I was at my store today when one of those things happened that made me go “Huh. What should I have done?” And so, I come to you for your advice.
A white woman, probably in her 60s, came in with her daughter and granddaughter. Petite, with a perfect blonde bob and a stereotypically preppy outfit, she walked the store, picking up item after item.
On one table, I am featuring a selection of products from Japan. Bento boxes, egg molds, sponges, chopsticks, and more.
“This is cute,” she said, picking up a set of children’s wall stickers designed for the bath.
“Oh,” she said, “But it’s Chinese. It’s got Chinese writing all over it.”
At this point, I couldn’t resist. I’d already felt irritated and this put me over the edge.
“Actually, that’s Japanese writing,” I said as I resisted adding “you idiot!”
“It’s from Japan,” I continued, probably unnecessarily, “Everything on that table is Japanese.”
“Oh,” she said, “It’s Japanese. Good. I’m afraid of China. There’s so many poison things coming from there.”
At this point, I failed. I faltered. So taken aback, I dropped the ball and did not know what to say.
Here’s my problem with this; as I am witnessing it, and it happens a lot at the store, it’s the new way to be openly racist, but somehow acceptable. Anti-Chinese sentiment under the guise of product safety concerns has somehow become allowable in public discourse.
“Oh, I don’t buy things made in China,” we hear over and over again.
There are so many problems with this, where do I even begin?
Perhaps a list is best.
1. Simply put, there is a not-subtle racist undertone that makes these comments so troublesome. It’s as if “the Chinese” somehow care less, are different from us, are somehow less attentive to environmental concerns. It also ignores the reality of companies that are progressive, environmentally-conscious, fair trade options. Lumping all companies together under the category of “poison” is dismissive, simplistic, and misinformed. Are there changes that need to be made in certain Chinese business practices? Of course, just like there are THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, NOT just in China.
2. Our global economy is interconnected and we ALL buy things from China. To say that you don’t is wrong, inaccurate, and a misunderstanding of how our economy functions.
3. Placing the blame for possible hazardous materials on Chinese manufacturers ignores the culpability of U.S. companies in supporting Chinese industries that do not abide by safety regulations. Why are “The Chinese” solely to blame when often, manufacturers around the world are producing for companies that choose their production sites based on less-stringent environmental rules, cheaper production costs, and lower wage norms? It’s how American companies get cheap stuff, and how Americans do too. Does this woman shop at Target?
4. Being an informed consumer is important, a responsibility we all have. But do it in an educated fashion. Lumping in any way is inappropriate and ultimately, does not foster the kind of change you claim to be advocating.
When this happens in the store, I want to have a quick response available, and yet, I don’t have one. And so I ask you, what would you say? And how should we handle this kind of open racism? Unfortunately, I hear it more and more each year. And I don’t expect it to change any time soon.
What can we do to make it change?
This seems to be an international problem because it happens all the time here in Italy too. Part of that is because there are a lot of Chinese stores here that undercut the prices of the local stores and then jealousy and resentment rear their ugly heads. I don’t know what the answer is, but it occured to me whenI saw your heading Rascist Nonsense.. that could well be your quick response, along the lines of ” Oh, I wouldn’t believe all that Rascist Nonsense you’ve heard if I were you, it’s founded on ignorance…” You’ve put your point across and at the same time subtly implied that their comment was ignorant rascist nonsense!
I face this same issue a lot – not just with China, but Thailand, as well. I try to take the tack of education – noting how many specialist manufacturers have developed that are used because they produce a higher-quality product at a lower cost than other general-production manufacturers. Years ago Japanese textiles were the denigrated ones, for taking away the U.S. cotton market, oh, how the tides of public opinion and subconscious economic resentments drift from one shore to another!
I often feel like I am talking to walls, though. . . .
I agree that it’s an international problem, and also that the “villain” country seems to change all the time.
Does China have some practices that are unacceptable? Absolutely. Does the U.S.? Heck Yeah! Does Italy? Yup. And it’s perfectly okay to make decisions about boycotting products based on your politics. What I end up hearing a lot of in my part of the U.S., is this kind of progressive badge of honor that comes with “I don’t buy things from China” or folks like the woman today who continually cite product safety. A lot of times it’s the very folks who make great claims about their honoring diversity who make these blanket statements. To me, the world is so nuanced, it’s all gray areas.
I don’t understand how this is racist. “China” refers to a country, I don’t see anywhere where the woman implies she’s afraid of Chinese people specifically.
In my opinion, there’s a “those people” underpinning that makes me really uncomfortable, especially when people like her are so willing to express their ignorance. Things like “I like this but I can’t buy it. It’s got Chinese writing all over it,” something she actually said, reflects not only an ignorance of the very nation she is criticizing because she was, in fact, looking at Japanese, but a lumping of all things Chinese that, by extension, means the people too. What is a country but a place made up of its people? And the implication is a lack of caring or concern for safety on the part of “those people.” I hear this kind of thing ALL the time.
And the other thing it lacks is a question for the retailer in charge about the nature of our products that ARE made in China. How do they know it’s not fair trade, or sourced appropriately? I think it IS racist to reject all things Chinese without being informed, simply because they are from China.
You can’t be ‘racist’ against a nation of people. Racism refers to hatred of a race of people, not a nationality. The modern fear of China, justified or not, comes from that nation’s rising economic clout and military strength, not the skin tone of the people. Racism is what blacks face when they travel to places like Japan and South Korea. But the people in those nation’s get a pass because their culture is ‘just different.’
You cannot change a customer’s mind. They are, after all, a customer, and we all know that “the customer is always right”, at least most of the time. If one makes a snarky remark simply say, if you don’t like it, don’t buy it and move on. It’s that way with clothing, household goods, just about everything I can think of. It’s beyond irritating to be sure to encounter people like these, but truthfully nothing can be done except for you to maintain your dignity and professionalism.