Points2Ponder

"If that were my son? They'd be calling it JCScaglione!"

                             Points2Ponder

                                                                     By Alan P. Scaglone

 

Friendly Warning: This has to do with a serious topic—Involvement!

I was in the Hallmark Store on MLK Day—had the day off, decided to do some Valentine’s Day shopping for the wife.
She had to work that day, and I had it off, so… I could buy her some stuff early and she would not be around to snoop.
That’s the key guys—buy early and store for later—and she won’t know the difference!
Wait a minute—Honey, don’t continue to read this—hmmm… It may be too late!
So I am at the front of the store, looking at some Valentine’s Day stuff when I see…
A 13 year old black young man running past the walled plate glass window at the front of the store.
I then see a black security guard catch him and THROW HIM TO THE GROUND--- HEAD FIRST!
The sound that came when that boy’s head hit the mall cement tiled floor was excruciating—it hurt me to hear it!
The ladies in the Hallmark asked “What just hit the wall?”
I told them “Nothing hit the wall—this security guard just slammed this teenager’s head into the tiled floor!”
The teenager was accosted, leaving his flip flops where he had fallen.
The security guard took him back to the JCPenney store he had run out of.
The boy was reaching for his head—the security guard took his hand and placed it behind his back.
That kid’s head hit that floor so hard—if that had been my kid??? Even though I know what he did was wrong…it was a kid!
The next thing that happened shocked me the most—
The ladies in the store just went back to picking out Hallmark Cards!
I said, “Someone should say something to the JCPenney management about how their security guard handled that teenager!”
They looked at me, shrugged their shoulders and said “What ya gonna do? No one gets involved anymore!”
And… they didn’t!
Just made me wonder…

Points2Ponder  When’s the last time you stepped up for someone and spoke up because of a wrong you witnessed!

So… I left my wife’s Valentine’s Day presents in the store—sorry Honey, I promise, I will go back later and get them.

I went into JCPenney and found the manager. I described the security guard.
They said “Yeh that’s ours. He just accosted a teenager stealing from the store!”
I proceeded to tell him what I had witnessed AFTER I said “I am NOT excusing what the boy did—he should have been taken into custody—but the unnecessary force used on him?
That was uncalled for! And the ladies with a view all thought something had hit the wall…but it was that boy being slammed into the mall tiled cement floor!”

The manager was startled. He said, “I am so sorry! We never want them to physically wrangle the perpetrators to the ground. If they don’t come peaceably, we get the cops involved. I am so sorry that you had to view this, that one of our people represented us that way. I can pull the surveillance camera and watch what happened and take the necessary action against our security guard. You are right—the boy stole a $5 item—wrong, no matter what he stole, but… not worth having your head slammed to the cement for! I again apologize.”

I gave him my name and number and said they could call me for a statement, it that was necessary.

And I went home—still worried about the young man’s head and…still worried about the ladies who walked away?

You tell me?

Is their response more common than mine?

And if so…. Why?

If that were your son, even if he were stealing something, would you want him treated that way?

I really want to hear from you on this one!

I’m Just… Reflecting on -- Life!

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You ever stand up for someone else?