When I managed, I told my employees if any customer made them uncomfortable they could signal me over with a simple "I need to step out for a minute" and I would take over zero questions asked. And we backed that shit up.
That was sweet of you as a manager, but there's a difference between "I do not want to be the one to handle this transaction" and "I want this Nazi to leave the store and not spend his bigoted money here..."
A big difference, and one entirely out of the control of a front line retail worker or even a store manager in many, many cases.
By giving my employees a clear, integrity-driven promise to have their backs without making a scene or requiring them to explain themselves, as well as simple instructions on how to do so discretely, it gives them some of that agency and control back. It's also important in de-escalation: if that Nazi were a stalker or abuser, or someone looking for the fight / confrontation / scene, having an escape valve gives an employee with little to no training nor responsibility to deal with that - it's simply not fucking fair to ask that - the choice they need to avoid a fight-or-flight-or-freeze, trapped moment.
Besides if anyone gets to show that little shit where the door is, nicely, walk them nicely to it, and make damn sure they know how unwelcome they are, it'll be me.
I remember this one story about a bartender kicking out some SS guy before he even sat down even though he was being civil. When asked the bar tender said if you let one in and tolerate them, then he invites his friends. And then they invite their friends. And before you know it its a Nazi bar. You have to nip it in the bud right away.
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u/Geek_X Aug 07 '26
I’m pretty sure you can refuse nazis business as they are not a protected class. Issue is if she’s not the one in charge