Tesco Supermarket Accused of Discriminating Against Jedis

[Sam Fisher]

http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/09/19/lol-tesco-supermarket-accused-of-discriminating-against-jedis/

As if it wasn’t already hard enough out there for Jedis (what with having to contend with the universe’s most evil forces imaginable), now they’ve got to worry about getting harassed by supermarket employees. According to the Guardian (via Reddit) 23-year old Daniel Jones, who founded the Church of Jediism in England, was trying to buy something for lunch from a Tesco Supermarket in Wales when he was told to either remove his hood or leave the premises. Hit the jump for some more details and for Tesco’s amazing response.

Let’s back up for a minute here. A lot of you are probably thinking, “There’s a Church of Jediism?” Indeed there is! According to their website, the church was founded in 2007 by several Star Wars enthusiasts. You’ll also find links on the site to engage in Jedi training courses, but most of these links are broken or incomplete. According to Time in an interview piece last year, the UK government recognizes Jedi Knights as an official religion, after 400,000 people listed it on their 2001 census forms. Jones remarked at the time, “If the government says to us ‘You can’t do that because you’re not a true religion,” we can say ‘Yes we are’ because there’s more Jedi than Scientologists in Britain.” I’m not sure if Scientology is the religion you want to evoke in order to prove your own legitimacy, but then I don’t run my own church, so what do I know?

That all brings us to this current hooded fiasco. Jones recalled, “It states in our Jedi doctrination that I can wear headwear…You have a choice of wearing headwear in your home or at work but you have to wear a cover for your head when you are in public.” But when Tesco employees spotted a hooded Jones weaving through the aisles, they were understandably concerned. Did the ends, however, justify the means? Jones describes the way in which his civil liberties were ruthlessly violated:

They said: ‘Take it off’, and I said: ‘No, its part of my religion. It’s part of my religious right.’ I gave them a Jedi church business card…They weren’t listening to me and were rude. They had three people around me. It was intimidating.
​

Tesco responded, in perhaps the most awesome way imaginable:

He hasn’t been banned. Jedis are very welcome to shop in our stores although we would ask them to remove their hoods…Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda and Luke Skywalker all appeared hoodless without ever going over to the Dark Side and we are only aware of the Emperor as one who never removed his hood…If Jedi walk around our stores with their hoods on, they’ll miss lots of special offers.
​

Oh SNAP, they went there. Well-played Tesco. Well-played. Jones has made an official complaint against the store and is considering a boycott.

 

[DarkReflections]

he shouldve just used a jedi mind trick.

 

[VenomVsSpidey]

the force is NOT strong in this one..

 

[DarkReflections]

...and that is why he fails.

 

[SuperFerret]

Y'know, this is seriously stupid.

How often did the Jedi really have their hoods up in the movies?

 

[DarkReflections]

not that often. it wasnt a rule of the jedi code to wear their hoods up at all times.

 

[SuperFerret]

Then this kid is an *******.

 

[Manic]

That is kinda stupid. I can barely think of times when they did wear their hoods.

 

[Lightning Strykez!]

I've read it all now.

 

[Gilpesh]

If only he was a Jawa... then it would be discrimination.

 

[SuperFerret]

Did they put the Jawa Chow on the top shelf?

 

[Manic]

By the way, I love the store's official response:

"He hasn’t been banned. Jedis are very welcome to shop in our stores although we would ask them to remove their hoods…Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda and Luke Skywalker all appeared hoodless without ever going over to the Dark Side and we are only aware of the Emperor as one who never removed his hood…If Jedi walk around our stores with their hoods on, they’ll miss lots of special offers."

 

[Manic]

tsk tsk, Hype server.

 

[louiebling$]

By the way, I love the store's official response:

"He hasn’t been banned. Jedis are very welcome to shop in our stores although we would ask them to remove their hoods…Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda and Luke Skywalker all appeared hoodless without ever going over to the Dark Side and we are only aware of the Emperor as one who never removed his hood…If Jedi walk around our stores with their hoods on, they’ll miss lots of special offers."

Yea I got a kick out that as well

"Well Played Tesco....... Well Played Indeed"

 

[Casius--J]

Yeah I didnt get that either, I seem to remember Obi wan, Qui gon jin and anakin removing their hoods when they entered into a room for a discussion.

Where did this guys rule book come from???

And yeah Tesco's response was awesome lol

 

[Jennifer Walters]

Tesco laying the smack down on Jedis since 2009.

 

[Eggyman]

Club card points will be sufficient...~

 

[Ring Deacon]

Yeah the Jedi wore their robes a lot but they didn't always have their hoods up. They always took off their hoods when talking to some one or entering a room. And this guy calls himself a Star Wars fan.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

Tesco: You must remove your hood to receive extra club card points...

Customer: I must remove my hood to receive extra club card points...

Tesco: Now, try our Tesco's Finest crumbed ham...

Customer: I'll try your Tesco's Finest crumbed ham...

 

[Jennifer Walters]

And how sad is it that he's only 23 and he formed the English Church of the Jedi. Seriously, how much of a loser is this guy?

 

[Majic Walrus]

Seriously England this is the most ******ed thing ever. What's the big deal with a guy wearing a hood. Let him wear a hood if he likes to! I see no reason that he should not be allowed to wear a hood regardless of whether or not he's a Jedi.

I have a hoodie. When I run at night a lot of times I will put the hood up and keep it tight to my face. I will even walk into stores wearing a hood and sometimes even a hat too and I will purchase items. I never catch flak for wearing a hood and this guy shouldn't either. I'll admit that his excuse is lame, but really he shouldn't have to make one. He should be able to say, "I can wear a hood if I want to." and then just wear it.

Now the store certainly has the right to ask him to remove it, hell they have the right to ask him what color his underwear are and if they don't like the answer they can kick him out. In fact I think that a store should be able to kick someone out for just about any reason but I think if a store asks someone to remove headwear or a hood then they're pretty ****ing stupid.

 

[Jennifer Walters]

It's because it's to get a better/clearer look at your face in case you try anything. Retail stores automatically assume someone covering their face may be up to something, it's all about safety that's all.

 

[katie_girl09]

...I have a hoodie. When I run at night a lot of times I will put the hood up and keep it tight to my face...

Do your nightly runs include entering houses and borrowing stuff? Just askin' is all.

 

[chamber-music]

What would Yoda Do?

 

[Majic Walrus]

It's because it's to get a better/clearer look at your face in case you try anything. Retail stores automatically assume someone covering their face may be up to something, it's all about safety that's all.

I understand their reasoning, but it's ********. Treating all people like suspects isn't good. Why not just ask every customer that comes in the front to show them photo id, take their fingerprints and a blood sample. Sound outrageous? Because asking people to do something so that it can be easier to identify them should be happen to be a criminal is just accusing them.

Do your nightly runs include entering houses and borrowing stuff? Just askin' is all.