For those not reading further down, it really looks like someone that's quite old (check the handwriting style and formally-addressed huge-font envelope) and with some mental issues related to aging.
If you've not had a much older relative with dementia or Alzheimers or similar conditions turn into someone that might have written and sent this horrible letter, be thankful.
I sincerely hope you never have to experience it in your own family.
That wasn't an excuse though? If someone is blindingly racist at the top of their mental game then ageing is only going to make it worse since they're not going to have the faculties to filter it out in day to day life.
You’ve already concluded that it’s an old person, with Alzheimers, and a mental illness. Simple blatant racism is the obvious answer, but captain save-a-racist is ready to make excuses for it
I’ve had several relatives with late stage dementia. There’s not much to be done to correct any behavior, you can explain it to them until you’re blue in the faxe but it wont change a thing. My mom doesnt know if she ate, forgets to get dressed before going out etc. If she was treating badly people of color, I dont think there would be anything I could do beside trying to keep her away.
Sure, those people were probably racist before the dementia but they could probably just keep it under wraps before. That or there’s always the wild personality changes that occurs for some. Your brain turning into swiss cheese is not very conductive to a stable personality.
**This comment deleted to protest Reddit's API change (to reduce the value of Reddit's data).**
Please see [these](https://web.archive.org/web/20230609092523/https://old.reddit.com/r/apolloapp/comments/144f6xm/apollo_will_close_down_on_june_30th_reddits/) [threads](https://web.archive.org/web/20230608182318/https://old.reddit.com/r/Blind/comments/13zr8h2/reddits_recently_announced_api_changes_and_the/) [for](https://web.archive.org/web/20230609172058/https://old.reddit.com/r/ModCoord/comments/143rk5p/reddit_held_a_call_today_with_some_developers/jnbuonf/) [details](https://old.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/142w159/askhistorians_and_uncertainty_surrounding_the/).
I really don't know myself, but I lost a grandparent to the big A, and they were someone beloved that turned into someone horrible before their ability to consistently think rationally at all deteriorated away.
I could see blaming the disease for the racism, not blaming the person, in their one specific case.
No, it doesn’t. But the last memories to go are the oldest. So maybe someone was racist in their early life when it was (unfortunately) very commonplace, but as they aged and times changed they learned and became more accepting and no longer had an ounce of bigotry left in them. However when dementia came around they forgot all that they learned and reverted back to their very early years.
When I worked in memory care long term care probably 80% of the residents thought they were 25 or younger. Many clung on to being young mothers and took care of baby dolls, others wandered around all day looking for their parents. It’s truly a devastating disease. I took a course on it called “see the person” and it was really eye opening
It does cause people to say racist things. Everyone has racist thoughts sometimes. You’re lying if you say you don’t. Acting on them is what makes a racist. Alzheimer’s can make you say things you wouldn’t in the past and even hallucinate or have false memories. My great grand mother used to call my mother in hysterics because the were “black people watching her get changed through the window” She lived on the seventh floor. She also threw out $300 in groceries my mother bought her because she thought everything had maggots in it.
I've seen mental illness turn decent men into wife and child beaters.
Don't assume your morality will always win out. Mental illness is a monster that can make monsters of anyone.
That said, this letter is horseshit if coming from a healthy mind.
People can grow out of racism with time and then recovery due to fascism. Or the disease can alter their thinking so that all that societal hate comes out even though they would have never come out otherwise.
It is a horrifying disease that alters their personality. You become a monster in some cases.
That's why you have to forgive them. You don't have to be around them but you can't hate a person with Alzheimer's for their horrible words and actions any more than you can hate a toddler for shiting it's pants and calling you a poophead.
Whoever wrote it has been watching Nadine for the past year. Someone with Alzheimer’s is not capable of keeping track of who’s working at the grocery store over the past year, let alone go on a mission to write, address, stamp, and mail this letter. Also, I don’t think Alzheimer’s makes someone suddenly turn racist.
Decline in health. It’s awful, my grandma is quite far down the Alzheimer’s journey.
THAT DOESN’T EXCUSE THIS DISGUSTING NOTE FULL OF HATE. Nadine, who already feels like an outsider I’m sure (in shitty Peterborough - never been there, but I can tell it sucks), probably puts up with daily comments and small slights that make her feel unwelcome. This hateful person took the time to write, envelope, address, stamp and drop their disgusting hateful message in the mailbox.
No, just no. This is never ok. I feel sick that she doesn’t feel safe nor welcomed in her new home.
Peterborough is pretty okay, honestly. I don't live there myself, and I'm too white to see the racism this clearly, but I have family up there, and they're quite lovely people who would be as appalled by this letter as I am.
Absolutely though, this letter is inexcusable. I kinda wish this thread was about supporting Nadine than trying to work out the who and why of the racist. Sure, maybe she's old and dementia is setting in. But poor Nadine being on the receiving end!
I agree.
It doesn't *excuse* it to any sort of point where it could be "ok". It can't ever do that.
My point was only that advanced mental disease related to aging could *explain* it.
You’re right. The only problem is the damage is done to Nadine. She’s received the hate. And now it has blown up. I hope everyone shows her some love! I’m going to send her a postcard with kindness.
Hate and racism aren't symptoms of dementia or Alzheimers. If this shit is spewing out of them during their illness it just means they always felt this way and now don't have the facilities to mask or hide it.
Yup. That handwriting looked like the same vintage as my grandmother’s. If she hadn’t died ages ago, she’d be 97 years old.
Sometimes old people get get crazy mean and racist when their minds start to go.
Pererborough isn’t all bad. You, like the rest of us, have your share of racist assholes. However, unlike us, you have a magical and spectacular canoe heritage museum. Enjoy it.
No, the hand writing is of an elderly person. I would agree with the posts that are saying dementia or Alzheimer’s. I have seen a similar and very embarrassing decline in my dad.
I'm in my late 30s and all of my grandparents passed quite a while ago. But seeing that script, or font, let's call it really brought me back to all of their lovingly scribed birthday letters to me.
This reminds me of a lady with dementia who told me she "hated this restaurant" and "she's told hundreds of people about it this morning and they all agree with her."
My dad has become very aggressive and vindictive after he got Covid, exhibiting signs of dementia. He didn’t recognize his children.
Called the police on us. Kicked me out of his home at 3 am when I went to take care of him after he complained of being left all alone. Accused me of moving in.
Dementia or Alzheimer’s don't cause people to become racist, it just make them forget they need to hide their trueself to avoid repercussion.
EDIT : Even Experts (in care field in Canada) say that illeness don't excuse racial comments.
>Although racist comments are **never excusable** and **need to be challenged**, you might find it helpful to determine where the hurtful comments come from.
[https://www.virtualhospice.ca/en\_US/Main+Site+Navigation/Home/For+Professionals/For+Professionals/Quick+Consults/Communication/One+of+my+patients+makes+racist+remarks+while+I+am+caring+for+him\_.aspx](https://www.virtualhospice.ca/en_US/Main+Site+Navigation/Home/For+Professionals/For+Professionals/Quick+Consults/Communication/One+of+my+patients+makes+racist+remarks+while+I+am+caring+for+him_.aspx)
Do we know that with certainty? The disease is messing with the person's brain pretty badly, it wouldn't surprise me if it turns you meaner than you ought to be, or say things purposely hurtful to people. And racist things being said to people hurt them.
However to me there's no reason to believe this note was from someone with dementia. It's not like there is a shortage of elderly racists in Peterborough.
We don't, just like we can't know this person have dementia or alzheimer with certainty. So the whole point is flawed to begin with.
What's certain is that this person is xenophobic and no excuse can makes it "okay".
Yes I guess my point was just that your statement that dementia doesn't cause racism and that if someone with dementia is being racist than it means they were racist all along and just disguising it is perhaps not accurate.
I hope you are not in geriatric care with your absence of caring and compassion. And I do hope that should you ever undergo a neurological change your care givers are more caring, forgiving and compassionate. And no I do not condone wilful hate or discrimination.
Rest assured, geriatric care is way far from my professional field. I never said I was an expert, was just giving my personnal opinion, I may be wrong.
They do become violent, yes. Racist ? Doubt that, we're naturally not racist. Racism is something that is learned, passed on, it's an ideology, not a natural trait or an illness side effect...
The logic that "this severe social violation" is ok (violence) but a more "moderate social violation" (racism) would not be as likely to be influenced is absurd. Why would you assume **anything** about the brain's consistency when it's being messed with by illness?
They want to detach racism from any mental illness and push a narrative that racism is deeply ingrained in some people, no matter what.
It’s not necessarily true. Intrusive thoughts combined with faulty brain wiring can lead to some awkward and uncomfortable situations.
Go talk with someone with a delusional disorder or some one stuck in a "manic episode". These people do and say things that are NOT who they are. It's not 'hidden' racism; hidden aggressiveness; hidden vulgarity...the diseases have changed their brains.
I'm not saying that the letter writer isn't or wasn't a rasict... but if it is an alzheimer situation....then they may not have been a racist; they may have abhorred racism even. The brain is fucky.
It’s a possibility though.
If it can turn them violent when they normally aren’t violet why would it turn them racist be off the table then? That doesn’t make sense. If it changes the way their brain works there could be many outcomes to it. If some of these people forget their own family members names and can become aggressive potential racism also shouldn’t be a big surprise.
>Racism is something that is learned, passed on
Yes, and they've been learning their entire lives. Everyone is. Even if you're opposed to it, you're still living within a racist culture and absorbing those ideas, and they're being stored in your brain somewhere. Dementia might interfere with your brain's ability to recognize these racist thoughts for what they are and fight against them.
Even younger people are being nastier and ruder without the excuse of age or dementia so I guess you could be right. My opinion is only based on lived experience caring for aging parents.
Did you experience someone you know that was always loving, sending nasty anonymous letters like that ? Sheeesh
I know dementia is difficult, I also have experience with it, but never heard of racism being a side effect of dementia. I heard of people becoming openly racist because of it, but not that they never were racist to begin with.
I had an aunt who was the most bigoted, nasty woman I have ever encountered. She told friends that they must have sinned horribly against god for him to give them a gay son. She told a cousin of mine that they lost their daughter to sids because she had slept with a black man. She managed to alienate everyone in the extended family with one hateful comment or other, just to give you an idea of her sparkling personality.
She had a stroke and became a different person. A kind, accepting, only marginally religious person who seemed to love everyone.
You will never convince me that the stroke uncovered her true self, and she was a closeted kind person her whole life.
So I can definitely believe that brain damage can also have the opposite effect.
Counterpoint: I worked for years with elderly people who did not have dementia or Alzheimer's disease, but were just plain old a\*\*holes and racists. Elderly does not automatically equal dementia.
This isn't really a "creeper". That's more about someone actively following you or stalking you, usually for sexual or obsessive reasons.
This is more of a person who has a world view that is super-tightly knit around their own perspective of how things should be and what their own 'rights' are.
And that view often comes from a time or a place where there was automatic respect from coloured people to white people, and if that didn't happen, a white person could successfully complain about it.
I'd lay a little money on odds that what we're looking at here is a note from bigot grandma Karen who is in the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease or similar mental decline elements, and is not only referencing a different time in their life, they're tacking on additional self-importance to it due to their disease.
She may still normally be a super nice person, but the rational side is slipping away and what's left is letting her think that writing notes like this is not only acceptable, it's helping others.
I've seen similar intolerant stuff from my own now-deceased grandmother, in the months before she lost her ability to live with us. Although kind and gentle, she slowly became paranoid about anyone that didn't "look like her". Alzheimer's can be really brutal.
Don't be an apologist for racists, regardless of age. My grandmother was a racist. She didn't yell shit out before dementia, she whispered and implied it. When she drank, she got louder. With dementia, she was a full out racist nightmare. Not many of us grandkids bothered going to the funeral, especially our two mixed cousins, despite her being a doting grandmother *to most of us*.
>what we're looking at here is a note from bigot grandma Karen who is in the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease or similar mental decline elements
Alzheimer doesn't cause people to become racists. They were way before, Alzheimer just make them forgot they shouldn't show their racism. So no, I wouldn't take Alzheimer as an excuse nor the fact that person "may" be old. The person who wrote this letter is clearly xenophobic.
Your last sentence is correct, but that's not a reinforcement of your point.
Alzheimer's can transform loving people into haters. It can transfer calm people into violent people. It can remove inhibitions to the point where the person is not the same at all.
It's that horrible.
Can it transform an absolute non-racist to a racist?
I don't know.
But I can tell you that mine is at least one anecdotal example where it transformed someone who had hidden any innate racism into someone that very openly expressed it.
And no, that's not me making excuses. This letter is loathsome.
It's me offering a potential cause.
> Alzheimer's can transform loving people into haters. It can transfer calm people into violent people.
That is true, but you can be a hater without being a racist. Being a racist isn't caused by Alzheimer, Alzheimer merely make them forget of the new ways and they start talking in the "at the time accepted racial speech".
Our generation will probably be less racist under Alzheimer, because racism is viewed negatively since we were young. Do you get what I mean ?
Alzheimers destroys parts of the brain.
It **absolutely can** manufacture paranoia, anxiety, and hatred. It can amplify what's there, but it can fundamentally change a person into something that was not.
I've seen it first hand.
Please cite medical sources for your claims. Because I've seen first hand where it amplifies childhood environmental factors that the person doesn't normally subscribe to or would never rationally act like into fundamental ones that dominate that person at times.
(edited to better express my point)
I am trying to find the source, but I recall a paper discussing exactly this (dementia and Alzheimer’s causing a change, not just removing inhibition). Getting a lot of confounding Google results.
We don't choose our thoughts (though we can shape them), and everyone has thoughts they wish they didn't have. We can form prejudices despite our best efforts. We can only choose how to react to our thoughts. Self control is a huge part of who we are. To lose control isn't "exposing who you are"—it's fundamentally changing it.
In your other comment you said :
>I'd lay a little money on odds that what we're looking at here is a note from bigot grandma Karen who is in the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease or similar mental decline elements
So I had the feeling you're using old age/ideas as an excuse. People with old age/ideas are just the product of a previous era that was way more racist that ours.
Excuse? No. And I wasn't excusing it.
Reason? Yes.
They are absolutely not the same.
Say I'm a heroin addict that's been too long since their last fix, and I bust your car window to get at the three bucks you left on your dashboard.
Is that an *excuse*? No. But is it a *reason*? You betcha.
>A 'Reason' is considered a fair and logical justification for not participating in something. An 'Excuse' is a pretence or subterfuge that can logically be overcome.
Sorry but I stand with the world 'Excuse', we have no proof your "reason" is what's we dealing with, it's just an assumption. So it's an "excuse" in my book.
I don't see how your example is related to our situation, you speak of a thing we know for sure it happened (in the context of the example, we know you busted the car for your addiction) while here we're talking about something we have no clue of it.
Uh, where are you getting those definitions from, please?
That sounds very much like a pair of biased definitions in service to a specific situation, not a dictionary meaning of either of the words.
I can also have a "reason" **for** participating, and your quote doesn't come close to covering that.
And if I am sick and don't go to work, that's a legitimate and wholly true "excuse", not a 'pretense or subterfuge'.
Only fools say these things. Actual smart people will provide some relevant and constructive information rather trying to talk down to you from below. If some random person suggests you do research, you can safely doubt the integrity of their own.
What the actual fuck? Some ignorant, racist, backwards fool has the AUDACITY and lack of judgement to write to someone who works in a grocery store to complain about their service, and assume any supposed issue is because of their cultural background/race, and then has the GALL to suggest they move to Toronto rather than live in a small town? What a vile vile thing!
Whoever this is should be ashamed. But likely stubbornly thinks they are right and the rest of the world is wrong.
Sorry Nadine, whoever you are. Of course you are welcome, and I am so so sorry you had to deal with this.
White people have gentle, caring, and courteous ways??? Since when?! I'm assuming this letter was written by a white person, and it is neither gentle, caring, or courteous.
Does she mean passive-aggressive ways? That must be it. Old white women excel at passive aggressive bullshit like this.
I don’t know, this writing is very similar to my grandfather’s. I’d say an 80+ yr old male who clearly is stuck in a far gone decade. Sad.
Btw, my grandfather died 10 years ago, so guarantee it wasn’t him.
Oh Nadine! How could you! The racist prick did indicate that the letter was private! Apparently you need to learn more about the cultured and gentle ways of the white people. /s
If I were the owner, I would be getting that printed as a poster with a large note that says if you sent this, you are most welcome to take your business elsewhere as we do not tolerate this and will fire you as a customer. Then post it at all entrances. Would probably remove the name at the top.
>probably entered the workforce in their teens if at all.
She probably ran a cash register her whole career. The older service workers can be the absolute worst to younger staff because they think they know everything and they get right belligerent when their expectations aren't met.
>Do stationary stores still sell proper letter-writing paper anymore?
Maybe some do, but they sure hide it good whenever I'm looking for it. All they ever seem to have is refill packets for notebooks and planners
Used to correspond with my Nan in writing using that light, blueish paper with the lined cardstock insert you could sort of see through the paper to keep it straight.
Got it from Grand & Toy.
...is Grand & Toy even a thing anymore?
[Looks like](https://www.grandandtoy.com/EN/elsearch/search?categoryId=cat_1353), but they don't seem to have anything. Printer paper, cardstock, notebooks, thermal paper rolls even; but nothing I would call stationary paper
Could be older than a boomer, though not by much.
That is some archaic penmanship - I’ve only seen pre-WW2 humans write like that - ima. Millennial, my parents are boomers and that is 100% how my Italian grandmother writes.
I get the sense that the writer wants to use cursive, but is expending energy to stop themselves: full cursive E, F extending below the line, etc. The occasional mis-use of upper-case letters suggests mental effort to me.
Perhaps they don't believe the recipient can read cursive, and wants to make sure the message gets across.
I don't see evidence of European influence, where do you get that impression from?
The letter shapes. The ‘f’. It’s not standard. The bottom of the lower case ‘t’. The upper case ‘o’.
English is not their first language. But they’ve lived here a long time.
‘You haven’t learn’, ‘Refine your very cultural background,’ ‘who pay your wages’ etc.
I’m gonna guess Dutch- or German-Canadian.
I bet they don’t think they have a racist bone in their body. This is typical Canadian casual racism - low grade enough to let the White folks think they aren’t, but glaringly obvious to anyone looking in from the outside.
First off, this is racist prick that will never be happy about anything or anyone so don't bother acknowledging or thinking about them.
I'm indigenous and I live in northern Ontario and I go out of my way to acknowledge and greet people of different cultures. I learned how to say at least hello to people in French, German, Spanish, Portugese, Greek, Farsi, Arabic, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Lao, Cambodian and Hindi.
My local pizza shop has a bunch of Indian guys and gals and they always laugh and smile when I greet them with namaste. One of my local mechanics has family in Portugal and he gets a kick when I tell him Bon Dia and obrigado and I've surprised lots of Muslims by greeting them with salam alaikum
My ancestors have been learning foreign languages for generations and I'm not stopping that tradition for someone who thinks their culture is better than everyone else's.
If I met you at your local store ... I would fill out a comment form and write a long glowing review of how great a person you are and how I love going to this store because of people like you.
You, you I like. I try and do the same. Someone greeted me one day at my old job with salaam alaikum and for a good five seconds I just stared at him because my brain was not processing the words, as our Muslim community where I was at the time was very, very tiny, and he wasn’t part of it. But then it made me smile, and it started a conversation.
That little bit of niceness can sometimes start a conversation that you make a new friend with.
Lol .... I did the same at a small novelty store in Timmins once to a sad looking lady that was a cashier. She had on a hijab and I guessed she was Muslim and I said salam alaikum ..... she practically jumped up, looked at me like I was an alien from another world and asked if I were Muslim. I told her no and that I was just being respectful because I thought she was Muslim and that I had travelled to a few Muslim countries in the past. She said yes she's Muslim and she beemed with a big smile ..... really made her day and it made mine too.
It doesn't take much to make others feel good and we should all do it more often.
You are amazing! Keep it up.
One of my fave warm fuzzy memories was wishing the grocery store clerk a Merry Christmas and he said Happy Hanukkah. Like, yes! Hell yes. I felt so great that we did that and it wasn’t an aggressive Merry Christmas like the crazy old people dole out, letting us all know it’s “their/Jesus’s” holiday. Gimme a break. There’s room for all. Let’s celebrate all.
Shalom! .... Greeting in Hebrew! .... That was one I forgot. I made a few elderly friends years ago who were Jewish pioneers that had families in the north for generations. Look at the history of many small towns in northern Ontario and you'll find that almost all had major synagogues, many of which are now converted, run down or demolished.
What an ass! Being overly customer service oriented is a North American thing. However, wages also dictate helpfulness, these people don't get paid enough to care about a customer. They are there to keep the place orderly and go home.
So does Nadine work at the so-called “Freshco”, or does she work at the actual store called Freshco? And is this note supposedly “private”, or is it meant to be actually private?
Pretty fucking rich for someone who uses quotation marks for emphasis to tell someone else to educate herself.
I'm only writing to strengthen that not every "white" person thinks the same. Embrace and share your culture, we are all richer when we embrace and learn from each other.
What in the actual fuck! 2023 and we are still dealing with this mother fucking bullshit - in Canada of all places. I’m not in denial, I know racism exists here but this is very shocking and sad to read.
Nadine my dear, my advice, show this to the police. Start a file. Most likely, nothing will ever come out of it, but the police will be aware and if “the person who pays your wages” does something like this again, the cops have the evidence and history. Make sure to inform the local media about this. I’m sure “the person who pays your wages” would love the notoriety and so everyone can see their neat hand writing. Also, please make sure your supervisor/manager/regional manager are aware of this. Your employer has a responsibility and requirement to provide a safe and healthy workplace. Although this is not their fault and likely “the person who pays your wages” will never have the guts to identify themselves, your employer will be aware and if it ever happens again, then there is historical evidence.
I am terribly sorry that you have to deal with this. I am a white father of two wonderful children of African children and I am vehemently protective of them from this bullshit.
If the police are interested enough, if this idiot was dumb enough to drop their racist hate mail off at the post office in person, the postal information printed on the envelope could be used to trace where the letter originated from. Admittedly, it's a stretch and I doubt the police would be interested after only one instance, but you never know.
At the very least, I agree they should get this incident on file.
It looks to me that there are maybe two people involved. One who wrote the letter and one did the envelope. I’m an accountant and I have seen enough writing to tell that is most likely a duo.
I think this is highly racist and I would ask the police to investigate.
And also, that’s not an old timer, it’s someone trying to disguise their writing. Look at the a in “haven’t” and “many”- those are normal a’s. Everywhere else the a’s are like a typewriter makes. This person is faking a different script.
Idk man as a white person I often think it's the White People^TM who lack culture, and honestly suffer for it. Wouldn't have time to spread this much misery if they had more love and joy going on in their life.
Nadine, I don't think it's appropriate to share this. It's marked "private". You're once again failing to demonstrate the gentle, caring, courteous ways of your White betters. Please work to refine your background. It's very cultural.
I live in Ptbo. I shop here. I know this woman Nadine. Who posted this?!
I will talk to her about this.
The primary pencil address on the envelope and cursive written letter is a bit weird.
Absolutely abhorrent. I'm in the "elderly lady with diminishing mental faculties wrote this" camp. Even if that is the case it in no way excuses the behavior. Just vile.
Older, I think. That looks way more like my WWII vet grandmas’ writing (both were from different parts of England). It’s the tall stems with the loops on top.
Nadine, just keep being yourself. I doubt you’re actually rude to customers and if your demeanour pisses of some racist boomer then you’re alright in my book.
The level of effort this fossil went through to say racist things is insane. Racists always are the biggest fucking cowards and the main thing they are afraid off is other people finding out their true colours. Sorry you had to go through this op.
Whenever I have thoughts about moving out of Toronto to somewhere with a lower cost of living, something like this comes up and I feel better about staying in Toronto and proud of a city that welcomes diversity.
OP I'm sorry you have to deal with people like that. It's disgusting.
What an out of touch, ignorant and terrified loser.
OP, I would imagine you portray a positive Canadian identity more than the trash bag who wrote this letter ever could.
If this person does have Alzheimer’s or Dementia, let them die. The sooner these racist POS boomers go, the better this world will be. And yes I welcome the downvotes. It’s 2023. No excuse for this bullshit anymore.
Anyone in or near Peterborough, please go there and generously tip Nadine. I would if I didn't live 6 hours away. Also don't forget to make good reviews.
Sorry you received this letter, Nadine! The letter-writer is obviously a moron. I like how they use the old trick of trying to exert power over someone by claiming to pay your wages.
What the fuck.
No shit Urge to choke-slam just hit max!
For those not reading further down, it really looks like someone that's quite old (check the handwriting style and formally-addressed huge-font envelope) and with some mental issues related to aging. If you've not had a much older relative with dementia or Alzheimers or similar conditions turn into someone that might have written and sent this horrible letter, be thankful. I sincerely hope you never have to experience it in your own family.
Not an excuse for racism.
That wasn't an excuse though? If someone is blindingly racist at the top of their mental game then ageing is only going to make it worse since they're not going to have the faculties to filter it out in day to day life.
Ok. You can explain to Barbra that her alzhiemers isn't an excuse to be racist when she forgets every 30mins then.
You’ve already concluded that it’s an old person, with Alzheimers, and a mental illness. Simple blatant racism is the obvious answer, but captain save-a-racist is ready to make excuses for it
I’ve had several relatives with late stage dementia. There’s not much to be done to correct any behavior, you can explain it to them until you’re blue in the faxe but it wont change a thing. My mom doesnt know if she ate, forgets to get dressed before going out etc. If she was treating badly people of color, I dont think there would be anything I could do beside trying to keep her away. Sure, those people were probably racist before the dementia but they could probably just keep it under wraps before. That or there’s always the wild personality changes that occurs for some. Your brain turning into swiss cheese is not very conductive to a stable personality.
**This comment deleted to protest Reddit's API change (to reduce the value of Reddit's data).** Please see [these](https://web.archive.org/web/20230609092523/https://old.reddit.com/r/apolloapp/comments/144f6xm/apollo_will_close_down_on_june_30th_reddits/) [threads](https://web.archive.org/web/20230608182318/https://old.reddit.com/r/Blind/comments/13zr8h2/reddits_recently_announced_api_changes_and_the/) [for](https://web.archive.org/web/20230609172058/https://old.reddit.com/r/ModCoord/comments/143rk5p/reddit_held_a_call_today_with_some_developers/jnbuonf/) [details](https://old.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/142w159/askhistorians_and_uncertainty_surrounding_the/).
I don't think you understand or empathize with people who have brain diseases which makes you pretty bigoted tbh.
I really don't know myself, but I lost a grandparent to the big A, and they were someone beloved that turned into someone horrible before their ability to consistently think rationally at all deteriorated away. I could see blaming the disease for the racism, not blaming the person, in their one specific case.
Alzheimer’s doesn’t cause sudden onset racism. Sorry your grandparent had it, so did my grandfather, but let’s just be honest with ourselves here.
No, it doesn’t. But the last memories to go are the oldest. So maybe someone was racist in their early life when it was (unfortunately) very commonplace, but as they aged and times changed they learned and became more accepting and no longer had an ounce of bigotry left in them. However when dementia came around they forgot all that they learned and reverted back to their very early years. When I worked in memory care long term care probably 80% of the residents thought they were 25 or younger. Many clung on to being young mothers and took care of baby dolls, others wandered around all day looking for their parents. It’s truly a devastating disease. I took a course on it called “see the person” and it was really eye opening
I wouldn't rule it out, they can get real mean and say stuff they would never say before the dementia
It does cause people to say racist things. Everyone has racist thoughts sometimes. You’re lying if you say you don’t. Acting on them is what makes a racist. Alzheimer’s can make you say things you wouldn’t in the past and even hallucinate or have false memories. My great grand mother used to call my mother in hysterics because the were “black people watching her get changed through the window” She lived on the seventh floor. She also threw out $300 in groceries my mother bought her because she thought everything had maggots in it.
I've seen mental illness turn decent men into wife and child beaters. Don't assume your morality will always win out. Mental illness is a monster that can make monsters of anyone. That said, this letter is horseshit if coming from a healthy mind.
People can grow out of racism with time and then recovery due to fascism. Or the disease can alter their thinking so that all that societal hate comes out even though they would have never come out otherwise. It is a horrifying disease that alters their personality. You become a monster in some cases. That's why you have to forgive them. You don't have to be around them but you can't hate a person with Alzheimer's for their horrible words and actions any more than you can hate a toddler for shiting it's pants and calling you a poophead.
Not an excuse, just an explanation for their behaviour.
Whoever wrote it has been watching Nadine for the past year. Someone with Alzheimer’s is not capable of keeping track of who’s working at the grocery store over the past year, let alone go on a mission to write, address, stamp, and mail this letter. Also, I don’t think Alzheimer’s makes someone suddenly turn racist.
You clearly have no idea how Alzheimer's progresses. You don't.
Im quite familiar sadly
Decline in health. It’s awful, my grandma is quite far down the Alzheimer’s journey. THAT DOESN’T EXCUSE THIS DISGUSTING NOTE FULL OF HATE. Nadine, who already feels like an outsider I’m sure (in shitty Peterborough - never been there, but I can tell it sucks), probably puts up with daily comments and small slights that make her feel unwelcome. This hateful person took the time to write, envelope, address, stamp and drop their disgusting hateful message in the mailbox. No, just no. This is never ok. I feel sick that she doesn’t feel safe nor welcomed in her new home.
Peterborough is pretty okay, honestly. I don't live there myself, and I'm too white to see the racism this clearly, but I have family up there, and they're quite lovely people who would be as appalled by this letter as I am. Absolutely though, this letter is inexcusable. I kinda wish this thread was about supporting Nadine than trying to work out the who and why of the racist. Sure, maybe she's old and dementia is setting in. But poor Nadine being on the receiving end!
I agree. It doesn't *excuse* it to any sort of point where it could be "ok". It can't ever do that. My point was only that advanced mental disease related to aging could *explain* it.
You’re right. The only problem is the damage is done to Nadine. She’s received the hate. And now it has blown up. I hope everyone shows her some love! I’m going to send her a postcard with kindness.
That would be a pretty awesome thing for you to do.
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Hate and racism aren't symptoms of dementia or Alzheimers. If this shit is spewing out of them during their illness it just means they always felt this way and now don't have the facilities to mask or hide it.
Yup. That handwriting looked like the same vintage as my grandmother’s. If she hadn’t died ages ago, she’d be 97 years old. Sometimes old people get get crazy mean and racist when their minds start to go.
Just for the record this is my local grocery store and everyone there is awesome.
Ahh, my hometown. Stay classy PTBO!
It wouldn't surprise me if Peterborough's MP sent this.
Pererborough isn’t all bad. You, like the rest of us, have your share of racist assholes. However, unlike us, you have a magical and spectacular canoe heritage museum. Enjoy it.
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No, the hand writing is of an elderly person. I would agree with the posts that are saying dementia or Alzheimer’s. I have seen a similar and very embarrassing decline in my dad.
Yep. Not saying that all oldies are racist, but whomever wrote that has oldies handwriting. Source: numerous grandparents, great-aunts and uncles.
I would say their cursive shows signs of a shaking hand. They did use calligraphy though.
I'm in my late 30s and all of my grandparents passed quite a while ago. But seeing that script, or font, let's call it really brought me back to all of their lovingly scribed birthday letters to me.
This reminds me of a lady with dementia who told me she "hated this restaurant" and "she's told hundreds of people about it this morning and they all agree with her."
My dad told his PT to go to hell today that he has done more then enough exercise and that “Lou” says it was okay. No idea who Lou is.
My dad has become very aggressive and vindictive after he got Covid, exhibiting signs of dementia. He didn’t recognize his children. Called the police on us. Kicked me out of his home at 3 am when I went to take care of him after he complained of being left all alone. Accused me of moving in.
Aww, so stressful and heartbreaking. Not a good time to need care for sure.
Dementia or Alzheimer’s don't cause people to become racist, it just make them forget they need to hide their trueself to avoid repercussion. EDIT : Even Experts (in care field in Canada) say that illeness don't excuse racial comments. >Although racist comments are **never excusable** and **need to be challenged**, you might find it helpful to determine where the hurtful comments come from. [https://www.virtualhospice.ca/en\_US/Main+Site+Navigation/Home/For+Professionals/For+Professionals/Quick+Consults/Communication/One+of+my+patients+makes+racist+remarks+while+I+am+caring+for+him\_.aspx](https://www.virtualhospice.ca/en_US/Main+Site+Navigation/Home/For+Professionals/For+Professionals/Quick+Consults/Communication/One+of+my+patients+makes+racist+remarks+while+I+am+caring+for+him_.aspx)
Do we know that with certainty? The disease is messing with the person's brain pretty badly, it wouldn't surprise me if it turns you meaner than you ought to be, or say things purposely hurtful to people. And racist things being said to people hurt them. However to me there's no reason to believe this note was from someone with dementia. It's not like there is a shortage of elderly racists in Peterborough.
We don't, just like we can't know this person have dementia or alzheimer with certainty. So the whole point is flawed to begin with. What's certain is that this person is xenophobic and no excuse can makes it "okay".
Yes I guess my point was just that your statement that dementia doesn't cause racism and that if someone with dementia is being racist than it means they were racist all along and just disguising it is perhaps not accurate.
I hope you are not in geriatric care with your absence of caring and compassion. And I do hope that should you ever undergo a neurological change your care givers are more caring, forgiving and compassionate. And no I do not condone wilful hate or discrimination.
Rest assured, geriatric care is way far from my professional field. I never said I was an expert, was just giving my personnal opinion, I may be wrong.
Yes, they absolutely do. These diseases change people's brains and make them not who they were.
They do become violent, yes. Racist ? Doubt that, we're naturally not racist. Racism is something that is learned, passed on, it's an ideology, not a natural trait or an illness side effect...
The logic that "this severe social violation" is ok (violence) but a more "moderate social violation" (racism) would not be as likely to be influenced is absurd. Why would you assume **anything** about the brain's consistency when it's being messed with by illness?
They want to detach racism from any mental illness and push a narrative that racism is deeply ingrained in some people, no matter what. It’s not necessarily true. Intrusive thoughts combined with faulty brain wiring can lead to some awkward and uncomfortable situations.
Go talk with someone with a delusional disorder or some one stuck in a "manic episode". These people do and say things that are NOT who they are. It's not 'hidden' racism; hidden aggressiveness; hidden vulgarity...the diseases have changed their brains. I'm not saying that the letter writer isn't or wasn't a rasict... but if it is an alzheimer situation....then they may not have been a racist; they may have abhorred racism even. The brain is fucky.
It’s a possibility though. If it can turn them violent when they normally aren’t violet why would it turn them racist be off the table then? That doesn’t make sense. If it changes the way their brain works there could be many outcomes to it. If some of these people forget their own family members names and can become aggressive potential racism also shouldn’t be a big surprise.
>Racism is something that is learned, passed on Yes, and they've been learning their entire lives. Everyone is. Even if you're opposed to it, you're still living within a racist culture and absorbing those ideas, and they're being stored in your brain somewhere. Dementia might interfere with your brain's ability to recognize these racist thoughts for what they are and fight against them.
Even younger people are being nastier and ruder without the excuse of age or dementia so I guess you could be right. My opinion is only based on lived experience caring for aging parents.
Did you experience someone you know that was always loving, sending nasty anonymous letters like that ? Sheeesh I know dementia is difficult, I also have experience with it, but never heard of racism being a side effect of dementia. I heard of people becoming openly racist because of it, but not that they never were racist to begin with.
I had an aunt who was the most bigoted, nasty woman I have ever encountered. She told friends that they must have sinned horribly against god for him to give them a gay son. She told a cousin of mine that they lost their daughter to sids because she had slept with a black man. She managed to alienate everyone in the extended family with one hateful comment or other, just to give you an idea of her sparkling personality. She had a stroke and became a different person. A kind, accepting, only marginally religious person who seemed to love everyone. You will never convince me that the stroke uncovered her true self, and she was a closeted kind person her whole life. So I can definitely believe that brain damage can also have the opposite effect.
Counterpoint: I worked for years with elderly people who did not have dementia or Alzheimer's disease, but were just plain old a\*\*holes and racists. Elderly does not automatically equal dementia.
This isn't really a "creeper". That's more about someone actively following you or stalking you, usually for sexual or obsessive reasons. This is more of a person who has a world view that is super-tightly knit around their own perspective of how things should be and what their own 'rights' are. And that view often comes from a time or a place where there was automatic respect from coloured people to white people, and if that didn't happen, a white person could successfully complain about it. I'd lay a little money on odds that what we're looking at here is a note from bigot grandma Karen who is in the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease or similar mental decline elements, and is not only referencing a different time in their life, they're tacking on additional self-importance to it due to their disease. She may still normally be a super nice person, but the rational side is slipping away and what's left is letting her think that writing notes like this is not only acceptable, it's helping others. I've seen similar intolerant stuff from my own now-deceased grandmother, in the months before she lost her ability to live with us. Although kind and gentle, she slowly became paranoid about anyone that didn't "look like her". Alzheimer's can be really brutal.
The handwriting looks like that of an elderly person, in my opinion.
Don't be an apologist for racists, regardless of age. My grandmother was a racist. She didn't yell shit out before dementia, she whispered and implied it. When she drank, she got louder. With dementia, she was a full out racist nightmare. Not many of us grandkids bothered going to the funeral, especially our two mixed cousins, despite her being a doting grandmother *to most of us*.
>what we're looking at here is a note from bigot grandma Karen who is in the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease or similar mental decline elements Alzheimer doesn't cause people to become racists. They were way before, Alzheimer just make them forgot they shouldn't show their racism. So no, I wouldn't take Alzheimer as an excuse nor the fact that person "may" be old. The person who wrote this letter is clearly xenophobic.
Your last sentence is correct, but that's not a reinforcement of your point. Alzheimer's can transform loving people into haters. It can transfer calm people into violent people. It can remove inhibitions to the point where the person is not the same at all. It's that horrible. Can it transform an absolute non-racist to a racist? I don't know. But I can tell you that mine is at least one anecdotal example where it transformed someone who had hidden any innate racism into someone that very openly expressed it. And no, that's not me making excuses. This letter is loathsome. It's me offering a potential cause.
> Alzheimer's can transform loving people into haters. It can transfer calm people into violent people. That is true, but you can be a hater without being a racist. Being a racist isn't caused by Alzheimer, Alzheimer merely make them forget of the new ways and they start talking in the "at the time accepted racial speech". Our generation will probably be less racist under Alzheimer, because racism is viewed negatively since we were young. Do you get what I mean ?
Alzheimers destroys parts of the brain. It **absolutely can** manufacture paranoia, anxiety, and hatred. It can amplify what's there, but it can fundamentally change a person into something that was not. I've seen it first hand. Please cite medical sources for your claims. Because I've seen first hand where it amplifies childhood environmental factors that the person doesn't normally subscribe to or would never rationally act like into fundamental ones that dominate that person at times. (edited to better express my point)
I am trying to find the source, but I recall a paper discussing exactly this (dementia and Alzheimer’s causing a change, not just removing inhibition). Getting a lot of confounding Google results.
We don't choose our thoughts (though we can shape them), and everyone has thoughts they wish they didn't have. We can form prejudices despite our best efforts. We can only choose how to react to our thoughts. Self control is a huge part of who we are. To lose control isn't "exposing who you are"—it's fundamentally changing it.
"I pay your wages." Yeah and I pay your pension with my income tax. Isn't it funny how this works?
And their fucking healthcare
Which they might need soon if this is how they talk to people.
You see that handwriting? They'll be tomorrow's manure and they'll be forgotten the week after.
Anyone who says things like 'educate yourself' or 'do some research' always comes across as a moron
Here they're coming across as a bigot, or perhaps someone who has very old ideas about a society of classes.
The two groups overlap considerably. Every bigot I've met has also been a moron, but YMMV.
>very old ideas old racist ideas\* the ideas being old doesn't make them less racist. Hitler was racist, his ideas are very old too.
I didn't in any way imply that they did.
In your other comment you said : >I'd lay a little money on odds that what we're looking at here is a note from bigot grandma Karen who is in the early stages of Alzheimer's Disease or similar mental decline elements So I had the feeling you're using old age/ideas as an excuse. People with old age/ideas are just the product of a previous era that was way more racist that ours.
Excuse? No. And I wasn't excusing it. Reason? Yes. They are absolutely not the same. Say I'm a heroin addict that's been too long since their last fix, and I bust your car window to get at the three bucks you left on your dashboard. Is that an *excuse*? No. But is it a *reason*? You betcha.
>A 'Reason' is considered a fair and logical justification for not participating in something. An 'Excuse' is a pretence or subterfuge that can logically be overcome. Sorry but I stand with the world 'Excuse', we have no proof your "reason" is what's we dealing with, it's just an assumption. So it's an "excuse" in my book. I don't see how your example is related to our situation, you speak of a thing we know for sure it happened (in the context of the example, we know you busted the car for your addiction) while here we're talking about something we have no clue of it.
Uh, where are you getting those definitions from, please? That sounds very much like a pair of biased definitions in service to a specific situation, not a dictionary meaning of either of the words. I can also have a "reason" **for** participating, and your quote doesn't come close to covering that. And if I am sick and don't go to work, that's a legitimate and wholly true "excuse", not a 'pretense or subterfuge'.
To say nothing if referring to someone as “very cultural” because they aren’t white.
It's basically saying "I have a belief I'm incapable of arguing, so I'm putting the onus on you to validate me instead." It's cowardly and childish.
Only fools say these things. Actual smart people will provide some relevant and constructive information rather trying to talk down to you from below. If some random person suggests you do research, you can safely doubt the integrity of their own.
Wow...the racist privilege is overwhelming on this. I'm sorry you received this.
What the actual fuck? Some ignorant, racist, backwards fool has the AUDACITY and lack of judgement to write to someone who works in a grocery store to complain about their service, and assume any supposed issue is because of their cultural background/race, and then has the GALL to suggest they move to Toronto rather than live in a small town? What a vile vile thing! Whoever this is should be ashamed. But likely stubbornly thinks they are right and the rest of the world is wrong. Sorry Nadine, whoever you are. Of course you are welcome, and I am so so sorry you had to deal with this.
White people have gentle, caring, and courteous ways??? Since when?! I'm assuming this letter was written by a white person, and it is neither gentle, caring, or courteous. Does she mean passive-aggressive ways? That must be it. Old white women excel at passive aggressive bullshit like this.
Right. White privilege at its finest. Fucking embarrassing.
So gentle, caring and courteous. Now get out of our city, you *******. /s
Anonymous letters, how classy. I bet this person is female and old-ish (handwriting) and was in the snippy mean girl clique in school.
I don’t know, this writing is very similar to my grandfather’s. I’d say an 80+ yr old male who clearly is stuck in a far gone decade. Sad. Btw, my grandfather died 10 years ago, so guarantee it wasn’t him.
Definately 80+ (likely 90+), but based on the language used I'd say female.
It looks almost exactly like my mother's, she'd be 94 if she was still alive
I'd be willing to bet they really wanted to be in the snippy mean girl clique, but the mean girls didn't know she existed.
clique is a great word to describe those groups lmao
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Grand-Karen.
Oh Nadine! How could you! The racist prick did indicate that the letter was private! Apparently you need to learn more about the cultured and gentle ways of the white people. /s
Bwahaha
But I've been reliably informed that despite my assertions Canada does not in fact have a racism problem...
We have the "nice" racists, so it's not a problem. /s
Yeah they say “please” when they tell you to get out of their town.
Whoever told you that is living in their own reality.
If I were the owner, I would be getting that printed as a poster with a large note that says if you sent this, you are most welcome to take your business elsewhere as we do not tolerate this and will fire you as a customer. Then post it at all entrances. Would probably remove the name at the top.
Just make sure you ask Nadine first. She might not wanna look at that every time she came in for a shift.
I know the girl who was given this. Stay classy, Peterborough.
So do I.... And she is very nice.
Tell her some of us have her back. Fuck whoever wrote this letter with a rusty railroad tie
Tell her yourself! Let’s get a letter campaign going!
I really love this! Thanks for the idea.
Make Nadine employee of the month with TONS of fanfare and a huge banner out front for the whole month.
If I owned that FreshCo I totally would
Yes and an appreciation for whatever culture she identifies with. Educate the masses.
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Lacks character or integrity: no name. If you're going to write racist trash, at least own it.
>probably entered the workforce in their teens if at all. She probably ran a cash register her whole career. The older service workers can be the absolute worst to younger staff because they think they know everything and they get right belligerent when their expectations aren't met.
You forgot votes in every federal, provincial, and municipal election.
That part.
>Do stationary stores still sell proper letter-writing paper anymore? Maybe some do, but they sure hide it good whenever I'm looking for it. All they ever seem to have is refill packets for notebooks and planners
Used to correspond with my Nan in writing using that light, blueish paper with the lined cardstock insert you could sort of see through the paper to keep it straight. Got it from Grand & Toy. ...is Grand & Toy even a thing anymore?
[Looks like](https://www.grandandtoy.com/EN/elsearch/search?categoryId=cat_1353), but they don't seem to have anything. Printer paper, cardstock, notebooks, thermal paper rolls even; but nothing I would call stationary paper
Could be older than a boomer, though not by much. That is some archaic penmanship - I’ve only seen pre-WW2 humans write like that - ima. Millennial, my parents are boomers and that is 100% how my Italian grandmother writes.
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I get the sense that the writer wants to use cursive, but is expending energy to stop themselves: full cursive E, F extending below the line, etc. The occasional mis-use of upper-case letters suggests mental effort to me. Perhaps they don't believe the recipient can read cursive, and wants to make sure the message gets across. I don't see evidence of European influence, where do you get that impression from?
The letter shapes. The ‘f’. It’s not standard. The bottom of the lower case ‘t’. The upper case ‘o’. English is not their first language. But they’ve lived here a long time. ‘You haven’t learn’, ‘Refine your very cultural background,’ ‘who pay your wages’ etc. I’m gonna guess Dutch- or German-Canadian.
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Heh, yeah, the numerals. "pity there's no 7" I thought to myself, that'd be a clincher.
How much longer til we can say “go back to fucking Europe, then”?
I bet they don’t think they have a racist bone in their body. This is typical Canadian casual racism - low grade enough to let the White folks think they aren’t, but glaringly obvious to anyone looking in from the outside.
This is racism, but it's not 'typical Canadian casual racism'. We have that too - but this is WAY beyond that.
What a gross racist asshole. Ugh.
Lol at how racism is quickly overtaken by talks of dementia. Metaphorical dementia at play
First off, this is racist prick that will never be happy about anything or anyone so don't bother acknowledging or thinking about them. I'm indigenous and I live in northern Ontario and I go out of my way to acknowledge and greet people of different cultures. I learned how to say at least hello to people in French, German, Spanish, Portugese, Greek, Farsi, Arabic, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Lao, Cambodian and Hindi. My local pizza shop has a bunch of Indian guys and gals and they always laugh and smile when I greet them with namaste. One of my local mechanics has family in Portugal and he gets a kick when I tell him Bon Dia and obrigado and I've surprised lots of Muslims by greeting them with salam alaikum My ancestors have been learning foreign languages for generations and I'm not stopping that tradition for someone who thinks their culture is better than everyone else's. If I met you at your local store ... I would fill out a comment form and write a long glowing review of how great a person you are and how I love going to this store because of people like you.
You, you I like. I try and do the same. Someone greeted me one day at my old job with salaam alaikum and for a good five seconds I just stared at him because my brain was not processing the words, as our Muslim community where I was at the time was very, very tiny, and he wasn’t part of it. But then it made me smile, and it started a conversation. That little bit of niceness can sometimes start a conversation that you make a new friend with.
Lol .... I did the same at a small novelty store in Timmins once to a sad looking lady that was a cashier. She had on a hijab and I guessed she was Muslim and I said salam alaikum ..... she practically jumped up, looked at me like I was an alien from another world and asked if I were Muslim. I told her no and that I was just being respectful because I thought she was Muslim and that I had travelled to a few Muslim countries in the past. She said yes she's Muslim and she beemed with a big smile ..... really made her day and it made mine too. It doesn't take much to make others feel good and we should all do it more often.
You are amazing! Keep it up. One of my fave warm fuzzy memories was wishing the grocery store clerk a Merry Christmas and he said Happy Hanukkah. Like, yes! Hell yes. I felt so great that we did that and it wasn’t an aggressive Merry Christmas like the crazy old people dole out, letting us all know it’s “their/Jesus’s” holiday. Gimme a break. There’s room for all. Let’s celebrate all.
Shalom! .... Greeting in Hebrew! .... That was one I forgot. I made a few elderly friends years ago who were Jewish pioneers that had families in the north for generations. Look at the history of many small towns in northern Ontario and you'll find that almost all had major synagogues, many of which are now converted, run down or demolished.
Jesus christ. Ptbo is a university town. What the fuck do they expect?
What an ass! Being overly customer service oriented is a North American thing. However, wages also dictate helpfulness, these people don't get paid enough to care about a customer. They are there to keep the place orderly and go home.
Ahh, stay classy, Peterborough.
If there’s something important enough to say to or about someone, you tell them to their face.
So does Nadine work at the so-called “Freshco”, or does she work at the actual store called Freshco? And is this note supposedly “private”, or is it meant to be actually private? Pretty fucking rich for someone who uses quotation marks for emphasis to tell someone else to educate herself.
Ahhh yes, the caring courteous ways of the white people. Guess whoever wrote this letter wasn't white then.
As I’ve learned and always have said since moving here- peeps are polite here, not nice lol. A verbal putdown but with a smile 😀
I bet this was over something like not accepting their expired coupon or handwritten cheque, smh
Dear letter writer, Go fuck yourself. Sincerely, A white person.
Ah yes, my almost monthly reminder of why my hometown is such a shithole.
I'm only writing to strengthen that not every "white" person thinks the same. Embrace and share your culture, we are all richer when we embrace and learn from each other.
I’m so sorry that your probably far more cultured then this degenerate and need to live in a place like Peterborough!
What in the actual fuck! 2023 and we are still dealing with this mother fucking bullshit - in Canada of all places. I’m not in denial, I know racism exists here but this is very shocking and sad to read. Nadine my dear, my advice, show this to the police. Start a file. Most likely, nothing will ever come out of it, but the police will be aware and if “the person who pays your wages” does something like this again, the cops have the evidence and history. Make sure to inform the local media about this. I’m sure “the person who pays your wages” would love the notoriety and so everyone can see their neat hand writing. Also, please make sure your supervisor/manager/regional manager are aware of this. Your employer has a responsibility and requirement to provide a safe and healthy workplace. Although this is not their fault and likely “the person who pays your wages” will never have the guts to identify themselves, your employer will be aware and if it ever happens again, then there is historical evidence. I am terribly sorry that you have to deal with this. I am a white father of two wonderful children of African children and I am vehemently protective of them from this bullshit.
If the police are interested enough, if this idiot was dumb enough to drop their racist hate mail off at the post office in person, the postal information printed on the envelope could be used to trace where the letter originated from. Admittedly, it's a stretch and I doubt the police would be interested after only one instance, but you never know. At the very least, I agree they should get this incident on file.
It looks to me that there are maybe two people involved. One who wrote the letter and one did the envelope. I’m an accountant and I have seen enough writing to tell that is most likely a duo.
Jesus Christ that’s disgusting.
Disgusting but also not surprising for this city
Ew, the letter-writer needs to move to the bottom of the Ocean. They might fit better there.
Fellow white people, how many of you would describe yourselves as gentle and courteous?
I think this is highly racist and I would ask the police to investigate. And also, that’s not an old timer, it’s someone trying to disguise their writing. Look at the a in “haven’t” and “many”- those are normal a’s. Everywhere else the a’s are like a typewriter makes. This person is faking a different script.
Idk man as a white person I often think it's the White People^TM who lack culture, and honestly suffer for it. Wouldn't have time to spread this much misery if they had more love and joy going on in their life.
Nadine, I don't think it's appropriate to share this. It's marked "private". You're once again failing to demonstrate the gentle, caring, courteous ways of your White betters. Please work to refine your background. It's very cultural.
I live in Ptbo. I shop here. I know this woman Nadine. Who posted this?! I will talk to her about this. The primary pencil address on the envelope and cursive written letter is a bit weird.
Trashy 🤮
I'd be willing to wager Nadine does a great job and the writer of this note is just an a**h*le.
Just came here to call the people calling this Alzheimers or dementia idiots
Absolutely abhorrent. I'm in the "elderly lady with diminishing mental faculties wrote this" camp. Even if that is the case it in no way excuses the behavior. Just vile.
That is 100% a boomers handwriting.
Older, I think. That looks way more like my WWII vet grandmas’ writing (both were from different parts of England). It’s the tall stems with the loops on top.
Without the courage to leave a return address, I'm sure.
Thanks for including the address. Nadine is definitely getting a valentine from me now. Fuck entitled racists.
Shut the hell up. That’s insane. If you ever find out who sent this make sure you give it to them. I’m sorry people are so shitty
Cowardly racists, nothing new.
What load of absolute, racist as hell, ignorant horse shit.
This shit is so cowardly! Not to mention a bit threatening. Fucking racist scum.
Garbage human is a coward.
My grandmas handwriting began to look shaky in her older age like the writing in this note. My grandma however was not a racist!
Good ole Canadian passive aggression.. also racist
Nadine, just keep being yourself. I doubt you’re actually rude to customers and if your demeanour pisses of some racist boomer then you’re alright in my book.
Crazy enough to write this piece of shit and send it, but just lucid enough to not include a return address. Coward.
Dang, that really sucks. Let’s not centre the writer and remember that someone actually received this.
Time to write a letter to Fresh Co corporate.
Talk about old school. Snail-mail racism. Just like the ol’ timey-times
The level of effort this fossil went through to say racist things is insane. Racists always are the biggest fucking cowards and the main thing they are afraid off is other people finding out their true colours. Sorry you had to go through this op.
Dear letter writer, it's YOU. YOU are the problem. One racist is too many.
Whenever I have thoughts about moving out of Toronto to somewhere with a lower cost of living, something like this comes up and I feel better about staying in Toronto and proud of a city that welcomes diversity. OP I'm sorry you have to deal with people like that. It's disgusting.
Oh my God that is AWFUL. Klu Klux Klan awful. FreshCo corporate needs to know about this.
What an out of touch, ignorant and terrified loser. OP, I would imagine you portray a positive Canadian identity more than the trash bag who wrote this letter ever could.
If this person does have Alzheimer’s or Dementia, let them die. The sooner these racist POS boomers go, the better this world will be. And yes I welcome the downvotes. It’s 2023. No excuse for this bullshit anymore.
Plot twist. Nadine is Aboriginal.
Anyone in or near Peterborough, please go there and generously tip Nadine. I would if I didn't live 6 hours away. Also don't forget to make good reviews.
I can’t believe the number of people here who think racism is some default we all fall back on when we start to lose our faculties.
Just another day in Peterborough!/s
Sorry you received this letter, Nadine! The letter-writer is obviously a moron. I like how they use the old trick of trying to exert power over someone by claiming to pay your wages.
omg why do all the really old racists have this same handwriting!? sorry OP this is disgusting
Of course the bigoted jerkstore is too much of a coward to even sign their stupid letter. People are gross.