Wal-Mart Arrest Over Racial Incident: So That's It?

Is this what we, as America, choose to tolerate? Racism over an intercom system? According to cnn.com, "an unidentified male" accessed the intercom system at a New Jersey Wal-Mart and told "all blacks" to leave the store. Wal-Mart claims that they're working with the authorities to help bring this "unidentified male" to justice. What level of justice will this "unidentified male" get, though?

The term "unidentified male" does indicate that the male was not likely a Wal-Mart employee. Was he, really, though? How would a customer of the store just be able to walk in and access the intercom system without anyone noticing? Wal-Mart stores are usually too well staffed for this. Even so, how did the "unidentified male" know where the intercom system was located? Was he an ex-employee?

As well, what does the "unidentified male" tell us? First, it tells us that the male is likely underage because authorities fail to release a name. Too, it tells us that the male is likely white because the description usually includes color (like, if it were an "unidentified black male"). Or is this another piece of information that the authorities cannot reveal due to age? Besides, why would a black male tell "all blacks" to leave Wal-Mart?

So, what does this mean? The "unidentified male" did his damage. He humiliated an entire group of people, and he did it in a public manner (and he'll get noted in history for this at some level). Yes, the "unidentified male" has been arrested, says cnn.com. Even so, cnn.com reports that the "unidentified male" is now "in custody of his parents." Isn't this lenient treatment for a racial attack that he delivered in a highly public venue?

So, what's next for this young man? What's next for Wal-Mart? Will the authorities call this "unidentified male" to apologize? Will Wal-Mart lend its New Jersey intercom system to this "unidentified male" to apologize? Will an apology become mandatory? Will the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) address this matter? Likely, none of the above will happen.

This "unidentified male" will most likely receive a slap on the wrist (never having to publicly apologize), and the world will be on its way. We may never be able to squash racism. I ask, though, how can we squash racist acts if we clearly turn away from such acts? I say that Wal-Mart needs to call this "unidentified male" to publicly apologize over the very same intercom system that he utilized to deliver his racist command. Maybe, he would then think twice about doing something like this again.

Resource

cnn.com, March 20, 2010, "Teen arrested in Wal-Mart racial announcement incident"