Teenage boy arrested in Walmart racial announcement incident

[nonconformist]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/03/20/walmart.racial.remark/index.html?hpt=T2

(CNN) -- Police in New Jersey arrested a teenager in connection with a public-address-system announcement telling "all blacks" to leave a Wal-Mart store, a police spokesman said.

The 16-year-old boy is from Atlantic County, New Jersey, said deputy police chief John Dalesandro of the Washington Township Police Department. The suspect was arrested Friday in Atlantic County on bias intimidation and harassment charges, police said in a statement Saturday. He is in custody of his parents, police said.

Gloucester County prosecutors say that shortly before 5 p.m. on March 14, an unidentified male accessed the public address system at the Turnersville, New Jersey, Wal-Mart Supercenter Store. "All blacks need to leave the store," the voice announced. Store management contacted the Washington Township Police Department, which opened an investigation in conjunction with the county prosecutor's office, Dalesandro said.

Wal-Mart corporate spokesman Lorenzo Lopez said the company is "just as appalled by this as anyone."

<snip> more at link above...

[Bicoastal]

1. If the internet is any judge, a lot of kids and teens find racism quote unquote "funny"

...as long as they can do it anonymously.

Of course, those message board trolls might also be 40-year-old losers in their underwear, for all I know.

[upi402]

7. Witnessed a lot of racism on online gaming community too

Once in a while I play World of Warcraft with my kid we and see a lot of racism and anti Obama venom.

[BlooInBloo]

2. Clearly we don't want to be "oversensitive" and "rush to judgement"...

Obviously we have to wait for "all the facts to come in", and he should "be given the benefit of the doubt". After all, "it's not race, it's class". And no matter how often things of this sort happens, "it's just a few bad apples".

Oh - and "it's just a joke"!

[rcrush]

3. I'm so shocked

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bnymellon sucks]

5. Big Investigation There

Was it wrong? Yes
Was it worth spending tax dollars on an investigation? Absoloutly NOT
Intimidation and harassment? No

It was nothing but a tasteless joke. I've known people who been assaulted in NJ and the police turn around and say "we don't have time to investigate". NJ's justice system just sentanced a guy to 5 years in state prison for growing 10 marijuana plants. The marijuana was used to ease leg cramps from MS.

NJ is also the place where they'll spend untold amounts of resources ($$$) to bust someone selling a few ounces of weed. NJ IS A POLICE STATE!!!

[Jazzgirl]

6. And weed has what to do with this?

n/t

[mac56]

8. I'm sure I speak for others when I ask you:

what in the world are you talking about?

[uppityperson]

9. I'm getting lots of new buddies today

[meow2u3]

10. Some racist juvenile delinquent is behind this

He must have commandeered the phone from an employee.

[Crabby Appleton]

11. probably