Black Friday

I realize that many other bloggers have already covered this, but I really wanted to develop an opinion of the Walmart Stampede besides the one I initially developed. It's tragic that people have dropped to the depths of animals, all in order to get a "bargain". To kill one person and injure several others shows me what we are becoming; insensitive, narcississtic animals!!! (At least many of us) Black Friday IS a good day to catch some sales and great prices on Christmas gifts or just "stuff". But, at what cost are we willing to sacrifice for these sales?? People stand in line for hours, if not overnight?!?!?! HUH ?? Sorry, but I've never stood in line for longer than an hour for anything, INCLUDING my twenty years in the military. I won't even go to a restaurant if t has more than a half an hour wait, unless it is a TRULY SPECIAL occasion. Get up at 0400 (or earlier) just to go out and snag something incredibly marked down, of which there may be few in the store?? Nahhh, I'm sorry. I don't like the crowds that much. I especially detest racing into a store to find that one special "bargain". I'll spend the extra $ to get what I want WHEN I want.

However, this brings up other thoughts on how we, as "civilized" human beings (and many of us proclaim to be Christians) and how we treat others any more. It seems to me that we have become a self-indulgent, self pleasing (read: Hedonistic) society. Others are no longer a concern unless it's a convenient contribution that makes ourselves "look good". I see it daily. In the way people drive, the way they act towards each other, and just general attitudes. The "Golden Rule" seems to have been long forgotten. This mentality crosses ALL racial, ethnic & class lines. I'm saddened by the fact that we no longer treat each other as human beings and equals. WE have political divides, we have ethnic divides, we have religious divides, and we have other things that keep us divided. One group thinks they're better than another, for whatever reason. And, I think these are the reasons that one man was killed, a pregnant woman hospitalized, and a couple of more injured. For Pete's sake, take that extra 10 seconds to HELP someone in need !!!

Finally, recession, you say ?? The national media reports that sales on Black Friday were up some 3%. I don't know about nationally, but my local Sears store sold roughly some $260K last year on Black Friday. This year, that very same Sears store sold somewhere in excess of $300K. That's up some 20+% .......Things that don't add up..........