Racism at Fishtown, NY

[nycpassat]

This morning, I had my first horrible experience in/outside of Fishtown, a store that we all know and love for years. While meeting up with with a fellow Manhattan Reefers for a frag exchange adjacent to the fish store, we were approached by the daughter of the fish store whom I believe her name is Kathy. We had planned to go into store after it opens at 10:30am. She confronted us to leave the premises immediately and to stop any sales in front of her store. Subject to her demands, we were immediately met with explicit slurs and threats without any cause. Apparently, the short stocky woman recognized my fellow M/reefer and began threats with him. After a few exchanges her cursing then turned into racial epithets of asian decent. As I recall, the term, "Gook" had ran from her mouth many times, then followed by,"go back to Asia where you belong" and "that this country is being ruined due to people like ourselves". She went to say a number of other derogatory comments including some members whom she knew of in MR. We left not going into the store, feeling very bitter and upset. I just couldn't imagine people like this still exist and so full of racial anger. I can tell you now that we will never go back to FT ever again. I hope my fellow MR will chime in and give better details as I am still very angry and upset to continue writing further.

 

[jejton]

Sorry to hear that man. That really is dissappointing.

 

[Tito]

There are racist people all over this country. Many have stayed silent for some time but it seems like after 9/11 and the Bush administration taking the office, a strong resurgence is occuring at an alarming rate. I would say shame on people who think that racism is over in the USA. You need to think about something. There are people still alive who hung other people on trees simply because of their race. Yes, these people are still alive - old - LOL but still alive and guess what - they have children - and what do you think their children believe? So I hate to dampen things but it's a reality. Racism is alive and well in the USA.

 

[NYreefNoob]

slurs

sorry to hear about your experiance. ignorance come's at all levels and colors and races. out of curiousity were they caucasion ?

 

[cbrsorlo]

that really sucks as i check fishtown out once in a while

 

[ellebelle]

You are not the first person to have a bad experience at Fishtown. Personally, I've never been there ... and after all of the terrible things I've heard, I would never step foot in that store.

 

[muntai]

Kathy is well known here at MR. i believe some1 here had a tank setup purchase that was also mis-treated by her. if thats how she treats her customers, i wouldnt b surprise how she treated u. I feel sorry for her employees. no wonder y they r always looking for hire help. no one wants to work for her.

 

[GQ22]

i dont doubt that at all. There also seems to be some resentment towards manhattanreefs from the story. Guess i will be boycotting fishtown and saving myself a trip to flushing. She does seem like a nast person.

 

[michael stern]

Yes, racism is alive and well, unfortunately. That does not mean it is OK, or something that should be tolerated. It takes an unbelievably small mind to think such nonsense.

 

[crox99]

Kathy is well known here at MR. i believe some1 here had a tank setup purchase that was also mis-treated by her. if thats how she treats her customers, i wouldnt b surprise how she treated u. I feel sorry for her employees. no wonder y they r always looking for hire help. no one wants to work for her.

That member was Awilda and after I heard her story I would never go to FT.

 

[ZANYMASTER]

BOYCOTT those mfers!!Plenty of other places to buy stuff from.Sorry they trated your friend like that.No excuse dude.Such narrow and small minded people!It's so sad and and infuriating at the same time.

 

[Alexpescado]

I was there this morning with the intentions of dropping off some frags for some fellow MR's. We were not in front of the store but next to a member's car parked a couple of doors down from F/T. We thought we would go shopping after we excchanged coral.This woman stayed their staring at us and then told us to get out of there using profanity.
We said we weren't doing anything wrong and that we weren't on their premises. isaid that I wa simply meeting a couple of MR members. Her response was F***** Mr and that said that there was another MR member who lied about their experience with F/T. She continued cursing and then began to shout racial slurs.She called us gook and that Asians were the cause for a lot of problems in this country.I wonder how many people of Asian descent shop at FT? I really have enver been spoken to like that.
I know that many times when I shopped at the store the employees would complain about the ownership. There has been a mass exodus of
staff at the store. When names of former employees were brought she replied that they are all thiefs. They have been very condescending in their attitude at the store. We really weren't there to try and take away any business from the store. In fact we were going to go shopping afterwards. There is no place in society for such an evil ,hateful, person.

 

[Bob 1000]

When you don't have something good to say and really want to say something like B$#^ , or Mother$**%....You should say "nice person"...When you want to give them the finger you should wave(as if to say hello)...
Anyway I have seen this person and made me wait a while in the store before also...So in closing I would like to say She is a nice person, and next time I'm there(which will be never) I will wave....Twice....She's just a miserable person who needs company....oops I meant to say nice person...

 

[bad coffee]

Just one more reason to NOT shop at FT.

B

 

[grisha]

lol it is known thing that fishstore owners " hate hobbyists who are in the hobby for years and educated customers... it is so much more profitable to sell what ever fish they have infested and dying or selling it to the fresh water tanks .... im surprised of the racism in one of the most Asian neighborhoods .... though this is not surprising attitude of the store staff at all

 

[cbrsorlo]

definately a fox 5 "shame shame shame" story.

 

[noodleman]

wow, never been to FT and guess i never will....and don't forget to leave feedback in the nyc store section http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/nyc-store-ratings/

 

[Davidl919]

That is the worst Thing I have ever heard related to this hobby. I would have called the cops for the racial epitaphs. With everything that is going on now-a-days.

 

[Awibrandy]

Yes the other member was me! I wasn't met with racial slurs, or curses, my purchase through Kathy went very sour. Something that had never happened before. It seems that fish towns problems really began when the daughter came to work at the store. I have not shopped in that store since February, and yet she is still bringing up my name. She is a pitiful person, and I will continue to pray for her as I would for anyone. Perhaps one day she will grow. Is she caucasian you ask NYreefNoob, that depends. Do you consider Greeks caucasian?
Yes racism is alive, but not well! Racism will never be well. There are many forms of racism in this world, and I only pray, and will hold onto my faith that one day soon it will be laid to rest.
To many people forget that this country has been built with the blood & sweat of a diverse people. And if all none "Americans" were to be put out of the country, guess what? That would only leave a small population of people as this country's native people are the Native Americans(Indians). So should we all get on our banana boats, and go back to where our ancesters came from?
Guess I should shut up, I'm ranting. Sorry, I cannot help it. It makes me very sad when people are treated with such disrespect. It feels like an arrow has pierced my heart.

 

[Prefect]

Can we have our next frag swap in front of the store?