Racist Walmart throws four black men out of store for 'walking too slow,' one arrested

Since the advent of smartphones, America has become a laundromat - all its unmentionables are showing and people are beginning to talk now that all the cotton and lace is visible. Much the way smartphones have allowed the common practice of police brutality to be witnessed nationally and thereby condemned, so we are able to do the same with racism.

Though thankfully no one was killed in the video below now circulating social media, it is nonetheless disturbing and repulsive to witness thanks to those very same smartphones, not to mention the foresight of the fella to begin filming the incident in the first place. Somehow, coupled with the climate of endless murders of unarmed black folks by (typically) white cops, this video of a group of four black men being kicked out of a Pensacola, Florida, Walmart for "walking too slow" rounds out the reality and broader picture of systemic racism in the United States.

MTO SHOCK VIDEO: Walmart CALLS POLICE On Black Men Shopping . . One Man Was ARRESTED . . . Because Officer Says He 'Shopped Too Slowly'!! (This MUST Stop - #BlackLivesMatter#) - FULL STORY - bit.ly/1L2Epge
Posted by Mediatakeout on Friday, June 12, 2015

You don't have to be killed in the streets by the police for no reason in order to experience racism. It comes in many shapes, forms, and in nearly any degree. In this case, one man was even arrested for maintaining his right to continue shopping, having committed no crimes or behaved in a manner that would justify the store's request that he leave. Officers also threw his phone to the ground and broke the screen even though the man never resisted or struggled in the slightest while handcuffed.

The incident began after the four men had been in the store "a few minutes," according MediaTakeOut. One of the men, later revealed to have been in a car accident recently, drove one of the store's electric carts. Apparently, however, the store's manager felt the men were "taking too long," and rather than approaching them, himself, to voice his bigotry to their faces, he called the police on them instead, seeking to have them removed from the store.

The video clearly shows the men remaining calm, though somewhat indignant, as most anyone would be in such a situation. In response to being told to leave the store by a police officer, one man can be heard saying, "F*ck you," and good for him. He and the folks in his party are then met with a barrage of profanity and intimidation to leave the store. One of them is eventually accused of "showing his ass," which more than likely is simply a reference to sagging. All the men, naturally respond that no one was "showing their ass" and that they would not leave the store. In response, they are then threatened with arrest if they do not immediately leave.

Facing arrest, the men start slowly making their way toward the front of the store, arguing in disbelief the entire time, insisting that they were still going to purchase the few goods they'd picked up on their way out.

They were not successful, however, as the man driving the electric cart was placed in handcuffs, arrested and ushered outside by one officer as his friends followed him, pleading with the cop that arresting the man was unnecessary, stating over and again, "We don't need this!"

A second cop shows up then, also white, and shoos the arrestee's friends away, ushering them off into the parking lot to enter their vehicle and leave the premises while their friend is being arrested for nothing more than insisting on his right to shop in a public business.

As the men back off toward their car, still grumbling about the absurdity of it all, one of them yelled out:

"This is so racist!"

Unbelievably, the second cop on the scene yelled back:

"Yeah, it is! Take off! TAKE OFF!"

Later that same cop told the men as he stood waiting for them to get in their car and leave that it didn't matter what their argument against it was, Walmart had called and told him they wanted the men removed from the store and that's what he needed to do.

It is currently unknown what charges the man arrested has received, possibly trespassing, or possibly none at all. Perhaps they just wanted to get rid of him for the night and ran him through the mill only to let him loose. The system works in mysterious ways.

What clear, however, is that the entire scene and arrest was unjust, unless of course something occurred off camera before the filming started, though judging by the calm demeanor of the men and the shifty, lame accusations for kicking them out, that scenario seems highly unlikely.

And that's, racism, folks. Part of it. That's one example, and now, just like police brutality, we can start filming it for the world to see. In forcing America to look at itself, it becomes harder to deny the reality and compels us to improve ourselves. Through improving ourselves we improve our nation. This can be applied to anything. Sexism, domestic violence - you name it. Document injustice and let the world see all that cotton and lace spinning around in our communities every day if only to help folks see that no matter how much they like to avoid the subject, those unmentionables still very much exist.