The Last Word On The Walmart Tragedy

[jpertello]

The force of the crowd - many of whom had begun lining up the previous night - bent the store's outer door inward and shattered its glass. Several other employees were forced to jump atop soda-vending machines to avoid the rush, police said.

Other employees tried to battle forward to help Damour, but were pushed back by the crowd, Fleming said. Even officers responding to the scene had difficulty pushing through the mob to get to the fallen man.

"It was utter and complete chaos," Fleming said.

Even though it was clear there was trouble, shoppers continued pushing forward, stepping over Damour's crushed body, witnesses said.

"Nobody cared. They were still trying to get in. People were stampeding to get inside," Brown said.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/11292008/news/regionalnews/killer_tide_at_shop_of_horror_141344.htm

http://www.freep.com/article/20081129/NEWS07/811290333

"Witnesses said the surging throngs of shoppers knocked the man down. He fell and was stepped on. As he gasped for air, shoppers ran over and around him."

http://www.huliq.com/1/73764/black-friday-walmart-death-worker-trampled

________________________________________________________

People kept shopping. They stepped over the body and went shopping. One person explained "I've been on line since yesterday and I'm not leaving now.". The cops closed the store. It reopened at 1. And still no one cared to go home out of common human decency. No one it seemed was sickened enough to go home and reflect on this horror and the poor young man who lost his life due to corporate greed, shoppers' greed... This, in a nutshell, is the picture of Christmas 2008 I will remember.

[gristy]

1. OK, stop the presses. The last word has been published. No more threads! No more posts!

Ya hear?

[lame54]

2. The last word?...

:rofl:

That's like saying saying "This is the last time we will see Joe the Plumber"

[Cheap_Trick]

5. Or no more Palin threads...

:rofl:

[lame54]

3. O.k. - they were rats...

but what about those who dangled the cheese?

[Deja Q]

4. A coke snorting cat

[Bonobo]

6. I doubt people knew what had happened. But feel free to demonize them all you want.

In a packed crowd, can you tell me how people would know there was a person on the ground?

The fact is, they wouldn't know until they were already on top of the guy. Use your brain, okay?

Still, maybe it is important for you to think there are monsters all around you. Feel free and have a great life, but don't be surprised if you find your own humanity disappearing in the process.

[Doremus]

7. Wish I could recommend your post. It makes far more sense than the OP

The one who supposedly gets the last word. :rofl:

[aikoaiko]

8. I agree -- in those situations its hard to see your feet.

Heads up, hands on back of person in front, and keep lifting up your feet to keep balance.

[madmom]

9. Maybe the ones stepping over him?

[Realityhack]

16. Sure... but could they stop?

Or would they then be like the employees and cops who were battling being trampled themselves?

[hlthe2b]

13. Some probably did and didn't care.. Others were just reacting...

That's why they call it chaos....

[Midlodemocrat]

18. I don't know about that. I read that people were stepping over the fallen worker.

[Common Sense Party]

10. I guess no one should comment on your post, since you have the "last word"?

I highly doubt this is the last we'll hear of this.

However, if THIS is the ONE and ONLY memory or "picture" you will remember from this holiday season, I think you're missing the idea of the season. Not as much as these stampeding shoppers, but you're still missing the point.

[jpertello]

12. I don't want the last word. This needs to be discussed and something must be done

Laws enacted to prevent this sort of consumer manipulation. Boycott Walmart until they put a system in place to protect their employees from violent stampedes. I turn on the news and see that no one really cares for their fellow man. No feeling of decency and respect. No manners. Just an insatiable desire for more material possessions. It was the part where people were observed to justify their behavior with "I was waiting since yesterday" as an excuse for their monstrous disregard for this man's death. That is what makes me sick. No, I don't want the last word. I do want this type of insanity to end. But unfortunately probably worse things than this will happen by Christmas. People only get more stressed out desperate and insane as Dec. 25th approaches. And the mantra running through their brains is: MUST. BUY. MORE. SHIT.

[L0oniX]

11. Xmas kills. Consumerism kills.

[jazzjunkysue]

14. This was an annual disgraceful annual public greed ritual. Last year they only bent the door.

This year, they actually broke the door and killed someone.

They knew exactly what they were doing and why they were there.

And panic only counts when machine guns, tanks, or fires are involved.

This story upsets people because it reveals greedy americans for what we are: Selfish.

We let third world people starve and die for our "way of life." We occupy entire countries for our oil.

This is a metaphor for america.

Support the troops. God bless america.

[Adsos Letter]

15. "And panic only counts when machine guns, tanks, or fires are involved."

...or European soccer matches...

[Midlodemocrat]

19. Wish I could recommend this post.

[AZBlue]

17. EVERY ONE of those shoppers should be charged wtih murder.

Every last one of them, I don't care their story or their age.

[LisaL]

20. Babies too.

They should be charged as adults.

:eyes:

[jpertello]

22. yeah, let's teach them young.

to be consumers of cheap Chinese shit.

http://bp0.blogger.com/_UfEU5OLJPHI/SHq73U8fc8I/AAAAAAAAAk0/J104lRdSRzA/s320/1st+birthday+041.jpg

[Two Americas]

21. really?

So if you were in the middle of that crowd, had done nothing wrong and were being pushed along by a mass of humanity with absolutely no control over that, you would be guilty of murder?