Despite business owner's apology, city's civil-rights watchdog is investigating
of The News-Sentinel
Some of their customers’ actions, management says, were “alarming.”
But by targeting an entire ethnic group instead of the unacceptable behavior, an employee’s sign has
forced the Anderson-based owner of a local business to apologize and drawn the attention of the city’s
civil-rights watchdog.
“For sanitary reasons, there are no Burmese people allowed,” read the sign that was posted on the door
of Ricker Oil Co.’s coin-operated laundry on South Calhoun Street near Rudisill Boulevard – until an irate
passerby alerted the offices of the Burmese Advocacy Center, 2826 S. Calhoun St., and the Neighbor-
hood Christian Legal Clinic, igniting a firestorm of protest in the media and on the Internet culminating in
Tuesday’s apology from President Jay Ricker.
“Unfortunately, an employee responded to an alarming situation in an appropriate manner ... the sign in
question was removed, and we are exploring appropriate disciplinary action,” Ricker said in a statement.
“It is the policy of Ricker’s to welcome all patrons to its facilities. We are committed to maintaining a
positive relationship with all members of the communities we serve.” Ricker’s, founded in 1979, has
more than 700 employees and operates 49 convenience stores and two laundries.
Desiree Koger-Gustafson, attorney for the legal clinic that serves mostly low-income and immigrant
clients, said she was going to protest the sign, but its removal and the apology were sufficient for her
to drop the matter.
“Someone should inform (whoever wrote the sign) of the last few decades of civil-rights laws. Some
people still think you can do this kind of thing,” she said.
Gerald Foday isn’t one of those people, however. The director of Fort Wayne’s Metropolitan Human Re-
lations Commission said his agency may file a complaint, and could pursue civil-rights charges against
Ricker’s if an investigation warrants it. Sanctions could include fines, mandatory employee training and
other remedies, he said.
“You can sanction behavior based on health,” he said – but you can’t banish an entire group based on
the actions of certain individuals.
Ricker’s spokesman Jonathan Bausman did not want to elaborate on the behaviors resulting in the sign.
“We don’t want it to seem like we’re trying to justify it,” he said.
But signs still posted at the laundry in English and Burmese offer a clue: “No spitting! No betel nut!” they
read.
According to Koger-Gustafson, many Burmese chew betel nut, which is common in their country of Bur-
ma, or Myanmar as it’s called by the ruling junta, and spit the residue, which can result in red stains.
Bausman said Ricker’s has discussed its concerns about certain behaviors with Burmese advocates and
the Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health, and said other companies have expressed similar
concerns.
Health department spokesman John Silcox said there are “ongoing issues about what can and can’t be
tolerated” with newly arriving immigrant and refugee groups, especially in the area of hygiene. Fort
Wayne is home to about 5,000 Burmese – the largest concentration in the United States.
The sign’s removal and Ricker’s apology don’t satisfy all Burmese.
Kyaw Soe, who came to Fort Wayne from Burma in 1993 and is director of IPFW’s New Immigrant
Literacy Program, visited the laundry Tuesday and said he still considers it an unfriendly place for
Burmese.
“There were signs (in Burmese prohibiting certain actions) in every room. There were 22 in Burmese
to only one in Spanish. It’s nonverbal behavior that is non-welcoming. We need more education, more
cultural sensitivity.”
Those signs about not using betel nut apparently didn’t originate with Ricker’s, however. Koger-Gustaf-
son said they were provided by the Burmese Advocacy Center.
In fact, one was posted Tuesday atop the counter at the group’s office.
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