The announcement, "Attention Wal-Mart Shoppers, Will All The Black People Please Leave The Store. Thank you." is thought to be a prank not necessarily committed by Wal-Mart employees. They are cooperating with the police to find the prankster, but lack of video coveradge means the prospects of finding the culprit are not high.
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20100318_Inquiry_into_racist_announcement_at_Glouco_Wal-Mart.html
""Attention, Wal-Mart shoppers," she recalled hearing the calm male voice begin. "Will all the black people please leave the store. Thank you."
Her shock turned to anger, Arter said, when more than five awkward and frightening minutes elapsed before management at the Wal-Mart in Turnersville came on the public address system.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is cooperating with the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office and Washington Township police, which are investigating the event as a possible racial-intimidation crime. More than 10 African Americans have signed a complaint with police.
...
"We're just as appalled by this as anyone," said Ashley Hardie, a spokeswoman for the discount-store chain, "and anyone who did this was wrong."
Law enforcement is examining surveillance tapes inside the store. But the P.A. system can be accessed from 25 telephones in the building, and not all are within camera range, said Bernie Weisenfeld, spokesman for the prosecutor.
The 24-hour superstore has about 700 employees, many of them part-time, and some of the store's phones are accessible to the public, Weisenfeld said."
Thursday, March 18, 2010
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I'll bet they wouldn't be so mad if they were wanted in the parking lot for some kind of giveaway.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't think a thing of it if I were shopping at Wal-Mart and they announced that all women should leave the store. Or all Baptists, or all white people, or all brown-eyed people, or all Johnny Depp fans. I'd laugh out loud and keep on doing what I was doing.
Minorities need to get over themselves. People everywhere are starving, suffering, dying for a little bit of love. Forget yourself and reach out to someone in need of your assistance and understanding. Then you won't have time to pay heed to public-address-system pranksters or anyone else who tries to get your goat.
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ReplyDeleteSo sounds like some of them left. Did the other ones not understand the instructions?
ReplyDelete@jenniferw - I am not sure that I would laugh out loud, but I may be mildly amused by some pranksters stupidity. Would also probobly take out my video camera 'like a good blogger :)'
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