Black car buyer described by dealership with derogatory term

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LUMBERTON, N.C. — A North Carolina car dealership has come under criticism after it used a derogatory term and posted it to social media to identify a Black woman who bought a car from the business.

Lumberton Honda posted a picture on its Facebook page of Trinity Bethune standing in front of a car outside of the dealership and a comment congratulating her on buying her first car, news outlets reported. But instead of using her real name, they called her “Bon Quisha.” While the dealership has not explained the mistake, it appeared to play on stereotypes of Black names.

“It’s something people use toward Black people as a racial slur and an offensive term,” Bethune told WTVD. “If I’m addressed, I should be addressed as Trinity Bethune,”

Tyrone Jacob, who identified himself as Bethune’s brother, posted a screen grab of the dealership’s post and called it “intentional, disgusting, unfair.”

“The independently-owned dealer posted the comment in question,” Marcus Frommer, spokesman for Honda North America, said in an email. “Honda strongly condemns the use of discriminatory remarks and we expect our dealers to uphold our principles. We are investigating.”

The post has been removed. A person who answered the phone at the dealership on Friday and refused to give her name said management is looking into the post.

Subsequent comments posted by people on the dealership’s Facebook page urged those who bought cars there to take them back.

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