Tarot at Fry's Electronics

Posting my story of intolerance and discrimination for your consideration.

My husband, John Cutliffe is an employee of Fry's Electronics in Duluth Georgia.  They are celebrating their 25th anniversary this week and as part of the celebration they've hired a variety of entertainers.  On the list of approved entertainers was "tarot reader".  John saw this a few weeks back and mentioned to management that his wife is a professional tarot reader.  They wanted me so the details were worked  out and I was contracted to be there yesterday afternoon for three hours. 

I arrived more than an hour before I had agreed to start and began to set up.  There was a bit of discussion about whether I would be outside or inside.  I explained that because it was breezy and threatening to rain I did not want to read outdoors.  We compromised and found a shady, sheltered spot near the front door.  As soon as I started my first reading there was a sudden bit of activity and anxious looks between my husband and the organizers. 



When I'd finished the reading my husband came over and explained that someone had called corporate and complained about Fry's hiring a tarot reader.  It seems they were offended based on their religious beliefs.  I was asked to move out to the edge of the parking lot or alternately to leave without pay.  We countered with an offer to move inside to a quiet video conference area away from traffic and that was refused.  Assistant store manager Adam Hale told my husband in no uncertain terms that if I did not move to the parking lot I would not be paid.  

Other members of staff did the best they could to handle an unpleasant situation, however Mr. Hale was rude and inconsiderate.  Fry's could easily have explained to the complainers that I was hired as an entertainer and was harmless and easily avoided.   Instead they chose to persecute a person who was there in a professional capacity to do a contract job based on the complaints of a few religious bigots.  

Today I am told that my husband has spent the day explaining to his friends at Fry's why his wife was "kicked out of the store" as if I were the one at fault.  Not one single word of apology or explanation has been spoken to him by management.

Edit:  Contact information for Fry's and many other corporations can be found at http://consumerist.com/ .  I am removing the emails I had posted as Fry's have contacted me and apologized and assured me this is not the way the company would have preferred to have handled the situation. 

I appreciate everyone's efforts to make Fry's aware of the impact this had.  It was noticed!