10/29/2025
WALK IT BACK:
No—Walmart cannot legally deny entry based on an assumption that someone has an EBT card.
That crosses into discriminatory conduct if the assumption is based on race, appearance, or perceived economic status.
🔒 LEGAL BOUNDARIES FOR PRIVATE BUSINESSES
Walmart is a private entity, so it’s not bound by the Equal Protection Clause like government actors. Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964: prohibits discrimination in places of public accommodation.
State laws: Ohio, for example, prohibits denial of access based on race, color, religion, national origin, or disability. Here is the legal basis for my assertion, broken down by authority and application:
📷 1. Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 42 U.S.C. § 2000a prohibits discrimination in places of public accommodation (like Walmart) on the basis of race, color, religion, or national origin.
📷 2. Walmart, as a retail store open to the public, qualifies as a public accommodation under this statute. Denying entry based on a presumed EBT status—if that presumption is tied to race or national origin—can constitute unlawful discrimination.
📷 3. Equal Protection Clause (14th Amendment) Applies to government actors, not private businesses. However, if Walmart acts in concert with law enforcement (e.g., through off-duty officers or coordinated policies), it may be subject to constitutional scrutiny under the “state actor” doctrine.
📷 4. Case Law Examples: Daniel v. Paul, 395 U.S. 298 (1969): A private club open to the public was held liable under Title II for racial exclusion. Burks v. Poppy Construction Co., 57 Ohio App.2d 221 (1978): Ohio courts have recognized that discriminatory denial of access to public accommodations is actionable under state law.
📷 5. Business Discretion vs. Discrimination
A store can refuse service for legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons (e.g., safety, theft prevention, system outage). But it cannot use race, national origin, or perceived poverty as a proxy for risk or payment method. Assuming someone uses EBT based on appearance and denying entry is not a neutral policy—it’s a discriminatory act if tied to protected characteristics.
RHL MINISTRY RADIO PUBLIC STATEMENT: STATEMENT ON DISCRIMINATORY ENTRY PRACTICES: 📚⚖️
Walmart does not have the legal right to deny entry to individuals based on assumptions about how they pay.
Denying access based on perceived EBT use—especially when that assumption is tied to race, appearance, or economic status—is not business discretion. It’s discrimination.
Under Title II of the Civil Rights Act and state public accommodation laws, every person has the right to enter and shop without being profiled.
Payment method is not a protected class—but race is. If EBT is being used as a proxy for race, that’s not policy—it’s a civil rights violation. 👩🏾🎓⚔️🇺🇸🕊️
We are documenting these incidents.
We are not asking for permission.
We are asserting rights.
~TheApostle
RHL Ministry Radio
Natalie Young
AP Natalie Young II
AniYa A Period
James CB Gray
