Windsor Mann: No Mercy for Macy's
The quest for racial harmony extends beyond the streets of Ferguson, Missouri. It extends to the unlikeliest of places, such as the pantyhose section at Macy's.
Last month, Macy's agreed to pay $650,000 in response to more than a dozen complaints that it had engaged in racial profiling and false detentions at its flagship store in Manhattan's Herald Square. After an 18-month investigation, New York state officials concluded that Macy's "detained minorities for allegedly shoplifting at significantly higher rates than whites."
New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman said, "It is absolutely unacceptable—and it's illegal—for anyone in New York to be treated like a criminal simply because of the color of their skin." It is also unacceptable to insinuate that a company like Macy's treats minorities like criminals "simply" because of their skin color.
To ascribe racist motives to Macy's officials is a leap in logic, uncorroborated by the known facts, writes Windsor Mann.