Attention Wal-Mart shoppers: the white, pointy hoods are now in Aisle 6

[Michael Echan]

You REALLY have to be kidding me with this. Some yahoo in South Jersey got hold of an intercom at a Wal-Mart a few days ago and requested that all the black people leave the store immediately. Authorities made an arrest yesterday.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20100320_Arrest_is_made_in_racial_insult_at_N_J__Wal-Mart.html

Could someone send Starman airline rates to Philadelphia, stat?

 

[part-timer]

As a very frequent shopper of this particular store, it doesn't surprise me. It was a store they converted to a Super Wal-Mart about 5 years back and they never really got all the security glitches under control.
Turning out to be a great week to be from Jersey :(

 

[dixiehack]

I hate to say this, but I don't see a crime involved, just an asshole.

 

[beardpuller]

Oh, I think it's a crime. And as a proud South Jersey resident, I'm glad they made an arrest.

 

[hondo]

So it's a crime for one idiot to pick up an intercom and say, "all black people leave story" (Note that he didn't use the N-word), but it's not a crime for a rapper to sell a million copies of a song that encourages people to kill white policemen.

 

[ucacm]

I guess this has to be some sort of crime for the unauthorized use of Wal-Mart's intercom system, right?

 

[spnited]

Those of us in North Jersey long ago ceded that part of the state to Delaware.

 

[Bubbler]

So it's a crime for one idiot to pick up an intercom and say, "all black people leave story" (Note that he didn't use the N-word), but it's not a crime for a rapper to sell a million copies of a song that encourages people to kill white policemen.

I hope you know I'm laughing my ass off at the Bob Beamon-like leap you're trying and failing to make to turn your point into something relevant to what happened in that store.

Oh and thank God you noted that he didn't use the N-word because that makes it all right. ::)

And for the record, I'm not sure I'd consider it a crime either, but why even give the impression you're coming to the guy's defense, Hondo?

 

[dixiehack]

I guess this has to be some sort of crime for the unauthorized use of Wal-Mart's intercom system, right?

A civil suit I could see. But criminal action? That's a far stretch.

 

[Hank_Scorpio]

I guess this has to be some sort of crime for the unauthorized use of Wal-Mart's intercom system, right?

A civil suit I could see. But criminal action? That's a far stretch.

Maybe trespassing, for unauthorized use of the phone. But even that is a big stretch.

If charges are filed, any halfway decent lawyer will get them dismissed.

 

[Armchair_QB]

The guy is an asshole and I would applaud if he got his ass kicked on the spot but I don't see criminal action here.

Unless being an asshole is a crime in New Jersey.

 

[dixiehack]

More like a residency requirement. (Hi spnited!)

 

[RickStain]

The category of crime would be criminal conversion. I'm not sure what New Jersey's laws are regarding that.

 

[Armchair_QB]

The category of crime would be criminal conversion. I'm not sure what New Jersey's laws are regarding that.

Conversion or conversation?

 

[ucacm]

Criminal conversion, in criminal law, is usually defined as the crime of exerting unauthorized use or control of someone else's property. It differs from theft in that it does not include the element of intending to deprive the owner of the possession of that property. As such, it is a lesser included offense of the crime of theft.

An example might be tapping someone's secured wireless LAN or public utility line (which could also amount to theft of services). Another example might be taking a "joy ride" in a car, never intending to keep it from the owner. Some places have defined such conduct as a specific type of theft, perhaps with a modified penalty.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criminal_conversion

 

[printdust]

So it's a crime for one idiot to pick up an intercom and say, "all black people leave story" (Note that he didn't use the N-word), but it's not a crime for a rapper to sell a million copies of a song that encourages people to kill white policemen.

Had Walmart found a way to make a buck off the former like they did the latter, we'd been given a spin of the former through a company spokesperson and nary another word.

 

[Mystery Meat II]

Maybe he told all the black people to leave the store so he could kill all the whites.

See, I like to look on the bright side of things.

 

[Point of Order]

Criminal trespass.

 

[Batman]

As a very frequent shopper of this particular store, it doesn't surprise me. It was a store they converted to a Super Wal-Mart about 5 years back and they never really got all the security glitches under control.
Turning out to be a great week to be from Jersey :(

Is there ever a great week to be from Jersey?

 

[Drip]

The kid can be charged with ethnic intimidation, which is a crime. The Wally World in question, like Part time said, has gone through some changes but something like this SHOULD NEVER happen. I'm glad authorities acted swiftly and arrested the punk.