I think I have seen the future.

[The Backlash Cometh]

I have pointed out several times that I lived in a staunch Republican county. Many of the things I've experienced five to eight years ago, are beginning to be seen by others for the first time. Mainly, the fracturing of our country on an everyday basis, the defined lines developing where people are looking for safe havens where they don't have to compromise any more. I've been to places where people repeat what you hear on talk radio as if it's gospel and to disagree with them brings their wrath, and to avoid them only confirms that "we stick to our own kind." You can't win.

I'm always looking for signs of change in my staunch Republican county, because I was shocked when I saw that the cronyism I observed on a local level was not an anomaly, but a pattern. I saw that same cronyistic behavior broadcasted on a national level when the Bush Administration came to power. What you see with the corruption and cronyism in that Administration and in the Republican Congress, is EXACTLY how they are on a local level. It's not going to go away even when we put our corrupt congressmen behind bars. It can only be managed, like diabetes.

So, today I think I saw a sign of the future. I walked into Home Depot, and the store which advertises itself as a friendly place for all consumers, suddenly went very white-male on me. I mean, ALL the workers in the aisles were white males, 40-55. The few women in the place were at the register. Why did this present a problem? Because the white men actually turned their backs on me. No less than five. Of the five, only one was working with a customer at the time, but even when I waited my turn, he conveniently walked in the other direction when he was through with that customer. The other four just acted like they were too busy to answer a question. It was a slow Wednesday morning at the Home Depot. Not crowded at all. In frustration I went to the register and complained to a girl who had no one at the register and eventually she got someone to assist me.

Anyways, I suspect this will be the future for those of us who live in staunch Republican counties. I think the common courtesies will be gone entirely. They will never admit they were wrong, and we will never have the balls to demand the kind of accountability from the Republican party to show them why they were wrong. So two very different kinds of Americans are going to emerge.

In the short run, maybe it would be wise for Home Depot to begin hiring a diverse labor force, unless they think they can subsist on white customers alone. Next time I'm going to Lowes where it is very diverse and where I don't have to question if someone is really busy, or if they're faking it.

[MADem]

1. I no longer use HD for anything. The Lowe's is a bit out of the way

but the shopping experience is infinitely better. Nicer staff, nicer stores, better selection, better prices. Screw HD!

[The Backlash Cometh]

9. I like Lowes.

It is slightly closer and I have gone to it five out of the last six times when I've gone on my own. I never have this kind of problem at Lowes. Actually, when I go to Home Depot with my husband, who happens to be white, I don't experience the problem either.

[FlaGranny]

50. Backlash, I am a white woman

with gray hair, and I have the same problem at BOTH HD and Lowe's - with the male workers and especially if I'm in the plumbing, hardware, or lumber departments. These are both black and white males. It has been like this for me every since I was no longer a pretty young woman. I think you'll find this is a very widespread problem, not just in conservative areas. With any home improvement project, I am the brain and my husband is the brawn and we work together. I've gone to car lots with my husband to buy a car for myself. Even after the salesman knows the car is for me, he still directs his spiel to my husband. Men just can't get it through their heads that a woman can be just as knowledgeable about home improvement and cars as men. I think what you are experiencing is just as much (or more so) sexist as it is racist.

[The Backlash Cometh]

51. I think you're right. I may have gotten hit with a double whammy today.

[FlaGranny]

57. Even when I was young and pretty

and the salesmen would vie to get my attention, I could still feel their condescending attitudes.

[The Backlash Cometh]

59. You know what I liked best about getting older? Two things:

(1) I don't feel like I have to live up to anybody's perceptions.

and;

(2) I enjoy fading into the woodwork. The only time I truly enjoy being noticed, is when I need customer assistance.

[FlaGranny]

61. Ya got that right!

:-)

[global1]

2. It's Not Just Your Home Depot - Customer Service Sucks At All....

Home Depot's. They've gotten too big and they don't care about customers anymore. They don't even watch their stock levels. I've gone in countless times and looked for something that was out of stock. Ticket on the shelf - but no product. I've given up on Home Depot and switched to Lowe's a long time ago.

[bananas]

7. Yup

everyone's complaining about them

[The Backlash Cometh]

13. There was once a place called Scotties...

I may have typed it wrong, but Scotties was much smaller than Home Depot, yet, whenever we were looking for something just a little off the beaten path, we'd find it at Scotties.

[T Wolf]

3. Go to Lowes

A much better store and more "blue-friendly"

[The Backlash Cometh]

15. They seem that way. They go out of their way to ask me if they can

help. Home Depot use to be that way.

[FredStembottom]

4. Are you non-white and/or female?

The story isn't clear otherwise. Just sayin'......

[EFerrari]

6. I thought it was pretty clear. My mom and I are Latinas.

If customer service is bad at a place like that, it's always a little worse for us.

[FredStembottom]

16. Thanks. All I could tell was that you saw yourself as not

the guys at Home Depot - couldn't tell if it was gender, race, handicap or whatever.

I hate Home Depot, too. I do local hardware stores instead.

[EFerrari]

18. I didn't write the OP, though. n/t

[The Backlash Cometh]

19. I have a very strange combination.

Mexican-American father whose family features are very Spanish, dark haired Mediterranean and a Central American mom. I turned out looking Indian, like from India. But also can pass for muslim to the discriminatory eye, if you know what I mean.

[EFerrari]

5. I fired HD, too.

I ordered two big deliveries, one from HD and one from Lowe's. The delivery from Lowe's came on time as scheduled and went without a hitch.

In comparison, I had to hound HD to even process the order, they sprang a delivery on me with no notice and the guy only delivered it TO THE CURB and he LEFT HIS UGLY PALLET. And this was a fairly big order, not a sink or something. That was it for me.

[The Backlash Cometh]

21. Geez, what is their problem?

[EFerrari]

29. They are probably treated badly and not paid enough. n/t

[The Backlash Cometh]

32. That describes ALL of us!

[EFerrari]

36. Lol! I treat myself pretty well and even give me raises for performance.

:silly:

I do get a sense from being in those stores that the employees there are dealing with management from hell. It's so stupid, too, because it always gets taken out on the customer.

[MadHound]

8. Frankly, I don't go to either HD or Lowes

I'm lucky enough to have a local chain, Westlakes, in both of the towns that I shop in. It has everything I need, reasonable prices, and friendly people ready to help. The only drawback is that they have a very minimal lumber dept., but for that I either visit a local lumber yard, or go visit the Amish lumber yard about twenty miles away. I love the Amish lumber yard, cheap prices, good quality, friendly service, and true measurements. No more of this 1 5/8 X 3 5/8 crap trying to pass for a 2X4.

[The Backlash Cometh]

23. I wonder how the Amish can keep their prices so cheap?

And where do they get their lumber? It seems like everybody else acts like the only place left for lumber is in our national parks.

[MadHound]

30. Well, the Amish is our area, Mid Missouri

Actually own acres and acres of forest land, which they have managed well for generations now, so that it keeps producing high quality lumber. Also, since all of their lumber mill is muscle powered, either human or mule, their energy costs are quite low. Plus, the fact that they are local, and produce their own wood means that their prices aren't effected by rising demand across the country. Lumber prices are high now in the chains because post Katrina demand is high. But since their not selling lumber anyplace outside of their local area, their prices didn't rise.

[The Backlash Cometh]

34. May I just say, Wow. You mean to tell me we have an American

success story that hasn't been told? If the Amish have found the secret to sustained work for Americans and high quality products at a low cost, why hasn't any body been paying attention?

[MadHound]

49. Because it apparently can't be done on a large scale

:shrug:

[TalkingDog]

10. Most of those guys are out of work contractors, builders and etc.

This is a pattern I've often seen, since my husband has always worked in the building trades (arch. designer) and he knows many of these folks.

The economy is in the crapper and they have to work at a "sales job" to make ends meet or to keep their houses out of hock. #1 It pisses them off (even tho they indirectly brought it on themselves) and #2 The trades are incredibly male dominated. I worked in the same office as the spouse for a couple of years and you would be surprised (or perhaps not) at how invisible I was. Now I've got a Masters Degree and am no slouch when it comes to computers (I'm the offical Geek in the family). But my input was basically ignored by all but my hubby (who knows a good thing when he sees it)

The smart men quickly figured out that I was a valuable asset, the dumb ones just continued to butt heads with me.

Home Depot snaps these guys up because #1 The men are desperate and won't ask for huge amounts of money at a sales job. #2 They are more knowledgable than the average high school student about the trades and can actually help people out with experience and creative problem solving. So they are a good asset in terms of (some) customer satisfaction.

I've run into your problem at computer stores, I've installed boards and modems and so on on our computer, but inevitably when I look for a sales associate, they head straight for my husband. He wisely points at me and informs them that I'm the smart one. I glare at them for a second and then explain what I'm doing. The are always surprised when I know what they are talking about or if I don't I admit it and ask intelligent questions.

Just be firm and direct. They lack the social skills to understand nuance.

Good luck

[Moondog]

20. Sounds like the Home Despot

in my area. A lot of the employees are out of work construction trades guys who are pissed off at the world.

If you want service go to Lowe's. They are also, generally, cleaner and better lit.

In fact, Home Despot is to Lowe's as Wal-Mart is to Target. There just is no comparison.

[The Backlash Cometh]

25. I suspected this. I could sense the resentment.

If I had to guess, I had a hunch that some of the older men were taking a job that was way beneath them, and working customer service, servicing people they usually disdain, isn't going to be easy.

Just wanted to repeat what you said. Good advice:


"Just be firm and direct. They lack the social skills to understand nuance."

[Armstead]

11. I'm not sure it's racist or sexist...

I'm a Middle Aged White Male WASP and trying to find service in a Home Depot is a losing proposition for me too.

That's why I go the local hardware store instead. I usually get waited on within 30 seconds, tops.

[EFerrari]

17. Aside from the awful customer service at HD and similar places

there is sometimes this annoying/silly thing that happens when you're a woman.

You start talking to one of their employees about a project and the first word out of their mouth is No. "No, you can't do that, You don't want that, it can't be done."

The last time I was in there wrestling with them to look up my line of credit, it took half an hour during which I leant them my tape measure BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ONE.

lol

/typo

[The Backlash Cometh]

27. They don't do it to my husband.

Hmmm, Armstead, do you look...liberal?

:-)

[EFerrari]

38. Lol!

That's funny.

[Armstead]

60. Depends on the day...

I guess in my usual attire I probably look like a basic rural guy, with jeans and kind of longish hair. Around here, that's a politically neutral look. Could either be a hippie peacenick or a redneck construction worker...Haven't tested it out by wearing a Bash Bush button in there though. :)

[Minnesota Libra]

54. I'm white female and I too prefer local hardware stores and local.......

.....anything else as well. I get better and much faster service plus that all important advice that the big chain stores just don't have the time or expertise for.

I'm one of those females that prefer to shop for my own tools and do my own repairs/building. I got so I had to hide my tools because mine were better and lasted longer plus "felt better in my hand" as my husband put it one time.:grr:

[RebelOne]

12. Home Depot and Lowe's are just across the street

from one another. I never go to Home Depot even if I can't find what I want at Lowe's. Instead, I will go to a local family-owned hardware store in my neighborhood.

[The Backlash Cometh]

28. I have walked into one of those a few months ago, and it did make

me nostalgic. Also, maybe because this thing had just happened, but I "found" the local Ace hardware store today. It's only been there for over twenty years, but I just "found" it today.

[raccoon]

14. Backlash Cometh, are you non-white or female? nt

[The Backlash Cometh]

31. Hi. See my response in post number 19.

[mattclearing]

22. It's not clear to me why you were turned on.

Are you black or something? Do you wear a "Democrat" sticker on your forehead? I don't get it.

I had this same experience recently at the Home Depot in NE Washington DC, believe it or not, but it was black people (I am white).

I got a laugh out of it...it isn't everyday that white people are subjected to racism. :D

[The Backlash Cometh]

37. See post # 19 for part of the answer.

The other part: I don't doubt for a minute that what I experienced is capable of going the other way.

On a tangent note: I am a big proponent of Affirmative Action because I know it will benefit even white people where ever there are geographic pockets that are "controlled" by ethnic minorities. (Well, minorities on a national level, but majorities on a local level.)

[mattclearing]

47. Got it.

When you're white, it's easy to laugh off the odd racist experience, because they are so rare.

It's sad that most people don't get to experience it through that prism.

[Minnesota Libra]

24. Sorry to disagree - but I'm "white" and I've the same reaction and........

.....not just at Home Depot either. So I disagree that it is strictly race based.

[The Backlash Cometh]

40. I hope you're right. But it's never happened to me when I'm with

my hubby. Now that I think of it, it's never happened to me in Home Depot when I'm visiting the garden section. I just dared to go into the testosterone aisles today, on my own and noticed the difference.

[EFerrari]

43. My mom has a younger, white, male friend that she drafts

when she has to deal with the County inspectors. I'm not kidding. And everything always goes smoothly when he's there to meet them at one of HER projects.

Mom and I also place bets on who will make anyone (not just men) in a hardware store say "No".
:)

[Minnesota Libra]

46. OMG, yes "the tool" section - happens to me all the time and......

....as I mentioned I don't think it is race but rather as you suggested "the testosterone domain". We women have had the audacity to walk into their last stronghold and how dare we anyway. The funny part here is that I've always been handier with tools than my husband was and got many a raised eyebrow when shopping for new tools. :rofl:

[EFerrari]

55. Me, too -- unless it's at Christmastime because then you're buying

a present, right? Am I right?

I take Doug with me for cover whenever I can. He hates it.

lol

[RubyDuby in GA]

26. Never ever shop at Home Depot

HD's founders are psycho Republicans who give astronomical amounts of money to the GOP:
Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank. The CEO of Home Depot, Robert Nardelli, in 2004 held a fundraiser in his home in Atlanta that Bush came to.

Robert Nardelli alone:
http://www.newsmeat.com/ceo_political_donations/Robert_...
NARDELLI, ROBERT
ATLANTA, GA 30342
RETIRED CHAMBLISS, SAXBY (R)
Senate - GA
CHAMBLISS FOR SENATE $2,100
primary 12/23/05
Nardelli, Robert
Atlanta, GA 30327
The Home Depot/CEO WESTMORELAND, LYNN ACTON (R)
House (GA 08)
WESTMORELAND FOR CONGRESS $1,000
primary 08/11/05
NARDELLI, ROBERT MR
ATLANTA, GA 30327
HOME DEPT/EXECUTIVE ISAKSON, JOHN HARDY (R)
Senate - GA
GEORGIANS FOR ISAKSON $2,100
primary 07/29/05
NARDELLI, ROBERT
ATLANTA, GA 30327
The Home Depot Inc./PRESIDENT AND C
HOME DEPOT INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE, THE $5,000
primary 07/20/05
NARDELLI, ROBERT
ATLANTA, GA 30327 ISAKSON, JOHN HARDY (R)
Senate - GA
GEORGIANS FOR ISAKSON $2,000
general 08/31/04
Nardelli, Robert L Mr.
Atlanta, GA 30339
The Home Depot/President & CEO
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE (R) $20,000
primary 05/13/04
NARDELLI, ROBERT
ATLANTA, GA 30327
The Home Depot/PRESIDENT AND CEO
HOME DEPOT INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE, THE $5,000
primary 05/07/04
Nardelli, Robert L. Mr.
Atlanta, GA 30327
Home Depot Inc./President & CEO
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE (R) $25,000
primary 09/17/03
NARDELLI, ROBERT L MR. SR.
ATLANTA, GA 30327
THE HOME DEPOT/CHAIRMAN/C.F.O./PRES BUSH, GEORGE W (R)
President
BUSH-CHENEY '04 (PRIMARY) INC $2,000
primary 06/30/03


Huge Republican company.

Never ever shop there. Period.

[EFerrari]

39. That's right! That's another reason never to shop there.

Junior did a campaign stop at a Home Depot. I remember that now.

[The Backlash Cometh]

48. Well, well, well. The numbers don't lie.

[riona]

33. at hd i spend time dodging forklifts, negotiating displays

or searching for the rare to non- existent employee. if i find one, he is busy mixing paint. oh well, i've already invested 30 minutes searching for a parking space, ferreting out a cart and walking to the proper entrance. i'm there for the long haul.

[elehhhhna]

35. HERE'S the inside scoop:

HD has an ex-GE bigshot as their Chaiman now. Next week they'll probably have to sport white collars and ties (lol).

They're also taking advantage of the desperate out-of-work white middle-aged males who have families and mortgages but no JOB prospects in the BUSH economy. These men show up on time and need the money, although Dept. Managers with 5 years tenure, working 55-70 hour weeks, including weekends & evenings, earn a grand total salary (no overtime! They're "Managers"!) of $27,000.

The white men in orange aprons are not helping you because they are seething with rage and shame. It's not personal.

[EFerrari]

41. That makes sense to me. n/t

[Joe Fields]

42. Home Depot has enough servicemen and women working for them,

who are now stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan to rank as the FOURTH largest coalition force. Yet they only gave a paltry ten grand to the "Fallen Heroes Fund," the fund to build state of the art recuperative facilities for injured vets.

I cannot vouch for this, as I got the info from yesterday's Imus program. If it is true, then that is another disgrace that HD must bear.

You know, I used to be sure that racism would end somewhere in my lifetime. It is disheartening to know that it will not.

We all must boycott such blatent bastions of prejudice and hypocrisy.

[The Backlash Cometh]

52. A lot in your post.

First, shame on Home Depot for giving so little in the fund. And second, I don't expect racism to end. I'm trying to figure out how to circumvent around it. If I work for a living, then I'll deal with it as long as there is a paycheck attached to it. But as long as I'm a stay at home mom, I won't settle. There's no reason why I have to go to places where I know things will be said which will demoralize me.

[SPKrazy]

44. Home Depot Is Like That Where I Live Too

I live in a predominantly Republican county, although in 1990 we voted for Clinton as Governor and he came and danced down one of the major streets in town because he promised if he took our county he'd dance down that street.

but Home Depot has always seemed like that, I think non-commissioned sales people could care less.

but maybe it is something else?

[EFerrari]

45. They were much better for the first few years. You could

actually get someone to help you without dying of old age.

Too bad. It used to be my favorite store.

[The Backlash Cometh]

53. If I remember correctly, customer assistance was their calling card.

[global1]

56. Good Point - When They Were Trying To Get Where They Are Now....

they were much better. Now that they've got there - they don't need to care anymore. It's just another business. They are thinking about how to spend all their stock option money when they cash out. Who cares about the customer. Just a means to their fatcat end.

Reminds me of that commercial of the marathon runner seeing all the runners wearing the same kind of shoes and asks someone about them and gets the companies name. He runs over to a lady with a laptop and asks can he use it for a minute and buys stock in that shoe company.

Well - judging by the negative comments associated with HD it looks like it is time to run over to the lady and sell.

[EFerrari]

58. Or, it's time to open a chain for the other half of the country

that buys redheads, wallboard and palm sanders.

We'd make a zillion dollars. :)

[newportdadde]

62. Bad service isn't new and 50/50 chance the employee doesn't even vote

or could give two shits about politics. Remember only half of eligible Americans vote and of that at best half are Republican, even Red counties have a good percentage of Democratic voters. So 25% you hit a Republican voter and probably a much small fraction of that if there are actually active/care about politics more then every 4 years.

Much more likely that they had an asshole supervisor that expected XYZ task to be done and was riding them to get it done and stop yapping with customers. Sure it hurts Home Depot as your story shows but that middle level manager doesn't care.

They hire just about anyone to fill up the aisles and most know nothing about the area they are in. A sorority girl on summer vacation usually doesn't know much about installing a new shower...

Anyways your not alone, as a 30 year old white dude I get ignored pretty frequently in HD, Walmart, Lowes, just about anywhere unless the employee is working on commission. If they are on commission then I get dry humped 5 seconds after I start looking around.

[The Backlash Cometh]

63. LOL!

[geniph]

64. I hate all the big chain hardware stores

Instead of stocking a wide variety of things that are needed for specialty projects, they choose instead to have an entire aisle of "decor" blinds and 3,000,000 bins of the same useless galvanized screws (good luck finding stainless steel or brass screws or bolts there). We used to have a great local chain here, Eagle Hardware - I loved that place, they actually stocked things we needed. Lowe's bought them, and immediately turned half the store over to "home decor" and appliances and useless shit like that.

If I actually need HARDWARE, I go to McLendon's. McLendon's has people working there that know a socket wrench from a hole in the ground, too. Half the people working at Home Despair or Blowe's apparently flunked out of McDonald's Hamburgler University.