Crazy Christmas Shoppers (warning - rant ahead!)

[DeadPoolX]

This entire subject has me so annoyed that I believe it warrants its own discussion (instead of getting posted in the "News of the Day" thread).

On November 27, 2008, the holiday of Thanksgiving was celebrated in the United States. Since Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday, the following day is called Black Friday. This pseudo-holiday was named for the fact that, historically-speaking, is one of the most profitable days for stores.

Black Friday is the day shoppers all across the country set out on their Christmas shopping journey. This wouldn't be so bad if shoppers actually had some common sense. It's not at all unusual to see people storming into stores (all of which open much earlier than normal on that day) just to get items on sale. It's a virtual zoo.

While some crazy antics are merely par for the course, this year Black Friday resulted in the death of a Wal-Mart employee. I don't particularly care for Wal-Mart. Some people love it and that's their choice. My issue is with these lunatics who managed to kill an employee, just to purchase less expensive gifts.

On November 28, shoppers who had lined up for hours apparently stampeded into a Wal-Mart on Long Island, NY. According to reports, they severely damaged the doors (police claim the metal portion of the doors were crumpled like an accordion) when running in as the store opened. In the process, these crazed shoppers managed to injure a woman who was eight months pregnant and several employees, killing one of them.

Fortunately, the wounded employees and pregnant woman came out with only minor bumps and scrapes. The employee who died, however, is another story.

Jdimytai Damour, the 34 year-old man who was killed, was employed by Wal-Mart on a seasonal-basis only. That means he was only hired as a temporary worker to help out around the holiday season.

The worst part about this entire scene was that the shoppers (or perhaps I should say "savages") didn't care at all. When Wal-Mart attempted to close the store due to Damour's injuries (and subsequent death), the crowd got angry. Many yelled similar statements, all along the lines of, "I've been waiting on line since yesterday morning!"

As to be expected, the crowd completely ignored Wal-Mart's announcement and kept on shopping. The shoppers who remained (which was the vast majority of them) only cleared the area after police were called in and forced shoppers to vacate the premises. Even after that occurred, most were furious at being told "they had to leave simply because some died."

I'm both amazed and appalled by this. I really am. I've gone shopping on Black Friday and it's never gone that out of control before. Granted, I grew up in a very affluent area of Houston, TX, but even so, I saw quite a few crazy individuals around -- and inside of -- the Houston Galleria.

I have to ask, "What's so great about Wal-Mart?" They may have items for sale that are generally less expensive, but is the quality decent? The important question is, "Are any of these items worth the life of someone who's there to help you acquire your gifts?" I don't think it's worth the life of anyone at all, but to kill an individual who is there to assist you is pure insanity.

What's even more startling is that after being alerted to the fact a store employee was so severely injured he couldn't move, the shoppers moved past him and were incensed when told to leave. They actually believed that their Christmas shopping was far more important.

I also wonder why anyone would spend their entire Thanksgiving waiting in line to shop at any store, much less Wal-Mart. I realize some people may not have family that's close by and easy to visit, but who in their right mind would spend over a day waiting in line, much less Thanksgiving?

On a somewhat related note, two people shot and killed each other that same day at a Toys R Us in California. Police said the shootings did not occur due to Black Friday; however, the fact remains that they used firearms in a store that caters to children.

[AndreaDraco]

Since you don't post any link, I have to ask: is this true? I can't even understand it, so I have to think this is some kind of joke...

[Rath Darkblade]

Since you don't post any link, I have to ask: is this true? I can't even understand it, so I have to think this is some kind of joke...

*googles for Jdimytai Damour* Will these links do?
NY Daily News
Reuters
Belfast Telegraph
Bloomberg
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DPX, the scene you describe - particularly the mob mentality - sounds absolutely appalling and horrendous. I'm... simply speechless.

My heart and prayers go out to Mr Damour's family. I hope they may, even perhaps in some small way, serve to comfort them in the days ahead.

I am also shocked and saddened that several people, much less a lady in the advanced stages of pregnancy, should have been knocked over in the mad rush. I am glad that she and the other people are not too badly hurt.

I will not try to apportion blame; this is not, I think, a case where just one person can be judged guilty, but rather, the terrible and overwhelming mob mentality, combined with greed and the fear of losing out on 'bargains', that caused this.

As for the people outside who were furious at being denied entry after Mr Damour's death - I think I may be able to understand why they were so furious. At heart, they must have felt ashamed to have been there and to have been unable to do anything to help - the sort of "helpless fury" that bystanders sometimes exhibit. Outwardly, though, perhaps they felt they could not display this shame, lest it be interpreted by others as a sign of guilt. It doesn't make much sense to me, and it hardly makes their behaviour any less shameful, but that's my take on things.

All in all, this is a terrible catastrophe, all the more so because it was so easily preventable. *sigh* It is very sad.

[therogue]

Dear lord, that is absolutely appalling. Commercialization gone absolutely mad.

December can be a bit crazy here shopping wise as there is 'Sinterklaas' in the beginning of the month and Christmas at the end. There are a few major shopping retail chains which have the occasional 'special action' day or even week which ends up with people running like mad through the store but holy cow, nothing a bad as the articles describe.

[DeadPoolX]

For whatever reason, Rath, your links don't seem to work -- or at least, they don't direct to the right page. Here's a link on the subject.

I don't know if the shoppers actually felt any guilt. Maybe some did, but it seems like most were just there to shop and didn't give a damn what happened or whom.

As I previously said, Black Friday can be nuts, but it's never reached that level before. I can't understand why the crowd was so violent. Of course... it was people who lined up for Wal-Mart.

There's talk of suing Wal-Mart over this, too. As much as I dislike the store, it's not inherently their fault. Maybe they should've had better security, but who knew they'd need a riot squad there? From the looks of things, I don't think police couldn't held those shoppers back -- not without tear gas or even rubber bullets, anyway. For all we know, that could've made the situation worse. Maybe the crowd would've become angrier or even somehow grabbed police weaponry.

[Andy Roark]

The very "ugly" contributing factor that led to this man's death is evidently being zeroed in on. According to a story I read this morning some of the shoppers had been standing in line at the door (in the cold) while others had been sitting in their cars. As the doors opened the people in the cars got out and attempted to "line cut" causing the people in the line to begin pushing toward getting in.

I've seen this type of behavior out of crowds before as well (I worked as a police officer for ten years) and it's almost inescapable. It is impossible to control the actions of some people, some people feel entitled and believe the rules don't apply to them and others have a horrible temper that flares out of control when they feel they are being treated "unjustly". In the end, however, I think this comes back to basic immaturity. I think more and more people are failing to complete the maturation process that leads a human being to honestly see "others" as anything other than stage props in the play of their life. Road rage, shopping rage, workplace shootings.... all of this is a symptom of people who for whatever developmentally stunted reason have not grown beyond a basic three year old "want" mentality.

[AndreaDraco]

I simply don't have any words. Something like that is... unbelievable, here in Italy. I never heard of people getting in a line a day before, unless we're talking about rockstar's concerts! And even in that case...

I don't know what to say... It's brutal.

[Tawmis]

This also happened at Toys R Us near Palm Springs, where someone was killed because of Black Friday.

[DeadPoolX]

This also happened at Toys R Us near Palm Springs, where someone was killed because of Black Friday.

Palm Springs in California or Florida? Because it's the California one, I already addressed that in my first post. Besides, the police have said that the shootings had virtually nothing to do with Black Friday was due to some other related event.

[Tawmis]

Palm Springs, California. Well technically outside of Palm Springs, but that's the closest big name area.

[Rath Darkblade]

For whatever reason, Rath, your links don't seem to work -- or at least, they don't direct to the right page.

Oops! Sorry, I C&Ped the links directly. They're fixed now.

[Fender_178]

I heard about this and Wal-mart might get sued for this. They are responsible for this for not having enough personnel to help slow down the crowd and to help with the doors.

[Maiandra]

This utterly appalling. I can't understand anyone being so selfish that they would want to continue shopping after hearing someone had been killed. I agree that people have become too self-absorbed lately. As much as I like many aspects of the current times, the general ill-will that people have is not one of them. What ever happened to the days of actually being helpful, friendly, polite, and considerate? Instead, everyone is so righteously selfish that it makes me sick. On top of that, no one is willing to take responsibility for their own actions. They want everything without giving anything in return.

Society in general needs to foster a more considerate attitude in people that are currently growing up to avoid this from continuing. Unfortunately, it's probably too late for most that are already (supposed) adults with that attitude.

[DeadPoolX]

I heard about this and Wal-mart might get sued for this. They are responsible for this for not having enough personnel to help slow down the crowd and to help with the doors.

I tend to disagree. Perhaps Wal-Mart should've had better security there, but who knew shoppers would bust through the doors and kill an employee? Black Friday has been around a long time and a fully-armored riot squad has never been necessary.

Unfortunately, Wal-Mart will be sued since it'd be impossible to identify and then find the people responsible.

[Andy Roark]

Unfortunately, Wal-Mart will be sued since it'd be impossible to identify and then find the people responsible.

Wal-Mart isn't being sued because it will be impossible to identify the people - Wal-Mart is being sued because they have money. Over the last thirty years we have all be conditioned to think that some ambulance chasing lawyer pocketing >50% of a large pile of money somehow represents justice. In legal terms Wal-Mart has the deep pockets - not some Long Island roughneck who was trying to get a discount TV. There is no profit in going after the people who trampled that man to death although doing so and putting their butts in prison would probably have a great deterrence effect on such behavior in the future. Instead Wal-Mart will be sued, they will settle out of court, the dead guys family will end up with enough money to buy something nice and some egg sucking lawyer will end up with a Porche.