FORT WAYNE, Ind. — “For Sanitary Purposes, There Are No Burmese People Allowed.” No one was sure how long this sign had hung at a Laundromat here, but it did cause some problems recently.What caused a laundry employee to put up the sign was unclear, although a Burmese custom may have been involved. It’s common for some Burmese individuals to chew betel nuts and spit out the juice. Some Burmese customers were accused of spitting inside the business, according to a Fort Wayne TV station.The company removed the sign, issued a written apology on Facebook, and posted a YouTube video saying it regrets the sign and apologizes to all it has offended. The video also said the sign was put up by a local employee and that the company immediately ordered it be taken down when it learned about it. The company was also considering appropriate disciplinary action for the person who posted it.Things didn’t end there. The mayor invited Burmese community leaders and others to sit down and discuss ways to make the Burmese feel more comfortable in their new culture.
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