'Black Friday' Shopping: Killing Someone To Get At 'The Stuff'

LONG ISLAND, New York (CNN)

The death of a temporary Wal-Mart worker trampled by customers amid frantic Black Friday shopping could have been avoided, the union that represents retail workers said Saturday.

Jdimytai Damour, 34, was crushed as he and other employees attempted to unlock the doors of a Long Island, New York, store at 5 a.m. Friday, police said.

"This incident was avoidable," said Bruce Both, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500, the state of New York's largest grocery worker's union. "Where were the safety barriers? Where was security? How did store management not see dangerous numbers of customers barreling down on the store in such an unsafe manner?

***********************************

To which I would like to add:

Where was the common sense?  A man died--trampled to death--because people in a big box store in New York State could get at some after-Thanksgiving bargains in a ritual of early morning hysteria that has now infected the holiday season all over the USA.   Why did Mr. Damour have to die? 

Stuff.  Low-priced stuff.  People need stuff. Or so they think. Or so they have been programmed to think. Some need it so bad they forget they are responsible for not injuring others to acquire it.

   

I read when this incident occurred that some shoppers were actually mad that the store was closing down in the wake of the death and the four serious injuries there resulted. Why?  Because people couldn't get into the Wal-Mart Store fast enough.  Some of these early-morning mob/shoppers were actually pounding on the glass, scrambling forward like wildebeests on a migration, then bending the metal frames of the entry doors, apparently busting some of the hinges off said doors. 

  As one of my friends on Multiply, Mark/Astroguy, put it so well, it's strange what kind of behavior comes out on a holiday that is supposed to be celebrating the birth of Jesus, who even among non-believers has to be recognized as a Man of Peace. 

I've worked in retail myself for a lot of my working life in one position or another.  I can remember seeing an old lady get knocked off her feet on "Black Friday" in 1983, my first "Black Friday",  because a younger man and his girlfriend or wife had to have a "Cabbage Patch" doll for their child.  The people acted like they were somehow entitled--that the ordinary laws of civilization didn't apply. Well, they do.  

I've dealt with short-tempered and anxiety-ridden shoppers. I don't ask for any concern. My work is remunerated by what I do in helping shoppers. And that's part of the package.

But I object when people put the lives of others, not only store employees and managers, but other shoppers at risk as well. Shoppers are not free to  think collectively like a herd of buffalo and not give a damn about their actions.  (A woman during this same incident at Wal-Mart was knocked down on the ground.  She was eight months pregnant!)   

Expect good customer service, shoppers, but no one should put up with seeing a having a co-worker being physicality harmed because a storm people want a damn Gameboy or a iPod or an LCD television.  

 Why did these Wal-Mart shoppers act like spooked buffalo?  There is so excuse for the loss of human life for consumer lust.   And I think  stores promote this behavior unintentionally. It's those "come-early-early-early or lose out!" promotion plans, that "door buster" mentality that contributes to this. In a tight economy people feel more desperate to get bargains.  

I hope they catch the people who trampled Mr. Demour and I hope more human security is put into high-volume stores.  And i hope everyone who reads this takes a few deep breathes before they do their holiday shopping and, sadly, be on the lookout for unruly consumers and if you can do nothing else, stay the hell out of their way.  If they "strike" like commandos in Long Island, NY, then they can strike anywhere.