Speak Farsi in an Apple store = no sale

An Iranian-rights group sent an open letter to Apple on Tuesday,  blasting the company for reportedly denying Farsi-speaking  Americans across the country the right to buy iPads simply  because of the language they speak.   

  The incident began last week in Alpharetta, Ga., where  19-year-old U.S. citizen Sahar Sabet claims she was turned down  when she tried to purchase the tablet computer, according to a  WSB-TV Atlanta report. Zack Jafarzadeh from Virgina claims he had  a similar experience at a nearby store in Atlanta.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47982745

I wonder, if Ron Howard could speak Farsi in an Apple store, would they sell him an iPad anyway?

@JohnAskew: Ha, I think some Apple Store employees are misinterpreting trade laws.

@JohnAskew: their store, their product, their rules,..

I've been turned down on multiple occasions based on my footwear, the fact that I didn't carry an ID and the fact that I don't have a membership card (which you have to get inside, but you can't get inside,...).

Not in the iStore btw,..

Just at McDonald's,..

Hygene is not the same criterion as speaking a foriegn language.

"No shirt, no shoes, no service"  !=  "Speak Farsi, look Iranian, no service".

That uranium-enrichment-centrifuge-software application suite that Apple just hardened against the Stuxnet virus and now bundle with their new iPad is likely why they are concerned...

socks and sandals are very hygenic!

14 minutes ago, Maddus Mattus wrote

socks and sandals are very hygenic!

I make fun of old men who change into shorts and mow their yards wearing black socks.

And the fact that you're likely a weirdo Euro sock and sandal guy makes this really tricky...

Speak any Farsi?

2 hours ago, Maddus Mattus wrote

@JohnAskew: their store, their product, their rules,..

American civil right laws say that in a publicly accessible place (an Apple store), even a private company (Apple) cannot discriminate against certain things: race (you're too dark, we won't sell to you), disability (too bad your wheelchair won't fit in the door), etc...

@Minh: Don't think speaking a different language qualifies as racism,.

languaism, maybe,..

44 minutes ago, Maddus Mattus wrote

@Minh: Don't think speaking a different language qualifies as racism,.

languaism, maybe,..

Although, I don't know that to be the case w/ the apple store

Maybe they chose to risk a lawsuit with an individual rather than the federal government.

6 hours ago, Maddus Mattus wrote

@JohnAskew: their store, their product, their rules,..

Yep. Don't like it? Go elsewhere. This wouldn't be the first time Apple have arbitrarily refused to sell someone a product, anyway...

3 hours ago, Maddus Mattus wrote

@Minh: Don't think speaking a different language qualifies as racism,.

languaism, maybe,..

The language you speak is one of the primary elements of the concept of "ethnicity".

I don't expect a store employee to be too familiar with law -- they're not really 'geniuses', they just call themselves that

If you suspect that someone is buying goods for illegal export, isn't it valid to refuse to sell them that product?  In terms of law I think they can get away with it, but in terms of being stupidly paranoid about Iranians I think they need to at least apologise.

Herbie

I have no use for an iPad. I say let Iran have as many as they want.

I could speak Farsi in China and preorder an iPhone 5 today in addition to an iPad for my centrifuges...

@cbae:1) iPads

2)???

3) Nuclear missiles

@GoddersUK: 4) Profit!