Another Tragic “Black Friday”

I don’t like “Black Friday.” You know, the big shopping day after Thanksgiving. I am not really even sure how it received its increasingly appropriate name. I dislike it not only because I tend to avoid crowds of people at all costs - no, I hate Black Friday because it invariably reaffirms my opinion of the significant flaws in our behavior.   

On Thursday people sit around, presumably with family, and declare all they are thankful for – family, friends, food on the table, etc, etc. On Friday they turn that passion into the mass acquiring of goods at local shopping malls - an event the Romans themselves would have been proud to display in the Coliseum.

What I really hate to hear is the senseless violence that occurs at some point during Black Friday. Each year I hope to not hear any tragic stories related to this no-holds-barred event and each year I am horrified over some avoidable tragedy. Unfortunately this year was not the exception… 

In New York, a Walmart worker was killed when “out-of-control” shoppers trampled him to death when he opened the doors. The man was Jdimytai Damour, 34, and he was probably thrilled, in this current economic times, he was able to find the job through a temporary employment agency during the holiday season. 

Dozens of store employees trying to save Mr. Damour were injured when trying to rescue him. To top it off, customers shouted angrily and kept shopping when store officials said they were temporarily closing the store because of the death. 

Mr. Damour will not be celebrating the holidays with anyone this year. His family and friends will always remember this day as a day of tragedy. Not because of some random car accident or tragic health related death, but because careless and inconsiderate people put the value of saving a couple dollars on stuff higher than that of a human life. Black Friday indeed.