Crazy Christmas Shoppers (warning - rant ahead!)
Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 6:12 am
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.
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.
