A Walmart in North Las Vegas has come under fire for what many local shoppers are calling a racist display in its store. The location, which was on Lake Mead Boulevard and Rancho Drive, hung clothing from the ceiling with neon green chains. While the Walmart location insisted it was just a failed marketing attempt to sell more clothes, many shoppers felt that the Arkansas-based store was trying to send another message about who is and who is not welcomed to shop their aisles.
The display reminded many shoppers of a lynching. The Walmart store had used four black outfits in their ceiling hanging display, which sent a message to the African-American shoppers in the area. However, the reaction to the display has been mixed as some people took it to simply be a bad marketing stunt and not a racist attack on black Americans.
Action News took photos of the offensive display and shared the images with people across the Las Vegas area to get their reactions. The responses to the hanging display were mixed.
One man pointed out directly why the display was offensive: “Four black items hanging from the ceiling as if they were four black people.”
Another person seconded that man’s assumption saying that the display looked like “people hanging from the ceiling.”
Whether or not Walmart had a racist intent when creating the display, it was disturbing enough to take it down. Who wants to think that Walmart is hanging people from the ceiling no matter the color of their skin? It’s just a disturbing way to try to sell clothes to the masses of people who flock to the stores for their good prices.
Another person said that the Walmart display looked like “mannequins of people hanging from the top of the roof.”
In other words, it was weird and unnecessary. And it shocked people who walked into the store.
Some people thought that it was a Halloween decoration that had been forgotten.
“Halloween’s gone, but you still have four black figures hanging from the ceiling,” one person told Action News. Clearly, this display was alarming for people in the North Las Vegas store.
Walmart took the display down on Thursday. However, not everyone took it to be racist or even offensive.
“I see someone walking through the apparel section of Walmart.”
Another person did not even notice the black figures hanging from the Walmart ceiling, “Looks like prices and racks of clothes.”
Walmart has remained silent on the issue, which is never a good sign from a company like that. It means that they don’t want to address the concerns of the public head-on. That either means the display was intentional or that the company does not see the harm in it but does not want to say so. With customers offended and terrified in the way that they were, Walmart should at least offer a statement clarifying what the display was and why they decided to hang black figures from the rafters.
What do you think?
Gimme a fricking break. Does Walmart normally promote merchandise this way? So tired of this playing dumb routine . It is exactly what it looks like. Offensive, racist, unacceptable.
I think people are just way too sensitive!! Not EVERYTHING is about race!! C-Mon Man!!
I think people are just way too willing to pretend racism isn't as widespread as it is. And people are hurt and die because of that wilful ignorance.
Racism is not widespread at all, especially not in the USA. Now, there is widespread hate in this country. Stoked by Democrats and their four year hate rampage against sanity and anything that hurts their feelings.
Were they nooses?
Chains I believe. Neon Green
I don't see color I see actions. People do need to stop being
So sensitive. I see a stupid display. What makes everyone think its clothing for one race over another? I mean seriously, have you seen the way individuals of all race dress? Clothing is clothing. Maybe it's just me but everyone losing their minds these days. Is Walmart stupid? Yeah! Racist, I don't believe that. People just helping them get free publicity. Lord help us all.
For sure! They should just be asked to take it down. So stupid.
Gimme a break! It doesn’t matter how people see it or feel about something. Everything is Racist now! Everything that can be sued for is being sued over. If any other person besides a African American is involved they better watch out! Don’t say, do or touch anything because there are 100 phones taping everything and it’s all one sided. I have never been racist but fairly quickly starting to see how some one might!
Why doesn't Trump just grow up. He lost and that is that. What if everyone who ever lost at something acted as babyish as him. What a screwed up world this would be. Lets look at some of the things he lied about while he was in office. The one that stuck with me the most was when he said everyone should treat him like a dictator ship. Well I be dead before I'll bow down to a lowlife liar. My dear Lord tells me there is a place in hell for liars and Trump has lied more than any president that has ever help that office. He compares himself to Abraham Lincoln well let me tell you Abraham Lincoln was a very honest person next to him..
Replying to Jay. What on earth does this have to do with Trump? You must have been reading something else. And, you also need to get your info from other sources.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmuAB5MqP0Y&list=PL3v-jgkGW3W4sBLR4w8QvjVrDJZ-6GLpW&index=3&t=0s He has lied for decades, he also supports things that Christians shouldn't; how about the Commandments "Thou Shalt not Kill" "Thou shalt not covet, steal etc.?" and Biden supports Abortion, that falls under "Thou Shalt not Kill", for theft, he stole millions to support countries that want to attack and burn the USA, along with the Clintions, Obamas etc. and if you notice Trump doesn't support Abortion. Or the countries that want to attack the USA, instead he sent troops there to defeat THEM! How about lower gas prices? They were low when Trump was in office. How about Voter Fraud? Did you know that there were dead people voting for Biden? DEAD PEOPLE?! Did you also know that Biden's money is the reason why his son isn't in prison for fraud, thefts, and possibly treason or God knows what else? If your a Christian then you wouldn't support murder, theft, and a whole bunch of other insane things Biden does. How about the fact he has been caught many times on camera being perverted to women and young girls with the hair touching, arm touching etc. and you can clearly see they are uncomfortable! https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/3/29/18241598/joe-biden-lucy-flores-touching-women-media-history-explained https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAUOurZIVfI. And then there is this https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.westernjournal.com%2Fmichigan-recount-confirms-trump-won-county-went-biden%2F%3Futm_source%3Dfacebook%26utm_medium%3Dconservativetribune%26utm_content%3D2020-12-19%26utm_campaign%3Dstoryfeedfb%26fbclid%3DIwAR3vQi3UbzUwl42ysJyqv5dZGbU9WZoVB4jNKviMMFqsCxR7mrz1TyKPQIw&h=AT0h3AkZl2Li-vDBF0BheyYSSmscudLdF7yF8yDd-gsU-hCqGL2oENiLjsUBT544dExCybn9d8FkYl2t3aRfNl8Mg4gsCcMp_mPR35uQoAbkUSFrZgSIqNJl-_nixURQZa_q&__tn__=%2CmH-R&c%5B0%5D=AT2JxTx0XGgjfk1PnSlMybYCmYjlztl0CHuULTw2Vf1g-hrbJs6Y6lpdxAlPHu6PqI4vOUvod0O-ThS9M7a0xELVUoo_x0NmUyoD7pTwtaU5kBYgKqIPI2wA6gKlIk17kwjRY6xZzpFoRdmfkPaQtxquxYY
You are mistaken about President Trump!! Obama is the President that told all the lies
Hallelujah someone that actually is educated and looks for the TRUTH..!!
How did President Trump get drawn into this mess..Seriously??!! I can't wait to the truth finally is revealed.. Father God help us all!!??
Totally agree! Everyone needs to stop reading so much into everything they see. Walmart is stupid but that is America. Stupid people doing stupid stuff.
They have the money to fight law suits so if you think about it, it's not really a bad marketing attempt. They are getting everyone to talk about it. Good or bad, its publicity. I hate everything about Walmart but I don't think it was honestly meant to be racial. It looks stupid as well.
If phones are taping situations, wouldn't that be a good thing because everyone can see and hear Exactly what is occurring vs. a time when it was just one person's word against another with no way to prove the truth. Thank the Lord for technology that allows people to show and prove what is being said and done to citizens.
Understand the concern for older black Americans who had to live through the turmoil era of lynchings in the south. I’m sure it’s not Walmart’s intention to offend anyone, also, they can’t control what their store managers do in their attempts to ramp up their product sales.
I don’t know why the associates involved thought this would be a good idea. In my opinion it would seem most alarming to someone who has lost a loved one to suicide by hanging.. I think someone in the department was looking for an innovative way to present women’s apparel and they didn’t think it through. However, to say they are “black figures” and were intentionally put up to resemble lynching is a big stretch. Do you honestly think any retailer would risk all the lost business by deliberately putting up a racist display?
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Unlike Trump's defeat of Hillary in '16, there has been massive fraud in this election. There was no fraud in '16 and the left never accepted that. Trump has had to fight two attempts of impeachment and a fraudulent investigation of Russian collusion. It's a miracle the man had time to be President but he did and did it well despite the distractions from the left. You should be mad at the fact that they used millions of Social Security dollars to do it!
Teresa I totally agree with what you say on the slander and stuff of trump the man couldn't be president because he was having to fight everybody else instead of looking out for our interest and I don't care what anyone says this election was rigged he was jipped out of another term
I think that the black people needs to start thinking before they complain about something just cause it's got black shirt in it doesn't mean it is against the black people what about the other shirt that is in it to they could be took the same way but their not the black people are taking things to far
Who said it was only Blacks complaining. And the fact that you took it that way tells me a lot about you.
Black peoples think just fine! It’s you and your kind that need to think about the crap you say and do and then think it’s ok! How about that you Cracker!
You and your kind? Good example!
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Nicky..... first of all where did you read that it was black people complaining...... where did you read that it was black people that said it was offensive?????? So if I told you these comments came from white people and they thought this offensive what would you have to say??????
Everything may not be racist, but this most definitely is! First glimpse reminds me of lynching photos from the past. All persons involved should be terminated and maybe they would get the message of how ignorant and insensitive this is!
I think Walmart can't fix stupid.
I think it was intentional. I am going to place this on Facebook and ask other people to reshape. We as a black community can not let these hidden messages to be allowed. This is not Walmart's first accusation of rascism.
If walmart is rascist why are there a ton of black employed? Look man y'all tripping over nothing there is no msg just some dumbass idea that someone in the store had it's one store not all of them
Agree!
To hide the racism, black and Latinos are not promoted in large quantities. Walmart is from Arkansas and they are shocked when they meet someone other then white people.
I think that' white people should not speak on what is or is not offensive to African Americans. Who asked u in the first place. It didn't look like white people hanging there did it.. So run that around in ur white heads forever. Maybe that will keep u all busy forever.
Hmmmm......ok.
Let’s think about what we Believe we see and then interpret what we see.
This is what we believe we see:
Four figures With their arms by their side and legs dangling straight from above. The head is tilted to the side with what appears to be something around each figures neck to hold them in this position.
What do we interpret? By this picture I see four people hanging by the neck, choked or broken from the fall. This is my immediate interpretation. I’ve seen actual pictures where this did occur within the last 50 years, It’s so disgusting to believe anyone person, associate, supervisor, assistant manager, general manager, district manager, regional manager, All the way up to board member would even consider this and I mean Any form of marketing for advertising at Any time in Anyone’s lifetime.
Every person that is employed by that store, Every person should be relocated and supervisors and above should be terminated. At the very least the entire employed staff should be taught how to advertise and how Not to advertisers.
I know with no doubt I could provide the exact same figures with the exact same location and make them appear to be moving, running, walking, flying, or just posing. Send me a ticket pay my expenses and I’ll show you how to make this look interesting, beautiful and positive attention to sell product.
Really Walmart who is going to look that far up for a display. The store manager should be fired,. A display is not that far up into the air. Just to be clear I am white and that is not only offensive but scary to me because the same people that hung black people tortured and burned white sympathizers.
Say that Micheal, bless you!!!
That is not true about Arkansas.. there are many blacks there. Some are my good friends and I am not black. You need to correct that commentv
From someone that is mixed, I didn't take offense that the clothes hanging from the ceiling were black or white. I took offense that they hung anything from the ceiling. Some people just don't think. So as my grandmother would say forgive there stupidity and move on.
I think they were trying to send a message to black people !!
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I think that someone was bored and thought that getting you all in one spot to argue, just like this, was hilarious..... Well done old chap, well done. Popcorn anyone? ??????
Walmart getting alot of free publicity over this show.
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I think it was intentional, with all this racist stuff going on how could they not think this too be offensive. Blacks,mexicans,and poor folks go there every day .... I dislike walmart but have no real income to shop say like at targets ect.
I'm just glad they wasn't naked! Society is definitely leaning that direction. Jesus wants us to hear the real gospel. Not the TBN version.
That’s stupid.
Let’s say for the sake of argument that those responsible for this display actually thought it was a good idea- once they actually created the display and looked at it.....they should have immediately taken it down. It is eerie, foreboding, and just plain wrong! Yes it jolts you to the core when you see it because it clearly resembles bodies hanging. And looking at it from the photo only, it looks more like black people hanging then anything else. All I can say is whether it was meant to be racists or not- Walmart’s got some splainin to do! And they better do it quickly. Meanwhile, I wish no one had to shop at Walmart to begin with.
Ask the person who put up the display. What was on your mind and in your heart.?
My kid just saw this picture and said "why are those people hanging from the ceiling?" It freaked me out, too. Such a stupid way to try to "display clothes" from 60 feet in the air.
“The hearts of the people are on display! So sad!!! I pray God’s mercy for us all, in Jesus’ name . Amen”
There is no way in hell,, from the associate to the manager, this could have been thought of as a good display. Unless you've had your head in the sand and say you've never seen pictures of black men lynched while KKK members pose in front. Its sick and distasteful and somebody needs to be held accountable.
I use to do display work in a small store we never hung clothes let alone mannequins from the ceiling , yes bad taste at its best , even worse that it was black clothing ., but it's not the first time I've seen or witness Walmart doing something ignorant as this ., my high functioning son was at an outdoor strip mall that has many stores and I would drop him off to walk around , there was a store who knew my son and he was able to stop in say hi and let them know he was up there , and he would go to the other stores and this one time my son was outside a Walmart resting and then got up to go in and look around and wait for me , I was gone for about an hr or so , so when he went in and went to the men's dept to pick out some clothes and when he walked into the store ( Walmart) a lady thought my son was following her in and he wasn't and all this cuz he has white/ olive complexion and a beard and mustache, she complains to the store manager and I had just drove up and saw the police questioning him and there was no evidence that he was following her into the store ( who was elderly) , they just both happened to enter the store at the same time , they also just happened to be in the same area at the same time and they took her word over his and nearly destroyed my son , Walmart in my opinion profiles all the time I notice it every time I leave the store with my purchases, they wave me by , but they stop almost everyone that , doesn't look upstanding ( doesn't mater of color) but more of the Mexican and Blacks, and trashy looking people are stopped more , I can see stopping everyone that has an item not bagged , that would be legit , FYI everyone is capable of stealing !!!! Managers and displayers need to learn how to do they're jobs ! ., I've done both those jobs and the think and believe better training is needed , it starts with giving a damn about the people who work for you and following rules and leaving religion and politics outside!
Some people won't change for the sake of of anything, they will go to their graves bitter full of hattred, because this is what they were taught and it's really sad that they never took out the time to see things for themselves, and then so many say they love God, I think not.
People are getting More and more Idiotic . They look for trouble to find something wrong Everywhere they look.. Open your own closet door And look inside. Stop trying to make everything About race Or colour of somebody skin we all one people under God. No big eyes in little you. This Garbage has went on too long. Just love one another.
It is so wrong no matter how you look at it!
Wrong is wrong, Walmart knows this was wrong yet they did it anyway, so what is Walmart trying to say to the world?? I shop at this Walmart a lot, but I will not shop here anymore!!!
There is no way this was a mistake, Walmart made a statement, which if that how you feel it’s ok they are being honest, so I will not shop where I’m not wanted!!
I think they will careless if you shop there your the trouble with pc
I think it was intended against African American people, and they know whait meant,.if they don't want African Americans in the stores, they should tell them they don't want there money.
As usual the employees assigned the job of selling these clothes have failed to think through their marketing impression that customers would have. A total waste of time, money and the general relationship between the business and customers.
It’s an example of how numb too many are to images! So many are blind and ignorant to sensations, that can be overt, and/or covert, messages. As a white woman, it horrified me, and I can’t imagine how a person of color felt. Even if they don’t feel anything, as we may become numb, it’s time to honor our sensitivities!
I hadn't noticed they were black. My gut response when I saw it was that I thought people hung themselves at Walmart!!! With mental health and suicides being an all time high, why would anyone think this was a good idea?!
All the managers at this location should be FIRED. This is hurtful and mean. All people matter in God’s eye no matter the color. One day the lion is going to lay down with the lamb. To the Managers will you be ready?
We can debate intent and/or motive all we want, but, regardless of one's intent, marketing and/or marketing displays promoting merchandise are supposed to have a broad appeal to ALL buyers. This horrific display falls well short of that and whomever thought this would broadly appeal to a mass market should, at a minimum, be fired for stupidity as well as their insensitivity.
I think that no matter what, it definitely and obviously displays four people being hung by the neck, and anybody who put that up there should know that realize it, and whoever allowed it to continue also couldn't be that ignorant. And also, anybody working there if not everybody should definitely be aware of news events from the last 6 to 8 months which alone should be reason to not depict what this depicts.
Grow up people
I didn't like sending the image when I saw it on Twitter. I was totally shocked at what I saw. I feel Walmart should make a statement regarding the display.
I think it was disrespectful to all customers, Walmart should show respect by stepping up clearing this dumb move up. The black employee 's should be ashamed of themselves most of all
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My first thought was, "There's Waldo!".
I have never known Walmart to hang clothing items from the ceiling. Its totally unnecessary as a marketing strategy because people are going to buy their products anyway. Just take it down, apologize to the offended, and do better. Its not worth losing your clientele over. Besides people of minority are what keeps Walmart's doors open. You would really want to create a display that will make them want to spend more not less. People will actually spend their water bill in Walmart
Face it folks! This was a bad choice of display with no managerial guidence. All aspects of interpretation should have been considered.
I'm disturbed this is terrible who ever had the thought of hanging them and who ever hung them should be hung........ And Wal-Mart should be sued a billion dollars which in my opinion put it toward helping the poor communitys ;they will think twice before ever doing this again...They should be ashamed of them self....
Just gonna say, as someone working in retail - it wasn't the associates decision, management made the decision to hang the display and probably had associates put it up. Given that associates don't have a choice in the display, most probably knew that it felt awful - but had to.put it up anyway as management tends not to budge when associates bring a concern about a display to them.
I realize how it looks, it definitely looks like a hanging scene and was a poor decision on walmarts part - but to say it's targeted is far from what I, personally, see. I'm more concerned by people with severe depression and relatives that have committed suicide or been killed in a similar way. If they wanted to hang clothing from the ceiling, they could've hung jackets in one area, shirts in another, and pants in a third location while setting up mannequins with outfits that compliment the smaller accessories to leave on the ground.
By no means in this post am I defending walmart, I'm defending the associates that probably had no choice and barely make enough to live - as well as giving my opinion on the scene and offering a different way they could have done it.
It does not look good. Looks like a terrible attempt at selling clothing, and, living in the South, it looks a lot like 4 people hanging there. THey should have put a platform under the feet of each mannequin to make them look like they were standing on a floor. Or, they could have figured out a much better way to display them. Not this way, no, really does look like a handing, which is totally offensive to many people.
correction: hanging, not handing
I don't believe it was racist, it was probably an honest mistake. Walmart hasn't comment maybe because they are imverest of the situation.
I think people are just looking for things to get upset about. And anyway the photo doesn't match the story, because it's not "four black figures."
Nn
This is crazy I can’t believe that they thought this was a good idea to do...? Maybe they did have good intentions. but somethings you have to stop and really think, before you do it.. Now this could and may cause a whole lot of unnecessary bad reactions that no one needs or has time for when it’s so much other crazy stuff going on in the world....
When there's fallout like this, I always insist that the issue goes back to intent. If there was no intent, at worst, someone just didn't see the potential problem.
People are overly sensitive!!!
Why is race always being brought up!!!
When I seen that for the first time, racism was the furthest from my mind!!
People need to relax!!
I thought they left their halloween display up.
Just have mannequins painted in rainbow colors.then no body's offended.alot of stores have their displays hanging from the ceiling.its a space saver.im sure it wasn't intended to be taken in any other way then that
The Walmart display did look very inappropriate..
And yes it's very unprofessional and bad business that walmart is being silent..
"Silence is sometimes consent".. so if this isnt the case then speak up...