lot. No, not at _all._ I don’t know what you mean. If I walked into a BMW dealership in Munich, in jeans and a t-shirt, couldn’t speak German, and asked to take a test drive, what the fuck kind of reaction would I get from staff? Fuck you Oprah. ETA: On the other hand, if I really was a rich Canadian and was serious about a purchase I would have somehow relayed that information to the sales clerk. “Hey, I know you’re concerned. I’m a Canadian hockey player. Believe me, the price isn’t a problem for me.” Is that so difficult? ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/57 "2013-08-10T03:28:04Z")
I don’t see it as racism either. It’s more of a realization that if you want to take a closer look at a $35,000 purse you should be ready to show some credentials. Do you think any ol’ white person can go in there and ask for a closer look at the $35k purse? I think queen Oprah was more peeved that she’s not internationally known. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/58 "2013-08-10T03:33:47Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I don’t know what you mean. If I walked into a BMW dealership in Munich, in jeans and a t-shirt, couldn’t speak German, and asked to take a test drive, what the fuck kind of reaction would I get from staff? Well, no differently than anyone else. The car biz is full of anecdotes where someone scruffy was turned away or treated poorly, only to have the salesman discover they were wealthy. I’m a member of the RROC (Rolls-Royce Owners Club) and a lot of members sort of get off on looking eccentric/scruffy and seeing how they’re treated. Porsche and BMW sales people have long since gotten used to buyers being all types of people; my sales guy said that when he started everyone was a doctor or lawyer but since the [dot.com](http://dot.com) boom everyone is wearing jeans and flip-flops, even the doctors and lawyers. ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/59 "2013-08-10T03:42:15Z")
When I still watched TV I rarely missed Oprah. Learned a lot from that woman. If I were her I’d have had a moment of clarity and thought, _Here I’ve spent half of my life learning how to be a more spiritual, more giving, less worldly person and encouraging others to do the same. What in the hell am I doing in here looking at thirty thousand dollar handbags? And why am I getting my ego out of joint when I want to deal with people on a spiritual level?_ :smack: Then I’d have walked out, all the stress of personal outrage falling off my shoulders and onto the sidewalk as I went and gone to have a hot fudge sundae. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821/60 "2013-08-10T04:12:08Z")
> [@Tethered Kite](#): > > If I were her I’d have had a moment of clarity and thought, Here I’ve spent half of my life learning how to be a more spiritual, more giving, less worldly person and encouraging others to do the same. What in the hell am I doing in here looking at thirty thousand dollar handbags? And why am I getting my ego out of joint when I want to deal with people on a spiritual level? Sometimes I reward myself. I don’t work nearly as hard as Oprah probably does. I’m not nearly as generous either. Yet I still feel the urge to splurge and pat myself on the back for a job well done every now and again. And when I splurge on myself, I don’t expect people to give me a hard time. Because it’s my money, my time, and it’s no one fucking business what I do with it. Of course, my idea of splurging is watching a $1.99 episode of Futurama over take-out Chinese food. But I don’t make a kabillion dollars either. Maybe if I did, a $35K purse would be my idea of a pick-me-up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-have-done-in-oprahs-place-racism-in-switzerland/665821.md?page=4)