People are still reeling from the day after Thanksgiving’s Black Friday stampede and death at a Long Island, New York Walmart, in what is the primary topic of this holiday weekend.
Even area Detroiters, long known for their immovable toughness and swaggering presence, are shocked by news reports of the death and trampling of several others, including an eight-months’ pregnant woman.
What causes death and mayhem — all for the potential bargain price for videos, TV’s or butt crème? It’s the stuff of a bad movie plot, they say.
“What does this say about us as a country, as humans?” said one woman, shaking her head in bewilderment. "I thought I had seen it all -- but sadly no,I guess I hadn't.”
Violence has gained a foothold in society in sports, schools
and now, shopping.
The death occurred at 5:03 a.m immediately after opening. Friday, as a 34-year-old temporary overnight stock clerk braced along with co-workers for the onslaught of customers who were there to scoop up bargains. An unruly throng shoved through the entrances, bending the metal door supports from their hinges, and trampling store employees as well as other customers in the process. The melee happened about 20 miles outside of Manhattan in a community named Valley Stream.
Some present were reported to have become concerned while in line about growing discomfort with other consumers, and a few left the area rather than be swept up in group violence. Broken store window glass and civil disobedience were reported; the line to enter the store stretched across the parking lot. No store security was provided, according to eyewitnesses, although Walmart has said it used the Nassau County police for some assistance and barricade help.
Amateur video showed police and emergency workers using CPR on the clerk, who while lying outside the entrance was watched through the store windows by customers looking on. Eventually, the Walmart was closed to allow the body removal, but that closing announcement further set off irate shoppers. Lookers-on in the video were recorded laughing and commenting casually about the event.
A 28-year-old, eight months’ pregnant Walmart customer was also treated at an area hospital for injuries sustained n the Black Friday riot. As shocked as some people were at the potential for injury to her, people seem more perplexed as to why she was present on such a volatile occasion to begin with.
“What was she doing in that environment in the first place, and what would possess a mother-to-be like that to endanger not only herself, but her baby?” said one mother. “What’s the matter with responsible parenting today — for SHOPPING?”
And, they are not alone.
Analysts cite purposely-planned product shortages, such as that of video gaming systems, all caused by manufacturers. The intent is to artificially create fervor for a priduct as well as media buzz about it. Most consumers blame retialers for not only causing such disasters, but also contributing via lax concern to making those circumstances worse each year.
"Suddenly, they're crying that they can't make enough money with sales the day after Thanksgiving, so they are stretching their offers beyond Black Friday," said one sales professional. "So, sales go on throught the entire weekend, online during Cyber Monday, they feed consumers breakfast, and do everything they can to attract sales."
“But, if businesses are stretching that season’s profit to balance out the entire year — especially given the disastrous economic problems this year—they need to share some responsibility for quality, including safety measures for their customers.”
The bargains no one could live without included jeans from $4 to $8, sales on jackets and sleepwear, a Magnavox Blue-Ray disc player for $128, a Motorola Bluetooth headset for under $20 and the Playhut High School Musical Star Stage for $30.
The Walmart stampede and death incident was addressed in the Associated Press by National Retail Federation spokesperson Ellen Davis who said she was, “not aware of any other circumstances where a retail employee has died working on the day after Thanksgiving."
Some consumers said they consider the caliber of shoppers at Walmart to be “lower-class” and blame that for the violence. One nicknamed Walmart “Mal*Wart” and identified it as the source for “cheap, plastic crap.”
One more referenced the “strip mall after strip mall full of cheap overseas s***, which has diminished our quality of life and eroded American industry and working conditions.”
Although it’s doubtful Black Friday will be scrapped, Detroiters are waiting to see how long the insanity lasts. Instead, they have other solutions — if they have the desire to shop at all.
"For me, I wouldn't be caught dead out there; that's all amateurs trying to 'be popular' or 'trendy,'" said one man. "The smart people stay home, eat leftovers and, if they must shop, do it online. The really smart get out and earn money -- then save it."
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Shopping exposes consumers to exhaustion and disease.
For more info:
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/11/29/041306.php
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