5.07.2010

racial profiling at the soho apple store?

According to Gothamist, Queens assemblywoman Grace Meng is accusing SoHo's Apple Store of discriminating against Chinese people, after she was approached by several customers who claim they were denied an iPad because they were Chinese: Some Claim Apple SoHo Is Discriminating Against Chinese. Can it be?
Is SoHo's Apple Store discriminating against Chinese people? One Queens assemblywoman, Grace Meng, says some of the shop's employees are, and has written a letter to the company demanding an explanation. According to the Daily News, Meng says she was approached by a handful of customers making claims they were denied an iPad because they were Chinese.

Allegedly these customers were asked for passports, asked inappropriate questions, and "one person was asked why they wanted one since their English was not so good." A 33-year-old man from Queens says he was told by one worker that they were out of iPads, then an Asian employee found him one, but a manager then asked him if he was planning on reselling the gadget. He spoke to the paper anonymously, saying, "I'm just so upset. This is racial profiling." Apple has yet to comment on the allegations.
I know the iPad is a hot item, but that's no reason to keep it out of the hands of Chinese people! They should be allowed to join the cult of Apple just like anyone else, without having to undergo inappropriate questioning.

Is Apple really concerned that Chinese people will be selling iPads in "their homeland"? And the SoHo Apple Store has somehow become the front line of policing? Ridiculous. More here: Pol wants explanation for allegations that Apple store employees are discriminating against Chinese.

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