(July 20, 2013, (NBC Washington))--D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray conducted a door-to-door drug paraphernalia search Thursday afternoon in the Petworth neighborhood, but ran into a significant language barrier with a shopkeeper.
Gray, along with police officers and advocates for drug-free youth, traveled in a pack along Georgia Avenue NW sending a message to shop owners that selling things like cigarette papers and marijuana grinders won't be tolerated. Gray confiscated illegal items from two stores.
"That's illegal. You can't do that man, it's drug paraphernalia," Gray told one shopkeeper. However, at the first shop Gray visited, he encountered a language barrier with an Ethiopian shopkeeper. "How do you sell anything if you don't understand?" the mayor asked. "If someone asks you for something, do you know what they're asking for?"
The mayor became visibly frustrated with the clerk, who wasn't understanding his questions. "You know what K-2 is? You don't know what spice is? You know what synthetic marijuana is? You don't know what marijuana is either?" Read more from NBC Washington »
"That's illegal. You can't do that man, it's drug paraphernalia," Gray told one shopkeeper. However, at the first shop Gray visited, he encountered a language barrier with an Ethiopian shopkeeper. "How do you sell anything if you don't understand?" the mayor asked. "If someone asks you for something, do you know what they're asking for?"
The mayor became visibly frustrated with the clerk, who wasn't understanding his questions. "You know what K-2 is? You don't know what spice is? You know what synthetic marijuana is? You don't know what marijuana is either?" Read more from NBC Washington »
1 comment:
That is very offensive Mr.mayor.he doesn't have to know your "marijuana" because he is not selling it in the store and he grew up in the country where they have manner and ethics.also he knows everything what they sell in the store.About the English language,you don't have to intimidate him on the national media. Since you are the mayor you were suppose to encourage him to take (ESL)class..he didn't come and ask you welfare as a new immigrant.Infact he get hired at store to help himself and pay taxes. Mr.Mayor don't just go around the store with media to score political point. Go around dc check and appreciate majority immigrants do the hardest job which can't be done by locals. At the end you should apologize to the clerk and the community you offended. You need them more than they need you. Their population is on the rise
Post a Comment