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Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

By BRUCE SHIPKOWSKI (AP) – 4 hours ago

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. — A Walmart store announcement ordering black people to leave brought chagrin and apologies Wednesday from leaders of the company, which has built a fragile trust among minority communities.
A male voice came over the public-address system Sunday evening at a store in Washington Township, in southern New Jersey, and calmly announced: "Attention, Walmart customers: All black people, leave the store now."

Shoppers in the store at the time said a manager quickly got on the public-address system and apologized for the remark. And while it was unclear whether a rogue patron or an employee was responsible for the comment, many customers expressed their anger to store management.

"I want to know why such statements are being made, because it flies in the face of what we teach our children about tolerance for all," said Sheila Ellington, who was in the store at the time with a friend. "If this was meant to be a prank, there's only one person laughing, and it's not either one of us."

Ellington, of Monroe, and her friend Patricia Covington said they plan to boycott the retailer until they're assured the issue has been addressed so it doesn't happen again.

The pair said they were stunned when they heard the announcement and initially believed they had misheard it. But once the words sank in, they grew angry.

"I depended on Walmart for all my needs, because the store has pretty much everything you could want," Covington said. "But until this issue is addressed in a way I'm comfortable with, I can't walk through those doors again."

Officials with Wal-Mart Stores Inc., based in Bentonville, Ark., said that the announcement was "unacceptable" and that they're trying to determine who made it and how it happened.

"We are just as appalled by this incident as our customers," the company said in a statement. "Whoever did this is just wrong and acted in an inappropriate manner. Clearly, this is completely unacceptable to us and to our customers."

This is not the first time the retailer has faced such problems.

There have been several past instances of black customers claiming they were treated unfairly at Walmart stores, and the company faced lawsuits alleging that women were passed over in favor of men for pay raises and promotions.

In February 2009, the retailer paid $17.5 million to settle a class action lawsuit alleging racial discrimination in its hiring of truck drivers.

And the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued the company in May 2009, claiming some Hispanic employees at a Sam's Club subsidiary in California were subjected to a hostile work environment. That suit alleges managers failed to stop repeated verbal harassment, including the use of derogatory words, against employees of Mexican descent.

However, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has said the company has worked hard in recent years to show it cares about diversity.

Bill Mitchell, a former Walmart employee who was shopping Wednesday at the store, said that he was saddened to hear about the announcement but that "as a black man, I've heard worse things."

As customer Sharon Osbourne, of Williamstown, left the store Wednesday, she called the announcement "appalling, stupid and sad."

Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

What is wrong with that?

I don't get it.

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

Maybe the announcer saw the KKK approaching and was trying to save Walmart's customers from getting lynched.

That should be their explanation.

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

I work in Washington NJ, and I was thinking, "There's no Wal-mart there..." but that's Washington Township, I think that's in Union or Ocean County maybe.

I'd bet real money this was a jerkass kid wandering the store who thought it'd be funny. Back in 98 Jason Dale and I would go to the Wal-mart on 248 near Nazareth at like 3 AM (cause there wasn't much else to do after last call). We got thrown out when he started paging "Big John Thompson to Lingerie, Big John Thompson to Lingerie please".

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

4chan consistantly posts the speaker phone codes for most Wal-Mart locations. So yeah, Lying is pretty right on the money.

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

but no one mentioned any pools being closed because of AIDS...

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

Probably a joke. These two ladies sound like they want to sue so it'll end up costing Walmart money.

But come on! You have that opportunity and "all black people leave" is the best you can come up with?

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

Paging Mike Hunt, has anyone seen Mike Hunt?

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

Dave said:

Probably a joke. These two ladies sound like they want to sue so it'll end up costing Walmart money.

But come on! You have that opportunity and "all black people leave" is the best you can come up with?

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Yeah, I gotta say... I'm by no means "anti-prank," but that's just not funny. As stupid as that was, thank goodness they didn't announce that there was a bomb or something. That could have caused people to get hurt.

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

I would have done something like, "Attention Walmart shoppers! Today we have a Michael Jackson special. All little boys pants are half off."


An oldie but a goodie!

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

Just a real life troll who is enjoying the hell out of all the attention. I can't believe that this is the most email news story on Yahoo. It should be a non-issue.

The only punishment that would fit, is to have a hefty guy throw him out the front door and yell, "And stay out of the Woolworth's!"

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

Lying Bastard said:

"Big John Thompson to Lingerie, Big John Thompson to Lingerie please".

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I have finally found a name for my penis.

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

Rob King;356150][QUOTE=Lying Bastard said:

"Big John Thompson to Lingerie, Big John Thompson to Lingerie please".

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I have finally found a name for my penis.[/QUOTE]

Lingerie's a weird name to call your penis.

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

Appropriate in his case, though.

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

the ladies love Lingerie...

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

Heh, the more I think about it, the more Lingerie works. Ladies do love having Lingerie on them. Lingerie makes them feel sexy. Lingerie is fun to put on, but even more fun to get off.

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

I used to work with a guy named John Thompson. He was 6 feet tall but I wouldn't call him "big."

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

Stay classy Walmart, stay classy

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

ThatNickGuy said:

Heh, the more I think about it, the more Lingerie works. Ladies do love having Lingerie on them. Lingerie makes them feel sexy. Lingerie is fun to put on, but even more fun to get off.

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Unfortunately, lingerie mostly gets left on the floor when people have sex.

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

GasBandit said:

I used to work with a guy named John Thompson. He was 6 feet tall but I wouldn't call him "big."

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His son, on the other hand. You know, Big John's son. *grin!*

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

ThatNickGuy;356212][QUOTE=GasBandit said:

I used to work with a guy named John Thompson. He was 6 feet tall but I wouldn't call him "big."

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His son, on the other hand. You know, Big John's son. *grin!*[/QUOTE]

.

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

This just sounds like a FAIL in the prank department. Should have done something more creative. Racist comments are so 1950.

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

drawn_inward said:

This just sounds like a FAIL in the prank department. Should have done something more creative. Racist comments are so 1950.

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The prank worked very well. It was not funny. But it is on the news (fame) and it might get Wal-Mart sued (revenge of some sort.)

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

Apparently a teenager was responsible for the announcement.

A 16-year-old boy who police said made an announcement at Walmart ordering all black people in the southern New Jersey store to leave was charged with harassment and bias intimidation, authorities said Saturday.

The boy, whose name is not being released because he is a juvenile, grabbed one of the courtesy phones at Walmart's Washington Township store Sunday evening and calmly announced: \\"Attention, Walmart customers: All black people, leave the store now,\\" police said.

The teen was arrested Friday and released to the custody of his parents; police did not know whether he had a lawyer.

\\"This was an extremely disturbing event on many levels,\\" Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean Dalton said at a news conference. \\"Any statements like these that can cause harm or grave concern must be addressed as quickly we possibly can.\\"

Dalton said the case would be handled in juvenile court in neighboring Atlantic County, where the boy lives. He would not say whether the boy has a criminal record, citing the teen's age, and would not disclose the teen's race, saying that did not factor into the investigation.

The 16-year-old has been charged with harassment and bias intimidation.

Authorities would not say whether the announcement was planned or made impulsively. Police said they were also investigating a teenage boy who accompanied the suspect to the store, but the other boy has not been charged.

Officials for Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said the announcement was \\"unacceptable,\\" and Dalton praised the company for its strong cooperation in the investigation.

\\"We're pleased this matter is resolved,\\" Walmart spokesman David Tovar said in a statement issued after the news conference. \\"We have updated our intercom system at this store to prevent this from happening again. We again apologize to all of our customers and associates who had to listen to something so offensive.\\"

Although a manager quickly went on the intercom system and apologized for the remark, many customers expressed their anger to store management. Some community members said Saturday that they've heard reports of similar incidents happening at the store in recent months that were not reported to police.

\"We are concerned about that, and we're looking into these incidents. We want to work with the community to make sure these types of incidents don't happen,\" said Loretta Winters, president of the Gloucester County chapter of the NAACP.

Winters said she hopes the boy will get counseling and be educated about sensitivity so he can understand the consequences of his actions.

\"I'm assuming this person didn't realize how hurtful his comments were,\" she said.

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Everyone shocked that it was a dumb prank by a stupid kid, please raise your hands.

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

How much you wanna bet that the ladies in the original article are still going to try to sue Walmart?

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

Bowielee said:

How much you wanna bet that the ladies in the original article are still going to try to sue Walmart?

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Of course. It's the American way.

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

Paging Waldo

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

"Tits to aisle 7, Tits to aisle 7."

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

"Customer in pharmacy needs help with condom sizes. Customer needs help with condom sizes"

Black people must leave, NJ Walmart announcer says

"Atheists come to Jesus, Atheists please come to Jesus."