Gang Initiation Threats Rankle Normally Level-Headed Wal-Mart Shoppers

Snopes weighs in (sorta) on the email circulating warning about a gang violence threat at malls in Memphis, TN. ("'A concerned citizen that overheard a conversation,' says [police director] Godwin." Well, by all means, sound the freaking alarms.) The email reads, in part:

During the next two to three weeks, there will be gang initiations occurring in which the initiation is to kill a mother and small child shopping in Wal-Mart. I'm not sure how far the initiation reaches but this is supposed to be happening in the Desoto and Memphis areas for sure. Please tell everyone you know not to go shopping in Wal-Mart alone, especially if you're a woman accompanied by a small child.

Now, as anyone who's ever been in a Wal-Mart can attest, gangmembers aren't the only ones who'd like to go on a shooting spree there.* Back when I lived in the east siiiiiiiide of Savannah, GA, there was all this talk about gang initiations that involved "raping a white lady." And on more than one occasion, I awoke to gunfire outside my window and inadvertently tracked crack vials home in my lug-sole boots, but the only rapists I ever had to fend off were Southern Gentlemen wearing DuckHead khakis and curved-brimmed baseball caps.

Since this makes me an expert on gang violence, I call bullshit on this supposed Memphis gang threat. Of course, now that it's gotten so much airplay, I bet dollars to donuts that Memphis is due for some serious ostension.

Eastside4Eva.

*"Anyone" meaning "me."