Another sleepless night here- I have to get to Fleet Farm and get a chicken lamp for the water pit. I keep waking up to run water to make sure it doesn't freeze out there-
The high tomorrow is to be about 22. ~Whoopdefreakin'doo~
Just too early for this all...
Now back to my title.
We have all heard the news, seen the tape, etc.
(CLICK HERE if your "rock" is bigger than mine).
Here's your question...
Who really IS responsible for that mans death at WalMart on Black Friday?
- Is it WalMart? For example they didn't do enough to control the crowd... (Keep in mind the man that died was not an employee of WalMart, just hired on as extra security to help assist with crowd control).
- Or the shoppers? By trampling this man to death...
Still not sure?
What if it had been a shopper that had died?
What if it had been a child?
Please let me know your thoughts.
XOXO
Anne
My opinion...it was the shoppers fault. 2000 people all wanting to be inside Walmart all at the same time? I can't even fathom that. But my goodness....have some restraint people.
ReplyDeleteThe article I read said their might be criminal charges but who are they gonna charge? Who were the first 25 idiots thru the door?
This is a tough one.
Sweet Bug!
ReplyDeleteI hear you, but...
You can only charge the first 25 if it is provable that a person can die by being trampled by 25 people.
CS will have to investigate the tapes; ONE person at a time.
I keep picturing this "cone" for next year that allows ONE (and only one) person in at a time.
XOXO
Me
Oh and here's the video Most of you all can watch it.
I cheat and just post the embed...
My rock is bigger, I have not watched or read more news than the local weather in a week.
ReplyDeleteThat makes me sick ....A man was trampled to death for a sale. That in itself speaks novels about the mindset of many black friday shoppers(Survival of the fittest). They act this way to try to be the first one to the items they want ...."The bait"!!! The stores rarely have very many of those bait items and they relish seeing those crowds line up to fight for them.
This death was purely materialistic....I hope those people feel guilty looking at their $9.00 videos etc... Oh wouldnt it be nice to see the ghost of christmas present sneak up on them.
BUT if it were me at the front of the line and the masses were pressing me forward which is most likely what was going on, the people in the front have no way of stopping once the masses are in motion. I blame all the stores for even having Black Friday. Why do it only one day a year? Spread the special sales throughout the holiday shopping season for crying out loud. I think they should ban Black Friday. They should have had some kind of crowd control outside before they even thought about unlocking those doors. The guy should have seen that things were getting a bit outta hand outside and should not have unlocked the door but he did what he was told to do...unlock the door and the masses ran over him. It's just like what happened back more than a few years ago in Ohio at that rock concert---that's why general seating is banned. The people in the front have no way of stopping thousands of people behind them, it's move or else. I say it's Walmarts and every single store's fault for having Black Friday. I say ban the practice and spread the special through out the season. Just my two cents worth.
ReplyDeleteGood point! Your right about the pushing factor, but I just have a hard time knowing that so many people went over him and still went shopping....I would have been joining the fight to save the man, Not continue going to get my sale item.
ReplyDeleteMost likely most people didn't even realize there was a man down. No one will ever completely know what happened. If that guy had any kind of security experience, he would have known better than to go ahead and unlock the door. I still say they need to ban the practice of Black Friday altogether and things like this wouldn't happen. I know if it had been me, there would have been no way I would have stopped and bent down to help. Not because I wouldn't want to but because I wouldn't want to end up like that guy did.
ReplyDeleteI was only using 25 as a number.
ReplyDeleteHowever many people it took to trample this poor man to death,,thats how many should be prosecuted.
And yes, to go in and continue shopping is horrible!
There should have been someone outside BEFORE the doors were opened to control all those people.
Maybe there should be those stiles like on the subway or at ballgames where only one person gets thru at a time
You have an awful reason for your rock...
ReplyDeleteThat said, I always wanted to kill someone to save myself a few dollars, didn't you?
Yes. Greed.
Odd that it is one of the Seven Deadly Sins.
XOXO
Me
The reference to "The Ghost of Xmas Present" is a real good one.
And I wonder too if those same shoppers will be consumed from now on by Christmas Past.
I wonder too, if ANY of them even feel the least bit responsible???
You really DO have an excellent point...
ReplyDeleteThe guy was told only to unlock the doors and not to fight the forward motion.
But I also heard that they broke the doors down before he even unlocked them.
Having been in retail for my adult life, stores should really stop the damned competition. (I know, do not get on me for being UnAmerican).
Do not spend so much $ on advertising these big sales; and then throughout the year just have some big unadvertised big ticket items available for the people already there. Then put the tease out "more to come".
Cell phones will be lit up, and more consumers will come in...
KMart had it right years ago with their blue light specials. They just beat themselves by not offering the big tickets items.
XOXO
Me
ReplyDeleteI have an impossible time with this...
exactly, I wondered the same, do those people even feel responsible, Black Friday shoppers are the worse, a man died over greed, try to explain that to his family.
ReplyDeleteBut don't you have to know that you have just stepped upon something that clearly wasn't flooring?
ReplyDeleteI may not have stopped immediately, but I sure would have turned to see what the hell I'd stepped on.
XOXO
me
The CSI's will have their hands full- There apparently were 2000 people doing the stampeding.
ReplyDelete(Even cows will stop for a louder noise than what they are making).
One at a time is good. Let them camp out for 2 weeks then.
(But then some dumb schmuck will freeze to death, and the store will get sued anyway).
Again you have people dying to save a few bucks.
Stiles, cones, turnstiles would all have to be made of concrete...
Yeah. "Difficult, but not impossible"
XOXO
Me
Sweet Pamela;
ReplyDeleteIf they felt responsible in any way they would have already come forward. That's what truly repentent and responsible human beings do.
And for those 2000 that haven't come forward, "karma" always comes around- sooner or later.
And Karma, good or bad, always wins.
XOXO
me
This from eBay reviews.
ReplyDelete"Does Wal-Mart deserve our loyalty? In fact, do most of these brick and mortar retailer's deserve anyone's loyalty when they charge "X" for an item during the rest of the year but, make us claw our way through the crowds to get to get the limited number of "come on" deals they have to offer on Black Friday? Just how many of these RCA 52 inch HDTV's do they have in stock?
I have a suggestion for these retailer's, add a "Best Offer" tag to every item you sell (all year long).
Let us make you an offer (like millions can do on eBay) and then maybe we have something talk about."
Interesting, no?
OR...
ReplyDeleteMaybe we need more of this...
Read on....
Black Friday on the Internet
For those who do not share in the excitement of standing in line for early morning deals at stores, the Internet has provided a great alternative to shopping from the comfort of our homes. Deals can be found as easily as logging onto the Internet.
Specialty websites such as SavingsVine.com offer information about Black Friday deals up to a month in advance. The text listings of prices are usually accompanied by adscans -- complete PDFs either leaked by insiders, or intentionally released by large retailers to give consumers insight and allow shoppers time to plan accordingly.
How does this work? During the weeks leading up to Black Friday, websites and publishers receive advanced copies of store ads which are often leaked before Thanksgiving Day. Sites like SavingsVine.com and GottaDeal.com have pulled together a comprehensive listing of all these deals for consumers to view at their leisure to find the best deals for their dollar.
However, for those computer-savvy shoppers, take note that although shops are open 24-7 on the Internet and readily available for Black Friday, websites save their best deals for Cyber Monday!
http://www.blackfridayandcybermonday.com/black_friday_on_the_internet.html
Its the people and the mob mentality. From what I read/heard they were chanting because the doors didn't open fast enough for them and then when the store said it wanted to close because of the deaths people were complaining that it was "unfair". Unfair???? How fair was it that they guy DIED. Oh and you can't blame the store for having black friday sales. How many other places had them and people behaved in a "somewhat" civilized manner. The Target store near me - opened their doors at 5 am with a line wrapped around the building... they had 2 security people and no one trampled anyone.
ReplyDeleteSweet CAB;
ReplyDeleteSo you are saying that the 'mob mentality' has been tried and found wanting?
I heard a quote on the news the other day:
"Everybody thinks there's a shortage on stupidity so they are all making a run for it."
Hopefully this is NOT going to be the trend...
XOXO
me
Yeppers that is what I am saying. Damn freaking mobs. LOL
ReplyDeleteIndividuals will do all sorts of things that they would normally be ashamed of when they get caught up in a mob. It some ways its amazing (and frightening) to watch as people get almost absorbed into the mob.
I think it was the Shoppers fault for people to not even stop to help the poor guy up. I am happy to hear others tried to help. I do think the store should of closed down for the whole day not just a few hours. I just don't understand people!!! I have waited in many lines and they always seem to go orderly and fine. I also wonder the area this Walmart was in might have something to do with the way the crowd was and all. It's just sad that's someone life was taken for a Laptop or toy. I sure hope they can charge people with something. It's just wrong!!
ReplyDeleteYou would think that people would notice they are stepping on a human and not concrete. Even if most didn't realize he was down, it takes just one person to start screaming for people to get out of the way. Everyone looks when someone screams and they would then have seen him. Even though they couldn't stop the thousands of people from coming behind them, they could've cleared the way and told others to go around... Just inhumane what they did.
ReplyDeleteI think both sides are of equal and heavy blame for this. The shoppers shouldn't have acted in that manner, and Wal-Mart should've realized that the crowd was huge and put up barriers so only so many could get in at once. Make them concrete if you have to so that you ensure the safety of everyone once those doors open. The picture of the crowd outside showed that it wasn't in order at all. People just crammed up to the door to get in first. Order, people, order... And where are their hearts??? I agree with Visions: I hope they feel awful when they look at the items that they were a part in killing a man over...
I'm not even going to get into the event at the Toys-R-Us... That is just cold-blooded and inhumane...
What has mankind become????
Love you much much,
~Casey
You want my opinion?
ReplyDeleteI worked in a McDonald's that was inside a Wal-Mart for almost 5 years... Yes we profited off of "Black Friday" also. If Wal-Mart advertised that their doors were opening at 5am, we had to get there at 4 so we could open at the same time... In my experience, the crowds would be around the building and blocking the front doors so no one could get through. The Wal-Mart managers would let us in through Lawn&Garden. And that was only by being able to prove that we worked there... That being said, when the front doors were opened, we stood and watched as these shoppers would literally run through the main aisle, stumbling and falling and pushing carts and each other. All to get to that 'sale' that really if you think about it isn't a sale at all...
Does Wal-Mart have a huge stock of these items? No they don't. This is why they usually specify 'while supplies last' and have the sale for a short period of time (say til 10 or 11 am). They keep low stock so that when you get there and find out the 'sale' item isn't there you can turn around and buy an item that is close but not the same at 'regular' price. It's all about Wal-Mart being able to make profit. They have the 'sale' to lure you in...
Wal-Mart should have a better security system. Concrete barriers that make 'lanes' in front of the doors and force people to form a single file line should be used...
As for the shoppers themselves... C'mon people you are grown. You don't know how to act in a crowd?? And definitely you would have to know that what you are walking over isn't the floor...
Sad to say but do you think that where this store was has something to do with how the people acted? Inner city versus Suburban? (You do know that the prices at at Wal-Mart are higher in 'inner-city' stores than they are in suburban stores, right? Another issue and another blog though!)
Even though this happened on Black Friday, it was determined to be some kind of domestic thing and had nothing to do with sales or anything else. From what I heard, it started long before Black Friday. Yes, it was wrong to put other lives in danger but it wasn't anything about black friday.
ReplyDeleteAh, thank you. I wasn't quite clear on that. Many think it was over black friday, but it wasn't. You are correct... Let me rephrase that part of the comment to better say what I was thinking:
ReplyDeleteI am not saying it was about Black Friday. It wasn't, the report states that.
IT HAPPENED IN A FRIGGEN TOY STORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't care what it is about. Do you know that they hold children's birthday parties there? Or that they have play areas for children? And I'm quite sure that children go there to shop as well.... All it takes is one sales rack to catch a bullet and send it flying in a different direction or even a person's aim being off by a millimeter and a child gets hurt. WAY too much of a chance.
This one was just stupid and makes me pissed...I can't stand what people are becoming these days... Such inhumane creatures... Some are downright monsters...
Whew... Sorry, this issue just makes my blood curdle...
Love to you Mom and Doubtfire!
~Casey
it is another sign of how far from humanity we have slid. A sale is a sale but it is not worth that kind of a rush to get to it. Much like people who insist on driving like maniacs to get somewhere "first" the people in front will suffer.
ReplyDeleteYet another reason to take your time and find a happy meduim in lin somewhere.
note I did ZERO shopping that day. I woke when the die hards woke and left the campsite but declined to go along. I HATE the crowds that come out on that day and would rather pay more or not buy.
ReplyDeleteSwallowed by inhumanity...
Sweet Sheri;
ReplyDeleteMany could not stop- the forward momentum of the 'herd' as it were.
But I still have seen NO stories on the people that actually did want to help.
With the mentality of the Save~A~Buck killer mob, I hope they can charge the whole lot of them.
And although I hate to agree, I believe you are right about the area this particular WalMart is in.
But no matter WHERE it happened, in the ghettos or in 90210 someone has to be liable.
And may those people (AND THEY KNOW WHO THEY ARE) not sleep decent until they come forward.
XOXO
Me
Sweet Child of Mine;
ReplyDeleteHad one person even given him a split second early on, the results would have been far different for him.
(Maybe Nancy is right about those 1st 25 killers through the door).
Just a split second to roll or to grab onto something and maybe he would not have had to die.
This was no small man either. (Think Brad).
At 6'5" or 6'6" this man was big enough for any fool to realize he was not part of the flooring.
XOXO
Me
PS
Know too, that there is no "heart" in greed, or selfishness...
Sweet SlurkieBaby;
ReplyDeleteMaybe stores will have to be told BY LAW that for every sale they run out of that they would need to issue "rain checks" then people wouldn't have to "feel" that it is so effing important.
The "while supplies last" could then be reserved for once a month (and UNadvertised) in~store specials.
At any rate, this would lessen the importance of this phenomenon...
Every store that participates in Balck Friday, whether by choice or by chance, should have to have those concrete (and enclosed on all sides and top) barriers to protect their consumers.
XOXO
Anne
So how long was it before people would be at McDonalds to be ordering food on a typical Black Friday?
Maybe.
ReplyDeleteMaybe not.
Thinking...
I think I may have to disagree...
Of course it had everything to do with Black Friday
Domestic carryover or not, this happened on BF. So therein lies the statistic of death.
Had it NOT been BF, these two imbeciles would not have been vying for their 15 minutes of notoriety in the first place.
And most especially NOT at a crowded store.
"Toys" has the anti~theft gates installed- (As do so many other stores).
I am thinking again BY LAW that these detectors should also be advanced enough to detect a possible gun.
XOXO
Me
My blood too.
ReplyDelete"Stupid" is a very good adjective to use. Anything stronger might get my page 'pulled'.
With all due respect, and in my own opinion, a child killed might just be better off than the ones left behind only to be blinded, maimed, scarred, or otherwise living in fear for the remainder of their lives.
I do not say that to be cold...
But as parents (and BOTH of those imbeciles are fathers too), aren't parents supposed to protect children???
Such selfish selfish acts of simple ignorance.
XOXO
Me
Who taught you about ricocheting bullets and fragments?
ReplyDeleteSweet Pea;
A great reference to idiot drivers as well.
I wish they would all see that passing me as I am driving 70mph, (and technically still speeding), allows them to be only one or two cars in front of me at the damned exit.
(And THAT is only on a good day, weatherwise).
How thick~headed some people can be...
While I never mind watching crowds any place, I did not do any shopping that day either. (I would have to be very well paid to do so).
We always make jokes at how very long it takes in the South to even get a cup of coffee (or even a menu) at restaurants down there, I think the difference of a Type A and a Type B personality has a lot to do with that.
Laid back is always best.
XOXO
Me
Usually about 30-45 minutes... After the initial 'shock' of the big 'hunt' wears off... Totally amazing to watch someone fight and scratch over something and 15 minutes later come in looking for an Egg McMuffin and be completely calm and nice...
ReplyDeleteA very pretty lady whom I call "Mom"!!! She's very smart and taught me much as I grew up! She did a very good job raising me...
ReplyDeleteLove you MUCH MUCH!!!
~Casey
I think it is Walmart!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all.. setting up the sale.. 5am to 11am.. first come first serve with a limited number of items and no rain checks. That pushes folks to act like hetherns!
They knew from previous years that it was gonna be a circus and yet did not hire enough security or figure out a way to make it not so dangerous.
Oh wait.. maybe extend the time.. or the number of products that they have on hand..
Now I do not eliminate the crowd.. they are just as guilty in my mind.. No sale is worth that kind of ... I dont even know what to call it.