30 November 2008

The Short Straw on Black Friday

My friend Joanne posted a link to this article on Facebook and I was shocked. Evidently there is just enough naievety to think that people are basically good and that we do care about our fellow human beings. Stupid girl.
I just hate living in a world like this. I am the person who lets that car out in traffic, lets the person with only a few things ahead of me in a shopping line, holds the door, gives up the seat. I have had other people model some of these polite, sacrificial behaviors and been the benefactor of much courteous treatment in my life, but I have also been pushed and shoved, although nothing quite like this.
I have never been out for the "Black Friday" madness short of going to the fabric store with my neighbor last year. It was pretty mundane - the doors were open when we got there. Although it was crowded and people were struggling to share the space with one another, there wasn't anything terrible to report. I do not understand this frenzy to save a few bucks. I do not understand how that can take precedent over the fact that other living and breathing human beings may be getting injured in the frey.
I worked at Walmart on Black Friday - but not until evening. It was pretty calm. All the die-hard shoppers who slept in their cars overnight, in some places for several nights were long gone by the time I got there. But when I read this article I remembered a conversation I overheard in the breakroom where several people were discussing who would unlock the doors on Black Friday. I wonder if Mr. Jdimytai Damour, the man who was trampled drew the short straw in his store. What a horrible mar on what is supposed to be the season of giving.

4 comments:

  1. I've only been shopping on Black Friday twice in my 37 years, but this is enough for me to resolve to never go again. That's just madness. I feel so horrible for that man's family!

    ReplyDelete
  2. There are no words....

    Well that I can write here :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh the greed that can be so readily found. "Looking out for number one." should be this country's motto.

    I know that everyone is not like that. Not me, not you, not a lot of people I know. But it seems that we hear such shocking things far too often.

    ReplyDelete

Awaiting your words......
♥ Juls ♥