Arrest at Walmart leads to charges of racism

[babsbunny]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-11-16-Missouri-race_N.htm?csp=24&RM_Exclude=Juno

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Nearly three years after Heather Ellis switched checkout lines at a southeast Missouri store and touched off what she calls a racially charged dispute with white customers and authorities, the young black schoolteacher faces a trial that could send her to prison for 15 years.

Witnesses have told authorities that Ellis cut in front of waiting customers at the Walmart in Kennett on Jan. 6, 2007, shoved merchandise already placed on a conveyor belt out of the way, and became belligerent when confronted, according to court filings.

[Skip Intro]

1. I'd be a little pissed if somebody pushed my stuff out of the way so they could cut in front of me.

Regardless of race.

[baldguy]

2. Would they deserve 15 yrs in prison for it?

[Realityhack]

3. The charges have a lot more to do with the belligerent part.

Did you consider reading the link before commenting?

"Police say in court documents that Ellis refused requests to calm down and leave the property, allegedly kicking one's shin and splitting another's lip while resisting arrest. Her trial on charges of assaulting police officers, resisting arrest and disturbing the peace begins..."

15 years is probably the maximum sentence not the minimum or mode. So IF that is how it went down then the numbers make sense.

From the sound of it there is more than one side of the story and hopefully justice will be done.

[Winterblues]

4. justice...oh you think they will whisk her away and torture her at Gitmo?

Isn't that what a good portion of America considers "justice"?

[Realityhack]

9. That was an uncalled for attack. n/t

[el_bryanto]

12. What a dumb comment. I mean really, that's pretty stupid. n/t

[ProgressiveProfessor]

7. That has only happened to me once and the person trying did not succeed.

They were incensed and got indignant. Some verbal abuse followed to which my response was laughter interspersed with some snarky comments. Security showed up and they were asked to leave. Kind of hoped they would be waiting for me outside, but no luck.

[Nye Bevan]

5. I hate when people behave like that and then cry "racist"

They are crying wolf for when *real* racism occurs.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

6. Great point

Every fraudulent cry of racism, rape, etc. weakens the legitimate ones.

[Bitwit1234]

8. They also said she told a customer to shut and hit her in the mouth

splitting her lip. She now says it was because she was black that she was treated that way.

If I am in line and a person only has a few small items and is in a hurry while I have a cart full, and they ask me polite, I let the go ahead. Sometimes I tell them to without asking. But if someone comes up and pushes my stuff out of the way, the cashier better darn site not take them first.

I was at a bingo hall where they had pull tabs. People were standing in line to buy and redeem them. Here comes this oriental lady pushes ahead of the line and lays her ticket down at the cashier in front of me. I told the cashier...You better damn site not take her ticket first. And then I pushed back in front of her and turned my back telling her to go to the end of the line. She then pretended she didn't speak English, while some lady yelled "you do speak English you pull this trick all the time when the line is long". So yes some people have nerve.

[Odin2005]

14. When I was at Best Buy picking up my computer from Geek Squad...

...and was waiting in line this lady came and tried to go to the front of the line saying that they told her to come back in 5 minutes. She got the wrath of everyone in line and went to the back. Though the woman didn't really seem that bright.

[geek tragedy]

10. She sounds like a violent asshole, not a victim.

Takes a lot to make Wal-Mart the more sympathetic party.

[imdjh]

11. LOL. I've never seen the two line strategy backfire so spectacularly.

[Odin2005]

13. This woman is a jerk, not a victim.

It's BS like this that allows the Right to accuse us of "playing the race card". :eyes: