By now, we all know the drill. We wear protective masks while buying groceries. It's a way to keep us and our community as safe as possible, and it's a good way to help control the spread of germs. However, back in 2020, one man in California opted for a different kind of face-covering — a highly offensive and racist one, at that.
The San Diego County Sheriff's Department went on a mission to find the man who chose to wear a Ku Klux Klan hood while shopping.
Let's be clear: The KKK is a hate group. Their views are racist, and they have a history of violence and terrorism. The world is already on edge right now. So seeing someone who chooses to be threatening while at the store is the last thing anyone needs. It's downright terrifying and deeply offensive.
The man was shopping at a Vons store in Santee. The incident happened just one day after California made it illegal to shop without a mask of some sort. Clearly, this man was trying to make some kind of statement with how he chose to cover his face.
"The Sheriff's Department does not condone hate or any acts of intolerance in our communities," read the statement from the department. "We are a county that is welcoming of people from all backgrounds." Thus people were taking this seriously. It's a huge, unwelcome gesture in a time of panic.
According to the Washington Post, the man was asked several times to take off his hood. It made other shoppers rightfully uncomfortable. However, he refused. Reporters spoke to someone who works for Vons, Melissa Hill, to learn even more about what happened.
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"Unfortunately, an alarming and isolated incident occurred at our Vons store in Santee, where a customer chose an inflammatory method of wearing a face covering," she said in a statement. "This was a disturbing incident for our associates and customers, and we are reviewing with our team how to best handle such inappropriate situations in the future." The tough thing is, people have gotten violent over similar incidents recently.
While not expressing views of hate, a security guard for a Family Dollar store was killed just the other day after a customer and her family became irate over the mask requirement. The man, Calvin Munerlyn, was shot to death simply for trying to enforce the rules set up by his own state. He ended up paying for it with his life.
So when someone gets awkwardly controversial over something so blatantly racist, who knows what might happen next? It's put retail stores in a really tough position. Unfortunately, some people would rather risk everyone's lives due to a minor inconvenience instead of following the rules.
As for the man in Santee, Mayor John Minto wasn't too pleased to hear what he did. In fact, while addressing the issue, he referred to him as a "sad reminder of intolerance." There are still people out there who want to threaten and create violence toward people who are different, and it's such a shame that we're still actively dealing with this in 2020.
"The images I've seen are abhorrent," county supervisor Dianne Jacob said in a statement. "This blatant racism has no place in Santee or any part of San Diego County. It is not who we are. It is not what we stand for and can't be tolerated." It's just a shame that people in California were given one more thing to worry about.
During a time like this, we need community, kindness, and understanding more than ever. All of us are scared, and many of us are having issues with trying to keep our sanity. Shopping for groceries is different from what it used to be. Interacting with others is different. Having someone try to scare other customers is straight up shameful.
At the very least, hopefully this guy was just trying to make headlines. If he really shared the beliefs of the KKK, that would be more disturbing. But Santee doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to this type of activity. We may never know, as the man wasn't identified. However, hopefully he doesn't make a return.
Our world is changing more and more every day. It's a shame to realize that above all else, we still have to deal with blatant racism. We're all people going through the same situation right now, regardless of age, color, occupation, or financial state. This is tough for everyone, and we're all just doing the best we can.
If you are in need of a mask, there are plenty of places to check before choosing something offensive. In fact, WFLA Channel 8 reported on two places you can search for a free mask online. One is the sportswear company called DHVANI. It recently started up a campaign called "A Mask for Every American."
All you need to do is input your information. Its campaign works directly with donations — and the more donations they get, the more supplies they can give away for free. Another opportunity is a company called Flexispot.com. It is giving out free three-ply masks, but you'll have to chip in for shipping.
Just know that it's important not to make a mockery of what's happening. While it's upsetting to hold such racist beliefs, the man who went in there knew the reaction he'd get. The best thing to do is to wear a mask that won't offend, keep your distance, and make sure your grocery store trip is as short and quick as it can be.
The people of Santee deserve better. And as people, we all deserve the chance to not have our fears accelerated based on someone blatantly displaying their negative and criminal points of view. Masks are used to keep you and your loved ones safe. What this person chose instead was just the opposite.
