Black friday run amok...

I will defend the commercialism of the holidays as much as anyone. Gift giving is an ancient way to reinforce friendships, and goes back to the very origins of Christmas. (I'd like to think the wise men bought their gifts.)

However, I don't participate in Black Friday. The malls and stores are too crowded--and it's not like there aren't other chances to buy Christmas presents.

The story about the Wal-Mart worker trampled to death really, really disturbs me. I have one very close friend who works in Wal-Mart in the Daytona area, and another in Indiana who recently quit her job with the store, so the thought of a worker at the chain being killed is especially chilling to me. What the HELL was wrong with the shoppers who burst into the store? Never mind the employee who was killed--once he fell, shoppers further back wouldn't have known he was there, and could have tripped over him unaware it was a person. It's horrible that the man was killed, but it was arguably an accident. But the shoppers who wouldn't leave are deeply disturbing--the shoppers who refused to leave the store and said "I've been on line since yesterday morning," are just insane--they not only apparently blew off Thanksgiving with their families to go to Wal-Mart (hello--Wal-Mart will be open again between Friday morning and Christmas), but they wouldn't leave even after someone had died! I'm cheap, but a Ferrari for $1 isn't a big enough bargain to make that behavior to seem reasonable to me.

I'd also add my condolences to the family of Jdimytai Damour; whether it was an accident or homicide, what happened to him is undeniably a tragedy.