Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Tim Cook Reminds Employees 'Apple Is Open' After Australian Retail Store Employee Bars Black Teens
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
This might have just gone up one more level of funny with your comment.
Do you know that tax avoision is a thing?
I heard the part were they were politely asked to leave. I also heard the part they were told the reason was because they were suspected of trying to steal something. Were you there at the time? Can you say for certain that these kids were not trying to steal something? No you can't.
For all we know the security guards could have noticed them trying to conceal an item before maybe putting it back. They could have just been acting suspiciously. Either way it's the job of the security guards and store staff to look out for suspected thieves. These kids obviously weren't there to buy anything so why were they in the store?
All you see is a black person being asked to leave and you jump on the racist bandwagon. Is it any wonder black people don't succeed to the same extent as other ethnic minorities with that great big chip on their shoulder.
So many ways to respond to this..
But I'll look at it from you're point of view.. Okay lets take away the race.. So no skin color included.
This group of boys were asked to leave the store but security couldn't/didn't name where that observation occurred. Heck from the way the video went, I can expect to be told to leave any store at any point. See how ridiculous that sounds.
Apple has surveillance cameras in their stores so why would Apple release such a statement w/o knowing what "really" happened? Surely there's proof to show. Face it, we're in an error where citizens are robbing stores then when police come after them they end up dead. With that, I firstly say, well don't put yourself in that situation to be killed. Then in this same era, we have police tossing a taser at a citizen (unarmed) shot in the back to cover the criminal act. We have school security tossing kids across floors of classrooms simply because they're in a rebellious state. In the same token, we have citizens shooting judges, killing cops, and committing other heinous crimes. So though those are extremes, it does show the delicate time period we're in. There's no room for "because I say so" due to holistically all is in some sort of violation. Suspected of stealing vs. we saw you in the act is totally different.
So no I don't see just a black person being asked to leave, I saw a group of teens being told to leave because they were "suspected" of stealing but nothing else. And because of that "nothing else," it's leading to whats left that seems apparent. I can't say anything else other than that such as hovering around an item in the store looking suspicious as that is speculation and those are like *holes-everyone has one.
Since you say "black people" aren't successful in the same extent, what is your measure of this success? Are we to compare degrees at this point, perhaps professions, or maybe income levels? I, no where/no how, have a chip on my shoulder as I believe success comes from the effort one puts into their life. You put nothing in it, you get nothing. We can even get into discussion at my pure disgust of welfare and things of that sort but that's not the topic here.
But back to focus.. this video looks extremely suspicious and for Apple's Sr leadership to issue a statement on the exterior and interior, leads (perhaps a bit stronger than speculation) for one to believe that the store wouldn't be able to validate its actions beyond a pre-determined judgement (again a bit of speculation).
Its good to see someone talking some common sense instead of all this PC rubbish
The onus is on him to provide a reason, other than "you might steal something"
Why they might steal something, for example.
OK, I'lll cross the Rubicon and open myself up to the subsequent pummeling...
Maybe they fit the profile of others who had stolen in the past?
Identity politics is the bread and butter of the extreme-left.
It used to be that being figuratively 'colorblind' was ideal (ie. treating people based on their character rather than physical attributes). Now, it's all about identity politics.
It’s a private store, in a private mall, so he has every right to tell a customer to leave. Apple might sing and dance PC, but it’s not like they pay for theft, they pass it on to the end customer.
Let's look at this rationally shall we. A bunch of school kids messing about in your store - what would you do? Would you treat them like adults, stand there and give them a long winded explanation or would you treat them like kids and just tell them to get out. I know which one I would do. I would tell them to just get out. They don't need or deserve an explanation. They're kids, they should do as they're told. You clearly don't have teenage children if you don't understand that.
Tim Cook is the sort of person who speaks before he knows the facts simply to be politically correct. He uses his position at Apple to promote his own causes and personal agenda. The guy is a moron. I wouldn't be surprised if he's not even bothered to ask for the CCTV footage.
Nobody is suggesting the black community doesn't experience racism. There is plenty of evidence to suggest they do. But why is the problem largely limited to the black community. Why do some ethnic minorities succeed in terms of academic achievement or business success whilst the black community languishes at the bottom of every league table. Chinese teach their kids to work hard at school, stay out of trouble and get on in life rather than blame everyone else for their failings. Life is not fair. Everyone suffers some form of discrimination in their life. The difference is how you respond to it. Do you wallow in self pity and blame everyone else for your lot or do you work twice as hard as the white kid next to you and rise above it.
Ultimately we are all the masters of of our own destiny no matter where we live, what colour we are or how poor or rich we are. Nobody else is to blame for your lot in life. If people are racist towards you, ignore them and walk on the other side. If you work hard, take control of your own life and treat others as you would expect them to treat you then you will lead a happy and successful life, whatever your definition of success is. Success isn't always about money. Success could be the satisfaction of raising well balanced and happy children, it could be doing a job you love, it could be the joy of escaping the rat run to set up your own business.
One "the reason was because they were suspected of trying to steal something" is incorrect.
Fact just like this site has specifically stated from it's source and also from the smh.com/au site ...
"We're worried you might steal something" read that carefully with an empty mind ... clearly states "MIGHT STEAL" not 'TRYING to'.
Amazing that no matter how clear facts are put forth, either audibly or in print people will always try to hide their own opinions and misconstrue those facts to serve their opinions.
Fact the manager of the store made a direct apology after some investigation done by Apple not a third party but Apple themselves! Their not trying to play who said what who did what and any sort of finger pointing bag of tricks nor charades either, so why should you or anyone else?
This is racial profiling plain and simple. Easy to excuse, dismiss, or twist when you've never experienced it many times first hand. We've just celebrated Remembrance Day ... and a BIG part of what that day stands for and is being remembered for is sadly lost on so many today I fear we're (the human race that is) is bound to repeat our grandest of mistakes!
Secondly ... "could have noticed them trying to conceal an item before maybe putting it back" IF you pocket something only to put it back before leaving the store ... that IS stealing or attempt with intent to steal. Do you REALLY think Apple would tolerate that?! Do you REALLY think no specific store camera would ever pick that up?
BTW ... WHO is the security guard in this video ... the guy with the official Apple Grey T-Shirt with Logo = Employee no? The other guy never said anything, at least in the video and didn't even approach nor try to escort them nor even motion them on their way?!
Attachments
John F. Kennedy once felt it was necessary to be a political agenda! I'm from north of the border yet I recall how important racial profiling was. 40yrs+ and seems hardly anything has changed the last 3yrs from what I'm seeing in the USA over the news.
Get your facts straight. This happened in HighPoint Shopping Centre which apparently is very much troubled with crime (not limited to theft). Google it to gain some perspective. Majority of stores there are not allowing kids to enter with backpacks. These kids have visited Apple store before after which the staff has discovered that some items were missing. They had also acted in threatening manner before. These kids are ROFL and Tim rushes to send his apologies.
Not at all. Cook responded quickly and with exactly the kind of statement this deserves.
Apple doesn't have a culture of turning a blind eye to this kind of thing.
That's a pretty dramatic turn of a phrase.
Did they drag the "suspected" out back and beat them up?
You are taking everything out of context and examining only thru partial video clip. First of all this happened in HighPoint shopping Center. Google "HighPoint shopping Center crime" and be amazed. I have trouble in understanding why Apple (or any company) has a store in place like this. There has been actual riots started by young adults in this shopping Center. Then there are the other violent crimes. Please note that we are not just talking about shoplifting here. Due to these problems kids are not allowed to enter with backpacks into majority of stores there. To top it all, these same kids have caused problems in this same Apple Store and items have gone missing after their visits. For your information, it's very popular tactic to enter into a store with a group and block the security cameras with the mass of people so they have no evidence of theft. What sickens me most here is the clear positive rasicism that many are practising here. Face the facts, this happend in very troubled neighbourhood with history of violence and crime. If turning away kids who have caused problems before is rasicism then it's time to step out of that cotton candy land and face the real problems.
http://www.smh.com.au/comment/no-on...just-because-theyre-black-20130218-2end5.html
Considering this ruling of 2013, if it is due to racial profiling then the store manager and security guard would be opening themselves up to all sorts of profiles.
Racial Profiling is not an excuse, and is nothing more than racism.
Can you provide the source of where you've got this information from? Its the first time I've heard this mentioned.