Dear Oprah: Switzerland is not racist, just ask your friend Tina Turner

[frimu]

I don't think the author of that piece appreciates how offensive her article is. Switzerland, the place where wealthy war criminals go to hide out, where tax dodgers run away to, and where former government officials enjoy their ill begotten wealth.

Missing from the article is that the Ikea founder that she lauds, has been discussions with his homeland tax authorities as to how he can return home. Also missing is the mention of how Switzerland provided a lovely place for the North Korean leader to enjoy the delights of wealth while his countryman starved to death. Ahh yes, Switzerland, the country where the bankers go to hide out after they screw up and cheat.

You talk about offensive? You are offensive to me as a Swiss citizen. Your comment is full of univestigated cliches. And then you mention the two examples of Mr. Kamprad and Kim Jong Un to justify the above said.

Can't take this too serious.

You know, some of it is true, most is not. But my country is always a welcome target for big time looser politicians to attack Switzerland for whatever purpose in order to hide their massive failures in the last 10 to 20 years.

[Jingthing]

It's really not about Switzerland. It's about a racist assumption of one stupid store clerk. Could have been anywhere that has clerks that don't recognize OPRAH.

Next ...

[happysoul]

Humm... Would like that someone names me one country that is not racist or to be precise, that does not have racist people ?

[Jingthing]

Humm... Would like that someone names me one country that is not racist or to be precise, that does not have racist people ?

Don't hold your breath on that.

[canuckamuck]

It's really not about Switzerland. It's about a racist assumption of one stupid store clerk. Could have been anywhere that has clerks that don't recognize OPRAH.

Next ...

So if she had recognized Oprah she wouldn't have been a racist anymore?

Or what if it hadn't been Oprah but a different black woman who could't afford the handbag? Would her actions been racist then, or would she just be a clerk that knows her job?

[RogueLeader]

How did this article get published? There is almost no upside and a long view down.

If you have to say "i'm not a racist because some of my best friends are ....."

you are probably a racist. at least a mild one at best.

PS, I'm no Oprah fan, but she has almost no reason to exaggerate this claim.

This story adds nothing to her hundreds of million or billion or what ever she is worth.

while the clerk or shop owner. has everything to lose for her comments.

Oprah was pissed off because she wasn't recognised and it's not the 1980s so she can't just scream "Do you know who I am?".

Switzerland is snooty, elitist and insular as every visitor who isn't ultra-rich has experienced. She was annoyed at being treated like a regular person.

That might be part of it but that kind of proves her point, "regular" black ladies get a racist snub in that shop.

No. *Everyone* who doesn't look rich and conservative gets a snub in shops like that. Did the shop assistant use racist language? Did she imply that she thought black people were inferior? No. So what evidence is there that this was the case?

Oprah was doing her usual trick of seeking publicity by any means possible, even if it means ruining the lives of one of the lower orders.

[Jingthing]

It's really not about Switzerland. It's about a racist assumption of one stupid store clerk. Could have been anywhere that has clerks that don't recognize OPRAH.

Next ...

So if she had recognized Oprah she wouldn't have been a racist anymore?

If she had recognized Oprah there would no story, because the bag would have been shown and probably sold.

[RogueLeader]

It's really not about Switzerland. It's about a racist assumption of one stupid store clerk. Could have been anywhere that has clerks that don't recognize OPRAH.

Next ...

So if she had recognized Oprah she wouldn't have been a racist anymore?

She would have been better able to disguise her contempt for ordinary people, a contempt she maintains despite being a shop assistant. But people like that value themselves in proportion to the wealth of the people they serve.

[wolf5370]

How did this article get published? There is almost no upside and a long view down.

If you have to say "i'm not a racist because some of my best friends are ....."

you are probably a racist. at least a mild one at best.

PS, I'm no Oprah fan, but she has almost no reason to exaggerate this claim.

This story adds nothing to her hundreds of million or billion or what ever she is worth.

while the clerk or shop owner. has everything to lose for her comments.

Oprah was pissed off because she wasn't recognised and it's not the 1980s so she can't just scream "Do you know who I am?".

Switzerland is snooty, elitist and insular as every visitor who isn't ultra-rich has experienced. She was annoyed at being treated like a regular person.

That might be part of it but that kind of proves her point, "regular" black ladies get a racist snub in that shop.

And what about "regular" white ladies? I think, as I said, that elitist is right on the money, racism is just a guess. A pool of one. One person was looked down on - and it is assumed because she is black - now tell me how that in itself is not racist? Maybe because she isn't wearing Prada - or isn't known in the area (a regular) - or isn't speaking German -or, or, or....see racism is the :go to" crime when one is looked down on and happens to be non-white. More likely the assistant is a class A snob and an old lady walks in and goes for a bag that costs more than a small car - could and should have been handled much better by Oprah - and she could well have gained out of the mistake. Though I guess she did gain by the publicity.

[Jingthing]

Oh please, Oprah doesn't need this kind of publicity. She doesn't need anything really. Certainly not that bag either!

[wolf5370]

How did this article get published? There is almost no upside and a long view down.

If you have to say "i'm not a racist because some of my best friends are ....."

you are probably a racist. at least a mild one at best.

PS, I'm no Oprah fan, but she has almost no reason to exaggerate this claim.

This story adds nothing to her hundreds of million or billion or what ever she is worth.

while the clerk or shop owner. has everything to lose for her comments.

Oprah was pissed off because she wasn't recognised and it's not the 1980s so she can't just scream "Do you know who I am?".

Switzerland is snooty, elitist and insular as every visitor who isn't ultra-rich has experienced. She was annoyed at being treated like a regular person.

That might be part of it but that kind of proves her point, "regular" black ladies get a racist snub in that shop.

No. *Everyone* who doesn't look rich and conservative gets a snub in shops like that. Did the shop assistant use racist language? Did she imply that she thought black people were inferior? No. So what evidence is there that this was the case?

Oprah was doing her usual trick of seeking publicity by any means possible, even if it means ruining the lives of one of the lower orders.

Agree.

[deecee10]

I believe that Oprah did suffer from a form discrimination, that which comes from stereotyping.

She was black, so the shop assistant assumed that she couldn't afford top of the range goods.

This kind of thing happens often and stems from ignorance and pre-conceptions, not to mention inbuilt snobbery.

Prejudice of one kind or another is everywhere.

[wolf5370]

Oh please, Oprah doesn't need this kind of publicity. She doesn't need anything really. Certainly not that bag either!

Yes because she is so popular these days - when was the last major movie she was in (voice in the Princess and the Frog - hardly The Color Purple)? Even her chat show ended two years ago. She is fast disappearing from the lime light (in which she dimmed years ago anyway). Publicity is ALL these people crave - its what gets them that call from the agent when some director remembers they exist.

//Edit: Typo

[Jingthing]

The big problems of the rich and famous.

If it has been me as Oprah I would have gotten all New Yorker on that snob and said: Look, B-word, show me that bag now or you won't know what hit you.

[marell]

Who cares? Pretty muuch every single one on this forum (or anyone who has ever traveled) has exprienced some degree of racism. So what? It happens...you get over it and you move on. Life is too short to get hung up on this sort of thing. Unless, of course, you have an audience...then you can whine to your heart's content.

[jayboy]

The big problems of the rich and famous.

If it has been me as Oprah I would have gotten all New Yorker on that snob and said: Look, B-word, show me that bag now or you won't know what hit you.

Which would simply have confirmed the store assistant's prejudices.

[squarethecircle]

How do we know Oprah's race has anything to do with it? People that sell $25,000 fashion accessories are bound to be snobbery. Reminds me of a TV commentator in the US telling that basketball player who got arrested for chicken fighting (can't remember the name) to "enjoy all the fried chicken in prison". People went nuts and said it was a racist statement because the basketball player was black, but in fact fried chicken is a local delicacy there, so it was not a racist comment in the least. The fact that people scream racism whenever anything like this happens (without any justification necessary) seems more a reflection of their worldview than actual racist attitudes in the world. They still exist but not in the degree people claim. Can a snob just be left to be a snob?

[silver sea]

Going back to the Daily Mail article that we were "linked" to on page 1 (here it is again):

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2389798/Oprah-Winfrey-branded-liar-Swiss-sales-assistant-racist-handbag-row.html

Look at photo number 8. The text under the photo suggests it was taken in Zurich. If that is how she was dressed when she went into the shop then that might explain why the sales assistant might have thought that Oprah could not afford to buy the handbag.

[canuckamuck]

The clerk may indeed have been a snob, that is to be expected. But it was Oprah assumed the snobbery was based on race. Why, because the clerk was white.

That's racist.

[BigBuddha]

What Oprah did only shows where she is really at mentally and psychologically. This incident serves just as a mirror for her. It only shows her ugly side. That she needs to work on. I also see that she has a beautiful side as well. This is not a judgment on my side. Otherwise it mirrors me as well. But an observation. If she is as great as she is as a person in her talk shows she would have humored the whole bag deal. Instead she felt offended. No one can be offended by any one through anything except yourself taking the offence.The offence, the hurt can only be done by oneself. If someone gives you a present and you won't accept it who does the present belong to?

Instead she lashed back like a big elephant trampling down a mouse. The girl did make a mistake of discrimination so what? But to use her power to squeeze an ignorant little discriminating shopkeeper who made a false assumption, is that love? is that an action of someone great? I thought she was someone more intelligent and more mature psychologically esp. after she has had a big online seminars with Eckhart Tolle about his new book A new Earth a few years back..to help awaken the people in the world to create a better world of becoming aware of the Ego. By creating such a big deal she herself fell into the trap of the great Ego she still harbours. I hope she re-reads A new earth by Eckhart Tolle again.

[Ulysses G.]

Going back to the Daily Mail article that we were "linked" to on page 1 (here it is again):

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2389798/Oprah-Winfrey-branded-liar-Swiss-sales-assistant-racist-handbag-row.html

Look at photo number 8. The text under the photo suggests it was taken in Zurich. If that is how she was dressed when she went into the shop then that might explain why the sales assistant might have thought that Oprah could not afford to buy the handbag.

That picture explains a LOT. I would not have recognized her either and would have been suspicious of anyone - of any race - dressed like that wanting to look at such an expensive bag.

[Jingthing]

She looks FABULOUS!

[harrry]

How did this article get published? There is almost no upside and a long view down.

If you have to say "i'm not a racist because some of my best friends are ....."

you are probably a racist. at least a mild one at best.

PS, I'm no Oprah fan, but she has almost no reason to exaggerate this claim.

This story adds nothing to her hundreds of million or billion or what ever she is worth.

while the clerk or shop owner. has everything to lose for her comments.

Oprah was pissed off because she wasn't recognised and it's not the 1980s so she can't just scream "Do you know who I am?".

Switzerland is snooty, elitist and insular as every visitor who isn't ultra-rich has experienced. She was annoyed at being treated like a regular person.

Sorry. BS, I lived there and had diplomats , doctors and parliamentarians as friends. I worked as a landscape gardener and got to get my knees under many tables and between many thighs.

Are you black?

[Payboy]

Switzerland is not racist

Nah, just snobbish. Why else would their army carry wine openers?

[cooked]

How did this article get published? There is almost no upside and a long view down.

If you have to say "i'm not a racist because some of my best friends are ....."

you are probably a racist. at least a mild one at best.

PS, I'm no Oprah fan, but she has almost no reason to exaggerate this claim.

This story adds nothing to her hundreds of million or billion or what ever she is worth.

while the clerk or shop owner. has everything to lose for her comments.

Oprah was pissed off because she wasn't recognised and it's not the 1980s so she can't just scream "Do you know who I am?".

Switzerland is snooty, elitist and insular as every visitor who isn't ultra-rich has experienced. She was annoyed at being treated like a regular person.

Sorry. BS, I lived there and had diplomats , doctors and parliamentarians as friends. I worked as a landscape gardener and got to get my knees under many tables and between many thighs.

Are you black?

Deary me we are in a politically correct state of confusion, aren't we? I employed people of all hues, origins and religions over the years. I learnt a lot, being an immigrant myself and I speak as I find. People from certain regions of Portugal are unemployable, one of the best guys I had was a Tamil, another was Portuguese. That's racist talk but I don't care.

[cooked]

Switzerland is not racist

Nah, just snobbish. Why else would their army carry wine openers?

Only officers get the cork screw. Soldiers get a beer bottle opener that they very often have to lend to their officers. You don't know Switzerland at all, do you?

[harrry]

Sorry. BS, I lived there and had diplomats , doctors and parliamentarians as friends. I worked as a landscape gardener and got to get my knees under many tables and between many thighs.

Are you black?

Deary me we are in a politically correct state of confusion, aren't we? I employed people of all hues, origins and religions over the years. I learnt a lot, being an immigrant myself and I speak as I find. People from certain regions of Portugal are unemployable, one of the best guys I had was a Tamil, another was Portuguese. That's racist talk but I don't care.

I do not care where you are from.......but your experience in Switzerland may well be different if you are black. I saw this from the way my Swiss Son in Law reacted when his daughter married a black person, and the reactions of his Swiss friends.

[cooked]

A uniquely Swiss experience of course.

[RogueLeader]

Deary me we are in a politically correct state of confusion, aren't we? I employed people of all hues, origins and religions over the years. I learnt a lot, being an immigrant myself and I speak as I find. People from certain regions of Portugal are unemployable, one of the best guys I had was a Tamil, another was Portuguese. That's racist talk but I don't care.

You accuse someone of being 'politically correct', whatever that means, then later admit that you're being racist.

Irony meter due for a service, is it?

[Scott]

Some unnecessarily nasty and off-topic posts have been deleted.