CHANGE MY LOCATION
Miranda K. Bacon
Denver Crime Examiner
Examiner Feeds
These websites were picked by the Denver Crime Examiner as useful resources.Denver Examiners
Denver News Examiner
Most Recent Post
National Bureau of Economic Research declares recession. Surprise!
Colorado Travel Examiner
Most Recent Post
Trail of lights warm up chilly nights at Botanic Gardens
Denver Women's Examiner
Most Recent Post
Unemployed? Try Valorie Simpson's 12 job-hunting tips
Long Island Wal-Mart worker trampled to death by frenzied Black Friday shoppers
Add a Comment
AP photo
In what news agencies are calling the “Black Friday stampede,” the 34-year-old worker was trampled to death and four other shoppers – including an eight-months-pregnant woman, were injured.
Reports indicated more than 2,000 people had lined up in front of the discount store, known for its “falling prices,” before dawn, and that employees had formed a human chain, sensing ensuing chaos.
Their efforts didn’t work, however, and the store’s glass doors were smashed in by the crowd, chanting “push the doors in,” before they were to open at 5 a.m.
The worst part, however, is that despite one man’s death and several other people being injured, some shoppers refused to leave the store and continued their hunt for bargains.
That’s disgusting on so many levels: the disregard for human life, the avarice, the ridiculous love for a piteous purveyor of puny prices.
Now, now dear readers, don’t hoist yourselves on the “Miranda’s a snob” high-horse just yet. I don’t hate all discount stores and their patrons. I love Target and TJ Maxx and Big Lots– all of which are known for fabulous discount prices.
In fact, I’m known for my love of sweet deals. But I don’t love them enough to shop at Wal-Mart.
It smashes its competition, often in the form of community-staple Mom and Pop shops, has been known to treat its employees terribly – even locking them inside and forcing them to continue working – and builds scads of huge stores amid the fervent protests of many communities.
I just can’t take the slew of screaming babies and cart-clogged aisles of cheap plastic crap.
While I’m fully aware that it wasn’t the Wal-Mart Corporation’s fault that this poor man got stomped to death by sale-seekers, I certainly hope they – and their counterparts - will use this horrible incident to better plan for after-holiday blowouts.
Really, this could have happened anywhere.
Selfishly though, I’m glad it didn’t happen at any of my favorite haunts.
And to those shoppers who disregarded another person’s life and continued shopping, I hope the credit card debt you accrued at that big box store forces you into cardboard box bankruptcy.
Topics: Wal-Mart , Long Island
Subscribe
Feed Comments
More from Denver Crime Examiner
Worker convicted in attempt to sell urine to cop posing as addict
Topics: Denver , Robert Downey Jr.
Alleged carjacker clubbed with frozen turkey
Topics: Friends , Adam Sandler , Thanksgiving , carjacking
If a piano plays in the woods, will anyone hear it?
Topics: Massachusetts , piano , ATHF , Neil Peart
More than 1,000 people watch as boy kills himself on webcam
Topics: suicide , Florida
Father allegedly arranges 'baby cockfight' between son, another toddler
AWOL Marine changes appearance to avoid capture? Who woulda thunk it?
Topics: Boulder , Fox News , Lance Hering , AWOL
Aurora code enforcement officer shot
Topics: Aurora , Sex Pistols
Elderly Illinois woman found to be living with bodies of three dead siblings
Topics: Illinois
Cut down some weeds? That's a jailin'
Topics: Fort Lupton
