Woman, 70, repeatedly punched by teenage Walmart employee

[Jilly_in_VA]

A 70-year-old woman says she was repeatedly punched in the face by a Walmart employee after the two had a verbal argument. She says no one tried to help her and is now encouraging anyone who witnesses a similar incident to step in.

Police responded to a Walmart location in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, around 7:00 p.m. July 7 for reports of a 70-year-old woman who was punched multiple times in the head by a 17-year-old cashier.

The victim, P.K. Shader, sustained injuries to the head and face but did not require immediate medical attention. She says this kind of behavior from employees is unacceptable.

“It has been quite a journey. Why anyone would do that? I don’t know. And why no one helped is even more, especially in a Walmart store,” Shader said.

https://www.wvlt.tv/2021/07/15/woman-70-repeatedly-punched-by-teenage-walmart-employee/

_____________________________________________
I would ask that you confine discussion to this incident/type of incident and not turn the thread into Walmart bashing, no matter what you think of Walmart. Thanks.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. It's the caliber of employees hired.

I work in retail grocery and I catch holy hell for not being polite enough (read, servile) to our customers.

[bullwinkle428]

2. WTF?? No witnesses? Even if there weren't, I can guarantee Wal-Mart has

cameras everywhere, so there's no possible way to deny the incident, assuming it happened in the way the victim described it.

[Ferrets are Cool]

19. This

[LisaL]

115. Who says there were no witnesses?

The 70 year old is complaining people didn't come to her aid, not that nobody saw it.

[Generic Brad]

3. I want to hear from the employee

While I don't condone violence, something the victim said had to have been so offensive that she evoked a passionate response from the cashier.

[jonstl08]

4. Need more information

So do I. There is more to the story.

[hlthe2b]

13. Exactly.. Anyone who makes up their mind based on this sketchy information is

very foolish. That said, an employee hitting a customer, particularly an older individual is hard to defend.

[sarisataka]

16. Apparently quite easy to defend

Or at least not condemn.

[hlthe2b]

20. Where did I defend violence?

I said violence is hard to defend. Self-defense is the one credible argument.

[sarisataka]

24. I wasn't say you were defending violence

I was responding to your statement that it is hard to defend

I am remarking that the majority of posters are saying they need more information before they can condemn such violence and there are some defending it based on conjecture.

It is very similar to the thread about the man who was hospitalized after being beaten on the bus- what did he do to trigger the assault.

It seems it is hard to say beating elderly people is wrong.

AND

If they were using racist language, that is also wrong.

[hlthe2b]

26. Thank you for clarifying. Sorry to have misunderstood you/taken it personally

[sarisataka]

28. No worries

[bucolic_frolic]

5. You mean like

"I don't like tattoos, nose rings, and blue hair"?

If there's video she has a case. It would be one thing to restrain a customer from theft or harm, but attacking them?

[Generic Brad]

7. Is it possible the customer used a racial slur?

That would trigger such an event.

[bucolic_frolic]

11. Yes, that's possible.

Attacking the customer in response remains inappropriate.

[DemocraticPatriot]

145. Not just "inappropriate", more like "totally unacceptable"!

Doesn't matter what was said in the least. It might "explain" it, but never excuse it.


If there are any racists I would like to see beaten, they aren't little old ladies...

[Scrivener7]

12. Even if she did, that is not a free pass to beat a 70 year old person.

Or any person.

That should not trigger such an event.

Everyone's right to free speech ends at the tip of the other person's nose.

[Demovictory9]

17. exactly... just a few weeks ago, a amazon driver beat a 67 year old for calling her a "bitch"

&t=67s

[Scrivener7]

42. No. It isn't. Legally or ethically, it isn't.

[LifeLongDemocratic]

54. When a 70 year old white woman verbally assaults a 17 year old black woman it is jusitifable

[sarisataka]

57. What did she say

That justified the attack?

All I have been able to find is it is alleged she asked to speak to a manager.

[LifeLongDemocratic]

58. She probably called her the N word

[sarisataka]

62. Did she?

If you are vehemently going to defend an assault I think you should know what was said to trigger the attack.

I would justify an assault based on what was "probably" said

[LifeLongDemocratic]

66. Why else would she hit the old woman

She is probably a decent young woman who has had enough abuse and the white woman pushed her too far by calling her the N word. Yes, I have to assume that the old woman did something awful to get hit. There is no other explanation.

[Polybius]

70. Maybe it started with "I don't like your purple hair, you Gen Z sure look and dress weird"

Maybe she responded by saying "Too bad, I don't like your face, Boomer." Maybe the old lady responded by saying "Fuck off, twat." Maybe the girl responded with a left hook.

[LifeLongDemocratic]

72. Most likely

Most likely the young girl was just doing her job and the old woman got frustrated about something and said "damn N...."

[Polybius]

74. I like my fantasy better

n/t

[11 Bravo]

77. Two "probably"s, one "I assume", and one "most likely" add up to ...

one "I have absolutely no fucking idea what happened, and anything I say should be viewed through that prism."

Just sayin'.

[LanternWaste]

101. Ten bucks says you fail to see the irony in your having expressed that...

Just Sayin', Part II

[sarisataka]

75. I had a long list of possibilities

But since you have been booted from this thread I will simply say adieu

[GaYellowDawg]

110. You have absolutely no way of knowing that. None.

You don't know anything about either person, what got said, or anything about the scenario. You don't know which explanation is valid and which isn't. You're making an assumption from a place of complete ignorance. Just stop.

[Hekate]

103. "Probably, maybe, and if" ... I'd like more than a flame-bait story with no camera or witness...

…and just an admonishment from the OP to “not judge Walmart”

[cinematicdiversions]

150. Good Lord it isn't

It is never justifiable. And honestly it is a bit of soft racism to imply that a black woman wouldn't know better.

[Scrivener7]

152. That's a really good point.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

46. No it's fucking not,

and if you believe that, then you're in the wrong place.

[Scrivener7]

50. I can't help but wonder if it was an attempt to elicit comments that could be pointed to

by other sites.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

51. That's what I'm thinking also.

Anyone who believes what that poster says doesn't belong here, period.

[Scrivener7]

60. You're really working this ignorant hate-stirring reaction hard. Seems a bit forced to me.

(And really, too ignorant of the law and of plain decency to be believable.)

Say hi to all the guys over there.

[LifeLongDemocratic]

63. No

No, I doing what the racist white people never do and standing up for the oppressed black woman.

[Scrivener7]

65. It's a free Republic. You do you.

[LifeLongDemocratic]

67. You do know this is the democratic underground and not FOX news or Breitbart

[Scrivener7]

68. Sure. And speech and assault are still different things. Love your name, by the way.

[Scrivener7]

73. Step away from the refrigerator word magnets.

[Treefrog]

122. Lol, you're in fine form today!

I didn’t understand that post at all either lol.

[11 Bravo]

79. You figured that out in the month you've graced us with your presence?

[Hekate]

93. Aren't you precious

[11 Bravo]

88. You may be on to something with "Free Republic".

[Treefrog]

119. Oh, VERY well played!

And well spotted!

[MarineCombatEngineer]

133. LOL.

I see what you did there.

[TheProle]

112. Indeed.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

131. That one seems to be on a (t)roll.

[Dr. Strange]

85. What did she say?

When a 70 year old white woman verbally assaults a 17 year old black woman

What did she say?

[GaYellowDawg]

106. You don't even know what got said.

And you're making the whole "verbal assault" thing up. Maybe the 17 year old was a spoiled, entitled little shit who was pissed off she was at work and went after the first person who annoyed her. In the absence of information, it's just as likely a situation. You justifying that kind of assault on an old woman is fucking barbaric. My mother is 80. If some 17 year old beat her, I'd break her fucking neck.

[Treefrog]

121. "You're."

And you’re a lifelong Democratic what, exactly?

[Hekate]

126. Someone who's gotten 3 hides out of one thread. Is that a record? I'm impressed.

[Scrivener7]

134. Up to 4 now!

[Hekate]

139. Brilliant! It has been quite an impressive exercise in...

… classic s**t-stirring.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

135. Imposter?

[BradAllison]

128. Can you do us a favor?

Post the news article where ANY of this story comes out?

[Crunchy Frog]

87. I don't think they believe it themselves. Just trying to get a rise out of people.

[Scrivener7]

91. And sounding like a Young Republican role-playing that he's a Liberal.

Right down to the name.

[LiberatedUSA]

146. A have read through this site for a few years before joining.

There was one a few years ago that tried this same act, but with Islam. They lasted for a while, which is surprising considering their posts read similarly not believable, in which they would make it seem like any and all criticism of the Muslim religion was bigotry. They even went so far as to suggest that American women should be more tolerant and try on the hijab as a way to show tolerance; and of course any woman who refuses (by implication) is a bigot.

That troll really stood out to me, because they lasted way longer than they should have, as they were so obviously just trying to make DU look like it had an “Islam can do no wrong”.

This one is too obvious.

[Scrivener7]

147. I remember him! This one is gone now, so I will say that his hidden posts - where

Last edited Sat Jul 17, 2021, 08:38 AM - Edit history (1)

he described himself as a white man who openly encourages "them," meaning black people, to "rise up" with violence at WalMart - had a very Manson-y Helter Skelter vibe. Only not as cogent as Manson.

[Hekate]

154. Thank for the memories, & glad you decided to sign up

[Hekate]

95. That can be quoted elsewhere

[11 Bravo]

82. Agreed. Similar inflammatory verbiage was spewed in a different thread yesterday.

It definitely appears contrived.

[Scrivener7]

84. By the same one?

[11 Bravo]

89. Yup.

[Scrivener7]

102. Edited: the info in the original of this post came from a post that has been removed.

So I'll take it out.

[Hekate]

92. It seems to be

Very like Flame-bait

[Peacetrain]

116. That was exactly what I was going to post... that post smelled to high heaven

of exactly what the trumpians would have done!..

[Scrivener7]

117. His hidden posts were doozies.

Not duzys, mind you!

[Hekate]

90. +1

[Bucky]

80. Don't be an ass

[Crunchy Frog]

83. Welcome to DU. I hope you enjoy your stay.

[Merlot]

15. There is nothing anyone can say that justifies an employee hitting them

Employees who feel threatened can call store security or 911. They can walk away.

That being said, odd that we haven't seen any footage and there were no witnesses.

[LiberatedUSA]

48. So what?

The law doesn’t condone physical violence for unwoke actions. The law doesn’t have an exemption for woke individuals to violently attack people for their words.

And you would not want a judge to do that. The minute a courtroom oks violence over words, is when the traps get set up. Which means gunner and trumpers going out of their way to provoke getting assaulted for words so they can pull and gun, kill their attacker and get off for self defense.

[Polybius]

69. I don't give a shit how offensive her words were

You don't hit a customer based on words, especially if she's 70. Now if she was hit first it's a different story.

[Treefrog]

123. This thread is very disheartening.

I don’t remember so much hate here.

[Skittles]

143. justifying a teenager punching a 70 year old

yup, and it is getting worse and worse

[Bettie]

76. If the customer said something truly egregious

then the employee should have walked a few steps away and called a manager or other employee over.

A violent outburst at a workplace will never end with the employee doing well. It is self-protection to walk away.

Well, unless the employee is a cop and murders someone, then it will be fine.

[GaYellowDawg]

105. "Passionate response"?!?

What the fuck? She beat the shit out of a 70 year old. That's not a "passionate response". That's a fucking brutal crime. What the victim said is irrelevant. Nothing justifies what she did.

[wackadoo wabbit]

127. Passionate feeling is no excuse for physial violence

No matter what she said — and, indeed, it might have been something horrific, or maybe she said nothing at all — it was never an excuse to physically lay even one finger on her.

I would suggest that this employee could use some therapy to learn to deal with their emotions.

[LifeLongDemocratic]

6. Who do you believe

Should I believe the 70 year old Karen or the employee. Hmmm...

[CurtEastPoint]

8. good God. Judge much?

[LifeLongDemocratic]

53. Yes, when a 70 year old white woman assaults a 17 year old black woman

[Polybius]

132. It was the other way around

The girl assaulted the old woman.

[Budi]

10. What if the employee is a 17 yr old Karen?

Its physical assault.
Not ok under any circumstances unless the 70 yr old woman threw the 1st punch & the employees life was being threatened.

Walmart has cameras telling the story however it began & ended.

Its Physical Assault, regardless.

[LifeLongDemocratic]

52. 17 year old Black woman assaulted by 70 year old white woman

What it looks like happened is that a 70 year old racist woman (Karen) verbally assaulted a 17 year old black woman. I am siding with the 17 year old black woman. Try growing up as a black woman in Wisconsin and see if you can hold back your fists. It is all about perspective.

[Budi]

78. You could post the conversation that triggered that Assault,

Or just assume something.

It was assault. Regardless of what was said or interepreted..

It Was Still Assault.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

138. And guess what?

The 17 yo was arrested and suspended by WalMart and having extensive dealings with WalMart in my capacity as a truck driver, there are literally hundreds of cameras and it was all caught on tape, of which the police now have a copy of the assault from numerous angles.
The initial charge has the crime against the elderly enhancement added, which will add more time to whatever punishment is handed down if she is convicted.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

153. I guess we'll see you again,

that is, when you resurrect another account.
In the meantime, try to improve your trolling skills.

[Treefrog]

31. Wow, seriously?

Hitting an elderly person cannot be justified.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

38. What about Trump?

[Skittles]

144. what about him?

[MarineCombatEngineer]

137. Keep digging that hole deeper.

[marble falls]

9. I think - THINK - we are looking at an two assaults: the older woman verbally assaulted ...

... the clerk, and the clerk responded.

There is no wash here, though. Both need to answer to charges and let the judge sort it out.

I really want to hear the clerk's side of it. All she's been reduced to is a mug shot, which is a crime in itself.

[Sherman A1]

18. Worked Retail for 4+ decades

And I will say the abusive behavior by the general public got progressively worse over that time. I am sure that it hasn’t improved since I retired. The lady may have indeed been verbally abusing the checker as I and my co-workers suffered over the years, that said physical violence is never the answer.

[CurtEastPoint]

21. Agree. An employee needs to step away and get a manager. But at 17 do they have that training?

[Sherman A1]

25. Training?

Training in the Retail Sector is generally "Sink or Swim". Every once in awhile a training regime will come down from the "Ivory Tower" but it only lasts a short time after someone in accounting figures out that training costs money and will affect the immediate bottom line as there is never a consideration for the long term benefits to training the workforce.

[PatSeg]

23. I have always been amazed

at the way many customers treat retail employees and I never got used to it. That said, this cashier's volatile temperament was apparently known to other employees and I'm assuming supervisors. She shouldn't have been working a register.

[Ferrets are Cool]

22. While there is NO reason for this to have come to blows, I would like to know both sides

of the situation. The 17 year old didn't just go bat shit crazy and hit the woman. Something had to precipitate this action.
This story reminds me that I still know a LOT of 70ish people who use the N word like it's nothing.

[ProfessorGAC]

118. You'd Think So

But, just today I saw a guy start a physical confrontation over trivia.
There were 7 of us, but this guy, obviously looking for trouble, stormed over to one of us. Not sure why he singled him out.
Anyway, 63 year old guy starts screaming at 67 year old guy. (Calls him "old man". Go figure)
Our guy says "Calm down.". Twice. Abusive guy says "Or what, tough guy. I'll put you in the hospital."
All our guy says is "No you won't, now knock it off!"
Guy rushes him and chest bumps him. Goes to grab my buddy, but he reflexively pushed his face back away. By then, all other 6 are there telling him to knock it off.
He went from 0-120 in a split second.
I was shocked someone would erupt like this on a golf course, where presumably, everyone comes to enjoy themselves.
BTW, I found out from the woman that works there that he called the owner. HE called the owner because HE committed assault & battery!
Go figure!

[Ferrets are Cool]

120. It's crazy. I would be surprised if he didn't have someone videoing him the entire time.

Anything for clicks.

[ProfessorGAC]

125. I Get You

But, iffy weather resulted in only the 7 of us, and him on the entire course. About 2 hours later, another 20 or so people were around.
The only people who could have videoed it was the 6 of us.
I do understand your cynicism, though

[sarisataka]

27. Physically assaulting elderly people is wrong.

.
.
.
.
.
IF The victim was using racist language that too is wrong. It is, however, a separate matter and does not justify a physical attack.

[Wounded Bear]

47. Physically assaulting people is wrong.

FIFY

[sarisataka]

49. TY

I meant to add a post script that assaulting anyone is wrong.

[Ace Rothstein]

29. The excuse making here for the clerk is disgusting but not surprising.

[Budi]

30. K & R it is still Physical Assault. The cashier was known for her reactionary temperment.

Ahem, Walmart .
Got anything to offer in your defense?

You knew this about your employee..

[Beakybird]

32. Totally disgusting!!! What if the races were reversed?

Who here would be making excuses for a white 17 year old attacking a 70 year old black customer? They'd probably get flagged, maybe booted from DU. Of course more info is needed, but that customer got the shit beat out of her, and the perp looks unblemished.

[Wingus Dingus]

39. What disturbs me is everyone's assuming that the white elderly lady said something

racially offensive to the employee, with zero evidence beyond the fact that she's white and elderly and the employee is black. And they're actually giving the employee the benefit of the doubt that that's what happened, and somehow that mitigates what she did. Look at the people demanding video of the attack--they want a racial angle DESPERATELY so that they can excuse this girl. That's really fucked up.

[Beakybird]

43. Exactly. Those of us who fight against racism also need to be vigilant about reverse racism.

[yardwork]

151. I think many of those posts are trolling.

[Act_of_Reparation]

40. "Excuse making"

No one is making excuses. Some of us have the insight to recognize violence as a product of social exchange and are interested to discuss what particulars of the retail work experience makes violence so common.

If you want to see this a clear cut case of "mmmkay violence is wrong", that's on you. Others might be interested to know why violence happens, and more importantly, preventing it in the future.

[Ace Rothstein]

41. Nah, it is excuse making because black perp and white victim.

The posts are pretty clear.

[Act_of_Reparation]

45. No one is excusing violence.

As I said, there's a difference between shifting blame away from a guilty party and operating under the belief that shit doesn't happen in a vacuum. Senseless violence is difficult for most people to process; they tend to assume acts of violence are preceded by escalating precipitating events (and generally they are correct in this assumption). To discuss those reasons is not to imply that said reasons are logical, much less that they justify the violent behavior.

TL;DR: In the absence of any useful information from the source, people are struggling to understand why the offender would act the way they did. They are not saying the offender was right to act the way they did.

[Marrah_Goodman]

148. Really, because I have seen a bunch of posts doing just that.

[Wingus Dingus]

33. Geez, she's got two black eyes. Weird that some here seem

to want to know the backstory before they make up their mind about A BRUTAL ASSAULT ON AN ELDERLY PERSON IN A STORE. This young woman was arrested and charged. No justification for beating the shit out of someone.

[LifeLongDemocratic]

59. What if she called her the N word?

[Scrivener7]

64. What if she did? What if, for example, someone here called you a troll. Would that

give you the right to blacken their eyes?

Do you get the difference between speech and assault?

[Spider Jerusalem]

136. Sometimes speech is assault. (n/t)

[NYC Liberal]

140. Speech is never assault. Ever. It never justifies physical assault.

[Spider Jerusalem]

141. The Supreme Court disagrees with you

see Chaplinsky v New Hampshire (1942).

[NYC Liberal]

142. There have been a lot of cases since that one that have limited

the “fighting words” doctrine significantly.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighting_words

Post-Chaplinsky

The court has continued to uphold the doctrine but also steadily narrowed the grounds on which fighting words are held to apply. In Street v. New York (1969),[4] the court overturned a statute prohibiting flag-burning and verbally abusing the flag, holding that mere offensiveness does not qualify as "fighting words". In similar manner, in Cohen v. California (1971), Cohen's wearing a jacket that said "fuck the draft" did not constitute uttering fighting words since there had been no "personally abusive epithets".

In Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969), even vile speech such as "Bury the niggers" and "Send the Jews back to Israel," was held to be protected speech under the First Amendment in a per curiam decision. In addition, despite the speech being broadcast on network television it did not direct to incite or produce imminent lawless action nor was it likely to produce such action.

In the 1970s, the Court held that offensive and insulting language, even when directed at specific individuals, is not fighting words:

Gooding v. Wilson (1972): "White son of a bitch, I'll kill you."

Rosenfeld v. New Jersey (1972): "motherfucker."

Lewis v. New Orleans (1972): "god damn mother fucker."

Brown v. Oklahoma (1972): "mother fucking fascist," "black mother fucking pig."

In Collin v. Smith (1978) Nazis displaying swastikas and wearing military-style uniforms marching through a community with a large Jewish population, including survivors of German concentration camps, were not using fighting words.

[Wingus Dingus]

96. You can't punch people because they insult you.

I'm sure you know that.

[GaYellowDawg]

108. So fucking what if she did?

That's not a free pass for assault. Period.

[LisaL]

114. Baseless speculation.

Per the story, 17 year old was upset that 70 year old took her photo (to complain to corporate).

[BradAllison]

130. What if a ghost punched the old lady instead? n/m

[Marrah_Goodman]

149. What if the clerk was just a vicious little jerk???

[obamanut2012]

34. Wal-Mart is crawling with CCTV

So, where are the tapes, Wal-Mart???

[sarisataka]

37. Doubtful the tapes would have sound

So it they would show what happened but not give us the exact exchange.

[bluedigger]

36. This will happen when 17 year olds can't join the police.

[Jilly_in_VA]

81. I have tried

to find more on this story, searching some other Wisconsin sites, and so far have been unable to. I will say, however, that a lot of posts here assume a lot of things. I suggest you not read things into a story without knowing more. I am trying to find out more. Thank you.

[Hekate]

107. The story as told was much too sketchy, and the presentation invited projection...

OF COURSE no one at DU condones violence to elders or racism to young salesclerks, but this story as presented lacks too much.

Ultimately a new poster (now out of the discussion, I think) took advantage and did some fine shit-stirring. A couple of old-timers spotted the possibility that said newbie was trying to garner some inflammatory knee-jerk remarks that could be reposted elsewhere. But still.

Glad you are trying to chase down more facts.

[chowder66]

86. More....

On July 7th, 70-year-old P.K. Shader went to the Walmart located off of Oakes Road and Durand Avenue. During her trip, Shader had gotten into some sort of verbal dispute with an employee, identified as 17-year-old Jazareia Velasquez.

Shader had asked to speak with Velasquez’s manager, which Shader said that the manager was relatively unhelpful and even witnessed Velasquez and her during portions of their negative interaction:

“The manager was right there watching the interaction. She [Velasquez] left and I looked at the manager and I said do you let her talk to all your customers like that? I didn’t get a reply. As I was leaving, I thought I really want to know what her name is because I want to send it to corporate.”

Apparently, Shader didn’t see a nametag on Velasquez, so she went to go take a picture of her so that she could have a means to identify the employee when contacting corporate. However, Shader attempting to snap a photo of Velasquez apparently set the suspect off:


https://www.lawenforcementtoday.com/17-year-old-walmart-employee-allegedly-beats-70-year-old-customer/#more-185190

[GusBob]

94. Geez 2 managers couldn't diffuse the situation?

And one of them told the lady that the clerk was a known hothead? And the clerk has only been suspended by WM? Only one person came to help her?

Of course the lady didn't deserve to be assaulted, but there has to be more to this story. Based on her version, I think there will be a lawsuit.

[Ace Rothstein]

97. There may not be more to the story.

There are entire generations in our country who react to any perceived slight with violence.

[GusBob]

100. its trite to say but

It seems as if there are always "2 sides to every story"

Again, there is no excuse for physical violence like this, but what we have here is only one version of the events.

Some of which is perplexing to me, the managers involvement for instance, and their failure to diffuse the situation

[LisaL]

113. Because Wallmart is known for its stellar customer service?

NT

[BradAllison]

129. No no no

The employee was black someone up thread said that's what happened.

[Vinca]

98. If the story is accurate, I'd think there would be store video to confirm it.

If that exists, the clerk should be turned over to the the police and Walmart should consider issuing a fat check before the lawyers line up to assist the lady.

[Wingus Dingus]

99. The clerk was already arrested and charged.

Whatever started the situation, the police saw enough evidence that the clerk punched the woman to arrest her.

[Coventina]

109. A friend of mine said that when he worked in a big box store, people called him "boy" all the time.

Not saying punching is justified, but everybody has their breaking point.

I would like to know more details about this story before passing judgment.

[Scrivener7]

111. In a job I had when I was a young woman, I was openly called "cannon fodder."

Meaning, I was a pretty young woman who would be thrown at customers to get them to sign.

This was in the days before we were allowed to demand not to be sexually harassed. I was sexually harassed often.

I left that job as fast as I could. But like your friend, I never threw a punch. I never beat up any of the old guys who were trying to get their hands up my skirt or who were saying disgusting things to or about me.

I get that people can say horrible and disgusting things. But punching in response to words is never justified. Hard as that can be at times.