In this day and age it's a shame to see racial discrimination and profiling. Harald and Judy Simard encourage these activities!
While in Glendive Montana my girlfriend and I stopped by the Ranch and Farm Ace Hardware to take a look around. I have been in the store on several occasions and spent a great deal of money before and have never had a problem with harassment until Saturday April 11th 2015 around 3pm.
We began looking around the store at various items not to far inside the front door, I observed some archery equipment and didn't find anything of my interest so decided to move on to price an air compressor as my girlfriend looked at the Kitchen Aid accessories. We then moved toward the work boots where I tried on a pair of boots I had been recommended by a co-worker, when I was approached by a late forties to fifties gal who asked if I had any questions about the boots, at which time I replied "no thank you, I already knew what I was looking for." The lady just stood there and looked me up and down staring at me for about a minute or so and then walked toward the front of the store where she had a discussion with a few of her co-workers and all of a sudden we were immediately surrounded as though we were some sort of criminals.
It came to the point where we began to feel intimidated and threatened as to our safety because of the way we were aggressively followed around the store by multiple employees. It was clear that we were being singled out and profiled since we were the only people in the store of a Hispanic ethnicity, and the only ones followed around the store and harassed. Feeling very scared and intimidated we decided to leave without purchasing anything.
While exiting the front door, we were immediately converged upon as if to be forced out of the door. As soon as we approached the vehicle that was parked directly in front of the giant picture windows in the front of the store, we could see about four to six employees gathered by the front door writing something down on a piece of paper.
Upon speaking about the rather intense situation with my girlfriend she began to start crying hysterically asking "why did these people keep following us? Are they going to hurting us?"
After removing ourselves from the scary situation and realizing the seriousness feeling quite afraid and puzzled as to why we were just treated in such an unspeakable manner, I decided to call and talk to a manager and make a verbal complaint.
When I called a lady answered the phone and I asked to speak to the manager, at which point I was put on hold for a short while and a man answered the phone and said his name was Harrold Simard. (After some investigation we found out he and Judy Simard are the racist owners of Ranch and Farm Wholesale Supply/Ace Hardware) I explained to Mr. Simard that my girlfriend and I had just been in the store and that we had been followed around and intimidated and that they had wrote something down on a piece of paper as we left the store and I asked him why this took place and why were treated this way. Mr Simard then replied and I quote "it is company policy that we do this if certain customers don't ask for or need help while in the store."
I have this conversation documented by witnesses to the conversation as well as my girlfriend who was also a victim of this senseless discrimination. I informed him I was going to file a complaint and asked for the names of the people who were responsible for this group intimidation. At which point Mr Simard informed me he would not provide that information. After which he stated he wanted our names and where we lived. At this point I was worried for the safety of my girlfriend and I. Why did this guy continue to try and intimidate us? Why did this guy want my address? Why were we treated in such a horribly frightening way? Why were other patrons of the store not treated in such a manner? Why did Mr and Mrs Simard and their band of intimidating minions surround us like a pair of bank robbers because we didn't need assistance looking at store items that were very self explanatory?
BECAUSE THEY ARE RACIST!
This very serious problem needs to be addressed because this is 2015 in the United States of America, we are law abiding citizens who work and pay taxes and are a productive part of society.
No human deserves to be treated with such malicious discrimination for any reason.
Its sorry excuses of people like the Simard family that make us good hearted and hard working Montanan's look bad. Its really too bad because Glendive is such a good community.
Treat others the way you would like to be treated or KARMA may show you the way of the world you ignorant fools! read more
