Sunday, November 30, 2008

Darkest Friday of All

Black Friday is known as the biggest shopping day of the year.  The day after Thanksgiving, it is marked by massive lines and countless shoppers who sacrifice sleep in order to get the best deals.  Stores open as early as four in the morning to accommodate the enormous crowds.  Usually reports are made of pushing in line and small fist fights.  But this Black Friday was to become the most memorable and darkest of all, when reports were made of the death of a Wal-Mart employee.  Jdimytai Damour was trampled to death while opening the doors of a Long Island Wal-Mart.  Shoppers had broken through the doors and stampeded through the entrance of the store with no regard to Damour or the other employees who were trying to save him, including a pregnant woman.  The same shoppers who had trampled Damour to death then refused to leave the store when asked by police. They complained that they "had been waiting in line for hours to shop."  As if things couldn't get worse, two men killed each other inside a Toys R' Us.  They pulled handguns on each other and than ran through the aisles of the store shooting at one another. 

            What ever happened to Christmas being a happy time of year with "goodwill towards men?"  It seems horribly wrong that on Christmas, an innocent child will be opening a present that its parents trampled a man to death for.  What will it take to protect the employees of stores, the National Guard?  The shoppers of that Wal-Mart should be prosecuted.  How about one hundred hours of community service as a Salvation Army bell ringer?  Shoppers should reflect on the horrors of this year's Black Friday, and promise to themselves to show restraint and courteousness next year.

The Professor

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

One of the worst things about this whole deal is, to me, that Wal-Mart is now getting blamed for it. What the heck? The union is blaming them for poor security, but does everywhere need to be idiot-proofed?
Good grief, people. Use your brain.

Anonymous said...

Wow, I didn't know that black friday was this serious! I have never gone shopping on any black friday, I am way too scared. And now I don't plan on going any time in the future either!

Anonymous said...

On TV it was noted that in other countries where people are trampled to death, it's over matters such as food, water, or other people running from danger. Only in America does this happen over discounted big screen TV's. We are a pretty wealthy country despite our recession.

Anonymous said...

I want a Red Ryder Ranger Model Air Rifle. On another note, people need to realize that there will always be another sale. It is Wal-Mart.

Anonymous said...

One of the things that some of my friends and I talked about regarding this subject was why would there be that big of a crowd at Wal-Mart?! I understand that they have good sales, but they always have sales going on! And there are plenty of other GREAT stores with even better sales going on.
Are people really focused on getting the perfect holiday gift that they will trample someone to death?
Its just crazy how much people rely on getting the perfect gift.

Anonymous said...

How can you possibly not know that you are trampeling a human? What logical person is ok with trampeling a human for material goods? It just makes no sense. It's the peoples fault not Walmart's, it's not Walmart's fault that they attract all the people with a less than average IQ on Black Friday.

GeorgeCostanza said...

that's terrible.
Wal-Mart clearly had nothing to do with the death of that employee.
I heard that investigators were watching surveillance tapes to try to catch the individuals that did it.
is that even possible?

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry, the economy continues decline, and people still go shopping. Do we realize that our impulses are what got us into this mess? People need to wake up and realize that sacrafices are going to be need to be made in order for anything to get better. But I suppose everything always gets worse before it gets better...this is the worse part...will it get better when no one does anything to fix it? How?

Anonymous said...

Black Friday is like the big christmas season kick off. Its about getting up early and spending time with your family (usually mom and/or grandma) and waking up early. Think of it as a bonding party for the team, you get up early go shopping then get lunch. The fact that some people took this day to the extent that somone's son, brother, or even husband was killed is absolutely ridiculous. It just shows how completely greedy and self centered america has become. I wonder what the people who risked thier lives to immigrate here 200 years ago would think of that.

Anonymous said...

It is clearly ridiculous how people's hands itched on those items and not realizing their feet just smudged on human flesh. People who continued to shop and refused to get out callous! Is that it? Material things are greater than life?

Anonymous said...

Sad thing is, I don't believe the majority of people running into that wal-mart had any idea that a man was being trapled under their feet.
The first line of people to run him over though is another story.

Anonymous said...

i have never been out that early on black friday. i have always waited until later in the evening so the crowds could die down. and from this black friday, i don't think i'll EVER go out early, even if i really need to. it scares me!!

Anonymous said...

"They pulled handguns on each other and than ran through the aisles of the store shooting at one another."

That is just... I don't even know what to say. Crazy... but I suppose the retailers love it, its when they make most moeny, so why do they care who gets hurt?

Anonymous said...

On this black friday i saw a great increase in police around the stores. Then to read of all these deaths. I can't believe it. The people the killed the wal-mart man need to be caught and punished!

Anonymous said...

This is just terrible. Walmart is NOT at fault what so ever. For goodness sake why are grown adults pulling guns on eachother in a CHILDS store. They may not have gottent the perfect present but now they probably have scarred any young children that WERE there forever....GOOD JOB PARENTS. (some of em)

Anonymous said...

While a adequate amount of the blame should be on the unruly crowd of shoppers, I definitely think a chunk of it should fall on Walmart. It should be their responsibility to provide the needed amount of security, especially in those high traffic areas.

Plus, after the incident occurred, the store was closed for just a couple HOURS (which is ridiculous in my mind).

Anonymous said...

I think that is absolutely ridiculous that lives were lost so someone could save a little money. That's all people want to do is on Black Friday. And someone lost their life over it? It's just sad. This took place on Long Island. I'm not surprised. My family lives there and people can be a little crazy...

Anonymous said...

It's horrible how humans can turn to animals on Black Friday. This is not the first year someone has died.

Anonymous said...

First off, prayers to the man and his family.

Second, this just shows how Americans can be so selfish. People can sit out in the cold for hours but can't take the same time to do community service and to volunteer in the homeless shelters.

Anonymous said...

I do agree that something needs to be done about the way people act on Black Friday towards eachother, but I don't know if anything will really change it. People will still be crazy because of the huge discounts on items, and they want to get there first so they can get the items they want. If they wait until Saturday there are no longer any sales, and they have to pay full price. Sadly, people just go crazy over that kind of stuff, and it is tragic to hear that someone had to lose their life over a few dollar savings on something of material value.

Anonymous said...

The two men that shot each other at the toys r us didn't weren't fighting over a purchase. Each man was with a women and the women started punching each other, but they weren't arguing about items at the store. That doesn't make it better, but at least they didn't shot each other over a toy.

Anonymous said...

That's ridiculous. I have never partaken in black friday shopping nor do i plan to. I have heard similiar stories of people being trampled in previous years, so it isn't anything new. One of the main things i can't understand is- why the need to storm the store? If it's to guarantee you get the items you've been waiting outside for then that is stupid. It's a store- they will have more than one t.v. on sale. Plus, wouldn't you think stores would put out greater sales the closer it gets to Christmas? I will never understand the necessity of black friday.

Anonymous said...

Black Friday is getting out of hand. With the poor economy people are going even crazier to try and save money. I was at NFM and to see the people storm in was an unbelievable sight.

Anonymous said...

It's ridiculous. I hope all those people enjoy their shiny new flat screens and wii's. I hope they're not haunted by the fact that they took someone's life to get some stupid object.

Anonymous said...

I really don't understand how people would refuse to leave the store after knowing a man had just died. How can someone be that selfish, to put a toy over a life? I think the worst thing is that none of those shoppers probably feel guilty, because they're passing the blame onto someone else.
A once fun and celebrated event has turned into some primitive fight for presents. Why don't we just go all the way and have people win gifts gladiator style?

Anonymous said...

I agree that Wal-mart shouldn't be blamed for it, because there are millions of stores across the U.S. that have these big door buster sales on black friday and it was just a coincedence that it happened at Wal-mart. I think that the state of our economy has to do with why people are so aggressive in buying their loved ones christmas gifts that they might be able to afford. Its sad that people become selfish and greedy when the economy is in bad shape even though its affecting more than just them.

Anonymous said...

This was indeed the darkest friday. It baffles me that people could do that. I know that i couldnt! It is very sad and incredibly uncalled for. But whats more is that my mom went to walmart today, 16 days til Christmas mind you, and there were NO LINES. I know this is due to the recession but if people had just waited...horrible things wouldnt happen.

"Patience is a Virtue"

Anonymous said...

this is so sad. america is seriously so into buying this and that for christmas. again i say where is the love? unless you see buying presents as love. hmmmm... still sad.

Anonymous said...

I've gotten many complaints from people about how Walmart didn't set their lines up very well on the morning of black friday.

Apparently people would just bunch around the doors and slip in. Other stores would set up aisles of tape or send workers out to make sure people were forming actual lines. I believe in a partial way Walmart is somewhat to blame.

People are becoming more and more crazy as the years go by. Stores should take this into consideration and at least try to succeed an "organized chaos".

Anonymous said...

I REALLY agree with this article! although i was a participant in the Black Friday, i didnt go to the extent of hurting other people. These people need to realize that getting 50 more dollars off a TV then you will later, isnt worth a human life. I don't believe in what sunkissed said though, all black friday actions arent bad. It is amazing to see SO MANY people out shopping for the people they love!! ...and there are still some great deals at like 7!!! woohoo :D

Anonymous said...

Unbelievable. Seriously? *depressed sigh* This is ridiculous and pathetically sad. Greedy Americans without consciences is a really scary thought. I'm appalled. I honestly don't know what to say, except that I find this to be a very pathetic tribute to the morals and IQ of Americans, and I'm ashamed for them.