CHOOSE AND DEFEND

(The white portion of this woman's torso is untanned skin, not a blouse)

I don't normally report on local news issues...

why would my readers want to know what is happening far from them?

But this news story piqued my interest.

You can see a video of the story here:

Junction City Woman Thrown Out of Walmart for What She Was Wearing

KEZI | News, Weather and Sports in Eugene, Oregon
URL: http://kezi.com/

In short... this woman went into WalMart wearing an outfit she actually purchased at this very store... and was asked to leave because of the outfit she was wearing.

She is considered "elderly"

and is decidedly odd looking with her shaved head and multiple tattoos.

The outfit in question was a bathing suit top and a pair of fairly short shorts,

a removable cast on her leg and shoes.

She is obviously overweight, but not frighteningly so.

It was a very hot day here.

A manager came to her in the store and took her aside...

saying that a customer had made a complaint

in regards to her attire.

The manager then told her that she must leave and put on a different top

if she wanted to shop there.

The woman was insulted and has asked for a formal apology.

When local news reported this story,

they were told by a WalMart rep that it is store policy

and wearing a top is a matter of health concern since they sell food items.

KEZI decided to test this policy out.

A slim younger woman in her twenties and was sent into the store

wearing cut off jeans the same length and a bikini top.

She visited all areas of the store...

including the grocery sections...

and lo and behold...

she was not stopped and cautioned about her clothing,

the policy  or health concerns...

only smiles.

You would not catch me wearing this outfit in public...

and probably not even in my own yard.

(I feel like I need to apologize to the neighbors

when I wear my baggy long shorts and a wife beater

when I mow the lawn!)

Therefore when I saw this on the news...

I immediately put it into my mental 

"what was she thinking?" file.

Yet on a rational level...

I think WalMart owes her that formal apology.

They were happy to sell her that outfit and take her money.

They do not enforce their "health policy"

for younger, thinner and more socially acceptable

customers.

So let's make this a "Choose and Defend Wednesday" Question...

What say you in this issue?

Was WalMart wrong in demanding that she leave?

Or did they have a right to decide who can dress in what manor inside their store?