News:

Long overdue maintenance happening. See post in the top forum.

Main Menu

Hey White Guys! (you know who you are...)

Started by Teatownclown, August 12, 2012, 12:23:11 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

Teatownclown

QuoteLawsuit claims black sacker, ban from Big Sandy grocery store violated customer's rights
http://www.news-journal.com/news/local/lawsuit-claims-black-sacker-ban-from-big-sandy-grocery-store/article_211e8217-acdf-5489-8915-8f6cc7900470.html

Posted: Thursday, August 9, 2012 4:00 am | Updated: 2:37 pm, Thu Aug 9, 2012.
By Sarah Thomas sthomas@news-journal.com | 41 comments
BIG SANDY -- A Hawkins man is claiming his civil rights and religious freedom were violated earlier this year when a black man sacked his groceries and a Big Sandy grocery store owner banned the customer from the business.
DeWitt R. Thomas filed a federal lawsuit in July against Keith Langston, owner of Two Rivers Grocery & Market.
According to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Tyler, Thomas entered the market on March 5 to buy food.
He stated in a nine-page, hand-written lawsuit that he told the grocery sacker, a black man, "Wait a minute, don't touch my groceries. I can't have someone negroidal touch my food. It's against my creed."
Thomas claimed the cashier was "perplexed" by his request and yelled at him to take his items and leave.
In a telephone interview Wednesday, Thomas said, "It's pretty simple. They treated me really bad because I told them it was against my creed."
According to the lawsuit, Thomas went on to explain he meant a black person when he used the term "negroidal."
The sacker, Aaron Menefee, said he thought Thomas was just kidding around.
"The first time he said it, I thought he was joking," Menefee said. "Then he just kept repeating it."
Menefee said once he realized Thomas was serious, he called for someone else to sack the groceries, at which time Menefee went to another part of the store.
"I didn't feel physically threatened," Menefee said. "I just felt verbally assaulted."
Langston wasn't in the store at the time, but his employees told him about the incident.
"I decided when I heard about what happened that I was going to file a criminal trespass against him," Langston said. "I just had to wait for him to be present so he could sign it."
When Thomas returned two days later, he noticed the same black man would be sacking his groceries, so he again requested the "Negro" not handle his groceries, according to the lawsuit.
This time, Langston was there. He called police to serve Thomas a criminal trespass warning. While waiting for the police, an employee locked the doors, and the lawsuit claims Thomas was "unlawfully restrained."
Thomas said Langston broke the law the night he locked him in the store.
"We were closing, and I don't know of a business that doesn't lock their doors when they close. It keeps more people from coming in," Langston said.
Thomas said he doesn't understand why he had to deal with the same situation twice.
"My question is, why after I told them how I felt and that it was against my creed did this negroid try to impress himself upon me and try to handle my groceries again." Thomas said.
Thomas said his religious beliefs are based on Vedism, which he said encompasses Hinduism.
"Vedism translates into knowledge. I am not this way because I am ignorant. Ignorance is the enemy," he said.
Thomas said he has not broken any laws and was exercising his religious freedom and the rights he has been given.
"White people are to be protected under the civil rights law just as anyone else," Thomas said. "It would be the same as if you asked that a congoid (a person from west/central Africa) not touch your food."
Thomas' based his claim that his civil rights were violated on that criminal trespass order. He also said Langston is wrong for trying to tell him who can touch his groceries and refusing to serve him.
"When I go through (a store) and buy groceries, those groceries become my property," Thomas said.
Langston said he is not trying to tell Thomas what to believe or how to live, but his store is a privately owned business.
"He was banned because he was using racial slurs, but he has turned it into a religious thing," Langston said.
Langston said Thomas would have been allowed to come back had he said he preferred to sack his own groceries.
"We have a few people who want to sack their own groceries, but it's not for the same reasons DeWitt gave," Langston said. "They do it because they just like to have their stuff bagged a certain way, certain groceries in certain bags."
Thomas said he is going forward with his complaint because Langston has no right to stand against what he believes in.
"If he wants to stand in opposition of who I am, then we are going to go forward with this here thing," Thomas said.
Langston said he wants the whole thing to just go away, but insists Thomas will never be able to come back into his store. He said Thomas told him he would drop the complaint if he dropped the criminal trespass.
"I've had several people say they would've touched a hell of a lot more than his groceries if they had been in line behind him," Langston said.

Must be a cracker to be my sacker! Geez Louise, Texans are weird....this could just  as well be Oklahoma, but here nobody would make an issue out of it.

AquaMan

Yeah, Texas, but the grocery store owner was a stand up guy and he was Texan too. So was the sacker who didn't whine or file suit. The guy is lucky the customers didn't get to him first.

To me Big Sandy has at least a few well adjusted, fearless, intelligent people.
onward...through the fog

Teatownclown

Quote from: AquaMan on August 13, 2012, 09:25:11 PM
Yeah, Texas, but the grocery store owner was a stand up guy and he was Texan too. So was the sacker who didn't whine or file suit. The guy is lucky the customers didn't get to him first.

To me Big Sandy has at least a few well adjusted, fearless, intelligent people.

For sure...I thought the same thing...hence, my comment about nobody confronting such behavior in these parts. You have to be extra careful what you say and do around these parts.

AquaMan

Quote from: Teatownclown on August 13, 2012, 09:33:22 PM
For sure...I thought the same thing...hence, my comment about nobody confronting such behavior in these parts. You have to be extra careful what you say and do around these parts.

I am surprised at some people's attitudes towards minorities in this city. Whether its religion, race or sexuality, people seem to feel empowered to say stupid things as though they are being clever or insightful. They don't even seem to care if the minority is nearby.

Happens on all sides though. I remember some people in our neighborhood that were hesitant to let their kids interact with kids that didn't go to parochial or private schools. None of that public school, mainstream religion trash.

onward...through the fog

Teatownclown

If I had a child, I'd keep it from mingling with anyone who has a tat.  :(

And parents should be screened to insure they are not DINO's. :D

heironymouspasparagus

I'm reminded of Sally Kern by this discussion...
"So he brandished a gun, never shot anyone or anything right?"  --TeeDub, 17 Feb 2018.

I don't share my thoughts because I think it will change the minds of people who think differently.  I share my thoughts to show the people who already think like me that they are not alone.

AquaMan

Once again I approach the placement of my Obama yard sign with some trepidation. I may have to tether my fearsome Silky Terrier to it this year.
onward...through the fog

heironymouspasparagus

#8
Quote from: AquaMan on August 14, 2012, 07:13:18 AM
Once again I approach the placement of my Obama yard sign with some trepidation. I may have to tether my fearsome Silky Terrier to it this year.


Don't blame you.  There are people in town who will come after you.

And no, I am not implying any of our regulars here - I'm talking the even MORE lunatic fringe out there - the REAL hungry, stupid, lazy people.... sounds like a reality show in the making.



"So he brandished a gun, never shot anyone or anything right?"  --TeeDub, 17 Feb 2018.

I don't share my thoughts because I think it will change the minds of people who think differently.  I share my thoughts to show the people who already think like me that they are not alone.

Breadburner

Quote from: AquaMan on August 14, 2012, 07:13:18 AM
Once again I approach the placement of my Obama yard sign with some trepidation. I may have to tether my fearsome Silky Terrier to it this year.

I'm sure he will piss on it too....!!! ;D
 

AquaMan

Quote from: Breadburner on August 14, 2012, 08:55:47 AM
I'm sure he will piss on it too....!!! ;D

Would make a fine TN pic. I may stage it just for you and your crew!
onward...through the fog

Breadburner

Quote from: AquaMan on August 14, 2012, 09:36:40 AM
Would make a fine TN pic. I may stage it just for you and your crew!

Awesomeness....!!!
 

Gaspar

Quote from: AquaMan on August 14, 2012, 07:13:18 AM
Once again I approach the placement of my Obama yard sign with some trepidation. I may have to tether my fearsome Silky Terrier to it this year.

Just pick up more than one.  I hear they're having a hard time giving them away.  ;)
When attacked by a mob of clowns, always go for the juggler.

RecycleMichael

Quote from: Gaspar on August 14, 2012, 03:32:20 PM
Just pick up more than one.  I hear they're having a hard time giving them away.  ;)

baseless innuendo...

In Tulsa County Democrat HQs they are charging $2 for them and can't keep them in stock.
Power is nothing till you use it.

AquaMan

I am prepared to expend three Silky Terriers on the project. After that I switch to pit bulls.
onward...through the fog