Two convicted shoplifters carried signs in front of an Alabama Walmart on Saturday that read, “I am a thief, I stole from Walmart”. Judge Kenneth Robertson, Jr. was the mastermind of this novel punishment for stealing. Judge Robertson sentenced these two thieves to wear the sign for four hours on Saturdays.
Anyone who has shopped at their neighborhood Walmart on a Saturday will tell you that you are likely to see and be seen by more than a couple of your friends and acquaintances. It has to be humiliating to be seen wearing a sign such as this. You are sure to get questioned by people you don’t know and some you do. Is this justice or cruel and unusual punishment?
No matter whether you believe in Walmart and what it stands for or not, I think everyone will agree that taking something that doesn’t belong to you is wrong. And assuming they had their time in court and the conviction was accurate, then this is a fair deal in my mind. The only thing “wrong” I see with it is the poor grammar. I believe it should read, “I am a thief and I stole from Walmart.” or “I am a thief. I stole from Walmart.” or “I am a thief; I stole from Walmart.”
Sources:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/offbeat/2007-05-07-sign_N.htm
J. Hernandez blogs at http://www.jensview.com
Loading ...
4 users commented in " “I Am a Thief and I Stole From Walmart” "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a Trackbackwelcome in middle age - ever thought about what walmart steals from mankind? ah no, you “believe in walmart”.
I sure have thought about what big business and industry has stolen from humans and the planet! For the record, I did not say I “believe in Walmart”. If Walmart is tried in a court of law and convicted of thieving from the communities in which it resides, I think it would be appropriate to have a large sign on the front of every Walmart across the nation that says something similar to the sign these folks wore.
Isn’t making someone wear a sign a bit unconstitutional? I can even remember years back when I was learning about cruel and unusual punishment and sign wearing was a direct example of unusual.
I’m against the punishment and personally feel the judge needs to be dealt with for giving such a sentence.
The only people who make posts like that are those who, in fact, partake in the act(s) that their examples were being punished for.
They got what they deserved, stealing is wrong, it doesn’t take very much to make something of yourself these days (to be able to afford things, especially from Wal-Mart), and if you disagree you are simply too spoiled or too weak to do it yourself.
-Love
Leave A Reply