Love's accused of racism, insensitivity
Haysbert and alumnus respond below....
By Da'Janai Woods
Issue date: 11/8/06 Section: News
Many members of the Langston University family are angry with Love's Country Store for closing its doors Saturday, Oct. 28 to prevent people heading home from late night homecoming activities from entering the business.
During Langston's homecoming weekend, the Love's Country Store (Love's) located at Highway 33 and I-35 in Guthrie, Okla. closed its store for three hours. The store normally stays open 24 hours. According to Victor Faucett, the store manager, the store was closed to prevent possible acts of theft, vandalism, and unruly behavior by people participating in Langston University's homecoming activities. A public relations representative for Love's said this as well.
Andrea Bennett, a Langston University alumna and Guthrie resident, became aware of the closure after trying to get gas from Love's at approximately 2 a.m. on Saturday. She says the lights were off but she saw people in the parking lot and decided to see what was going on. She said she asked a Love's employee-a white man who was smoking outside-if the store was closed, and he replied yes. She says when she asked the man why the store was closed he said, "Because of the Langston University party. We don't want 'those people' here." Bennett says when she told the man that his comment sounded racially motivated, he told her the Guthrie Police Department advised the store manager to close the store because of events that had taken place in the past, but they would be open again in about an hour when "those people" were gone. Bennett never found out the man's name.
Kevin Saffold, a junior organizational management major from Los Angeles, Calif., says he was treated in a similar fashion when he tried to enter Love's that Saturday. He said when he arrived at the store the sign said open, but the door was locked. He said when he asked why the door was locked, an employee standing outside changed the sign from open to closed. He says he felt disrespected, and didn't think that the man at the store had to be so rude to him and his friends. He says he has submitted a formal complaint to Love's and will not support the store with his business anymore.
During Langston's homecoming weekend, the Love's Country Store (Love's) located at Highway 33 and I-35 in Guthrie, Okla. closed its store for three hours. The store normally stays open 24 hours. According to Victor Faucett, the store manager, the store was closed to prevent possible acts of theft, vandalism, and unruly behavior by people participating in Langston University's homecoming activities. A public relations representative for Love's said this as well.
Andrea Bennett, a Langston University alumna and Guthrie resident, became aware of the closure after trying to get gas from Love's at approximately 2 a.m. on Saturday. She says the lights were off but she saw people in the parking lot and decided to see what was going on. She said she asked a Love's employee-a white man who was smoking outside-if the store was closed, and he replied yes. She says when she asked the man why the store was closed he said, "Because of the Langston University party. We don't want 'those people' here." Bennett says when she told the man that his comment sounded racially motivated, he told her the Guthrie Police Department advised the store manager to close the store because of events that had taken place in the past, but they would be open again in about an hour when "those people" were gone. Bennett never found out the man's name.
Kevin Saffold, a junior organizational management major from Los Angeles, Calif., says he was treated in a similar fashion when he tried to enter Love's that Saturday. He said when he arrived at the store the sign said open, but the door was locked. He said when he asked why the door was locked, an employee standing outside changed the sign from open to closed. He says he felt disrespected, and didn't think that the man at the store had to be so rude to him and his friends. He says he has submitted a formal complaint to Love's and will not support the store with his business anymore.
Viewing Comments 1 - 7 of 8
keking
Keith King
posted 11/07/06 @ 9:03 PM CST
As an Alumi as well, I also send a letter via email to voice my concerns and disgust. The only concern I have now that the damage has been done, now Loves officials want to meet with Langston officials to "smooth" things over. (Continued…)
Sean Baker
posted 11/08/06 @ 12:48 AM CST
As the old saying goes, "One bad apple spoils the whole bunch." Since they had bad past experiences with members of the Langston University community during large fucntions, I'm not surprised that they did close the store. (Continued…)
J Nye
posted 11/08/06 @ 3:08 AM CST
This is just another case of "one person who ruint it for everyone" Langston has a history of community disruptions, and Loves Inc. was protecting it's fiscal interests. (Continued…)
1488
posted 11/08/06 @ 3:13 PM CST
What do niggers expect? We whites despise the sight and smell of them, of course no White man wants his business full of wild criminal apes. Horray for Loves!!!
Sean C. Baker, B.S., MCP
posted 11/09/06 @ 2:57 AM CST
WILD CRIMINAL APES......Now I've heard it all. I don't even believe a white person wrote the above statement. I bet it was some ignorant student on campus trying to get some feedback(it worked). (Continued…)
John Lasker
posted 11/11/06 @ 7:31 AM CST
I am an alumni of Langston University and I for one will never shop or buy gas at that Love's station again. I will not tolerate a gas station that will welcome THOUSANDS of OSU fans to shop there after games but will close their doors to HUNDREDS of LU fans that are just trying to get a bite to eat or some gas to get back to the City. (Continued…)
On the way out
posted 7/03/09 @ 4:15 PM CST
Wow. This is an old post. We are white and from out of state. We've been working here for a few months(2009) and we're on our way home. We have noticed some racism here and it's not pretty. (Continued…)
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