Sep 19, 2007 12:22 pm US/Eastern
Outrage: Man Finds Racist Remarks On Cell Receipt
Debate Rages On Over Use Of 'N-Word' In Society
Reporting
Jay Dow
PLAINFIELD, N.J. (CBS) ―
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A New Jersey man found a derogatory word with painful racial overtones printed on his cell phone receipt.
CBS
A New Jersey man is demanding action after paying for a cell phone, and finding a derogatory word with painful racial overtones printed on his store receipt.
Nykii Southerland has been chatting it up as a T-Mobile customer for six years now, but he says he was at a loss for words Thursday after looking at his printed receipt from a US-1 Wireless store in Plainfield, N.J.
"Instead of me looking at the price, I noticed a statement saying 'good morning my n-----s @ US 1 holla bak,'" said Southerland.
An employee identified as Vinny Vermarco of Brooklyn printed the n-word on Southerland's receipt along with an otherwise unspecified $25 charge.
"I was offended as a young black American," said Southerland.
Southerland's parents were also offended after reading Vermarco comments, which were printed in a local newspaper.
Vermarco claims the n-word was an internal memo meant for employees only -- not Southerland.
He went on to defend his actions, saying "Did something happen to them that they had flashbacks or something? I thought this happened in the 1950s, and it was squashed. You go to MTV; they use it all the time."
Others disagree.
"Something like that shouldn't even be on a receipt," said Bill Southerland. "Thank you is good enough."
CBS 2 went to US-1 Wireless looking for Vermarco, hoping he could explain the receipt, but we couldn't find him.
Instead, we spoke with the store's owner.
"I fired him because of what happened yesterday," said "Victor," the store's owner. "I feel very bad to be honest with you."
Plainfield residents had a mixed reaction to Vemarco's firing.
"Me and my friends, we call each other 'n-----' all the time," said business owner Abraham Sarr. "N---- is like calling you 'my man.'"
Beverly Jones wasn't buying that rationale.
"It's not OK. They cannot justify that word. That word is insulting," Jones said. "It should be taken out of society."
As for Nykii Southerland, he returned the cell phone for a refund, but insists this isn't over. He wants more action taken, and has filed a civil rights complaint with the state attorney general's office.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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