Posted on 12/07/2008 2:13:26 PM PST by dbz77
If actions speak louder than words, what do recent events at a New York state Walmart say about the state of American culture? On "Black Friday," two thousand people burst through the doors of a Walmart store in Long Island at five a.m., trampling an employee to death in a mad dash to get to sale items before the person next to them. Signs of America's rampant consumerism have existed for decades, but this tragedy takes the cake.
With only minutes to spare before the discount store opened, the crazed crowd pushed through the doors, knocking Jdimytai Damour down and breaking the doors off their hinges. As the crowd surged, people stepped on Damour and knocked over other employees who struggled to help him. Two thousand ravenous shoppers, many of whom had no idea what was going on, shoved and pushed each other in a mad rush. The selfishness is clearly seen by one employee's experience: "When they were saying they had to leave, that an employee got killed, people were yelling 'I've been [in] line since yesterday morning'... They kept shopping."
This tragedy points to the selfishness of the human heart and demonstrates that greed is not confined to the scions of Wall Street. Quite the contrary, these Main Street shoppers pursued their own materialistic impulses at the expense of the needs of those around them. They were focused on themselves, intent on getting to the deals first. Their trampling of Mr. Damour, each other, and the employees who were trying to help him, exhibits hearts that care more about saving $50 on an HDTV than about the health and safety of their fellow man.
Sadly, this event is not unique. Just a couple of weeks ago, a number of people watched a teenager commit suicide live via webcam. Some, with ghoulish delight, goaded him on as he took a large dose of antidepressants, saying things like "Oh, that's not enough to kill you" and "Go ahead and do it." Only after the young man had been lying on his bed for hours did someone finally contact the police. The anonymity of the internet enabled many of these voyeurs to engage in a perverse form of entertainment. Their "fun" contributed to the death of a young man.
This self-centered disregard for human life reminds us of another episode of pathological neglect that occurred in 1964 in Queens, New York. Catherine Genovese was knifed in the alleyway leading up to her apartment. She screamed for help, but none was forthcoming. Several lights went on in the windows of the neighboring apartment complex. One man shouted from the safety of his apartment, "Let that girl alone!" But no one bothered to call the police until more than fifteen minutes after the attack. By the time the police arrived, it was too late.
Why wouldn't these neighbors place a simple phone call when they heard the young woman's screams? One man, who eventually called the police "after much deliberation," explained, "I didn't want to get involved." Another man saw the killer attack the woman again from a crack in his door, but didn't call the police. His reason? "I was tired.... I went back to bed."
There is a common thread that runs through this 1964 case of willful abandonment, the sordid online suicide, and the Walmart trampling: these tragedies occurred because individuals were looking out for their own interests rather than that of their fellow man. Their actions led to the deaths of their neighbors, and for what? A couple of hours of "fun" online voyeurism? A little extra sleep? $50 off of a tv?
How did we get to this point in "the home of the brave"? Why do so many Americans exhibit so little concern for their neighbor? Doubtless, there are many causes, but prominent among them is our willingness to sacrifice core principles of human dignity on the altar of convenience. We live in a culture that is so self-centered that we are no longer expected to deal with the "inconvenience" of an unwanted baby. Nor can we be bothered to care for our aging parents. Just stick them in a nursing home at government expense and forget about them—or better yet, encourage them to take the "dignified" way out. We selfishly maintain that our "progress" must continue through "scientific research" free of ethical restraints, notwithstanding that such "progress" kills or debases nascent human life. Our convenience, our comfort, our self-centeredness trumps the value of someone else's life.
Mother Teresa well understood the destructive impact of radical selfishness. Regarding abortion she declared, "[I]f we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another? ... Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want. This is why the greatest destroyer of peace and love is abortion." Mother Teresa rightly understood that when one form of killing is accepted on the basis of personal convenience, other forms of violence will inevitably follow.
The trampling of Jdimytai Damour should be a wake-up call to each one of us. It should cause us to pause and consider whether we place too high a value on our own convenience and our own possessions. We should examine our hearts and ask ourselves whether we any longer have the capacity to sacrifice our own desires for the good of another. We are missing the big picture if events like these capture our attentions just long enough for us all to gasp and say, "How awful!", then turn back to our shopping carts and our self-centered lives.
Jesus warned us, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21 NIV) Jesus' words were a repudiation of materialism and an exhortation to value those things that endure throughout eternity. In our consumer-driven age, we would do well to heed his words.
If Wal-Mart had been Unionized this would not have happened. /S
Great prescience and truth.
Jesus warned us, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21 NIV) Jesus' words were a repudiation of materialism and an exhortation to value those things that endure throughout eternity. In our consumer-driven age, we would do well to heed his words.
Words to live and love by.
It happened in odumboland, in a mall that has been patronized by odumbodrones and acorn types for years.
I expect you’re right. Watching video of this particular store, and noticing the clientele, we concluded that savage lib behavior should be expected.
Today, we spent a loooong time in a looooong line at (Simi Valley, CA) Walmart to return a TV. Everyone seemed to be polite and in good humor in spite of the inconvenience.
That is true. But there are thousands of Walmarts in this country, and said incident occurred at but one of them. So it is not representative of all who shop on the day after Thanksgiving. I really dont see how it tells us anything about the population as a whole.
If anything, it is the horror with which the public has reacted that is more meaningful.
I expect they were practicing for the riots that will occur if odumbo is found to be constitutionally unqualified to hold office.
and if that doesnt occur, then it is practice for the next controversy, when rioting, burning and looting is threatened if things dont go their way.
(Tongue only halfway in cheek.)
Planned Parenthood has been working to eradicate the black population from this country for nearly 50 years.
How does a people react to the knowledge that the very authorities they are convinced are their friends are instead their murderers?
Good article. The world is reaping a culture of death.
Even before the sad passing of the Walmart employee, society has been declining for years to keep the true guide of “love thy neighbor as thyself.”
I was at a mall on Black Friday, as an employee, and fortunately didn’t hear this story until after I got home, but the ‘customers’ were insane! I heard stories from people who got screamed at and cussed out and pushed for ‘cutting’ in line even though they were wearing whatever store shirts and name badges and were just on their way to spend the day serving the crazy people in the lines in question... there was even a lady around where I was whose extreme misbehavior got her arrested.
It that so? Well, my wife was waiting at Walmart-three years ago, the day after Thanksgiving in Woodstock GA. She got there about 1:00 AM. The stuff on sale would be released at 5:00 AM. I thought it would be ok. I went to Best Buy where there had been a stabbing over and XBox the week before in the parking lot. I didn’t want her there. She was second in line. The crowd grew to a couple of thousand at least. Walmart opened the doors. My wife was knocked down and assaulted by another shopper because of a computer. People jumped over her. She could have been killed.
Thank God, there was an off duty police officer there. My wife had watched the crowd grow and expressed concern, the Manager ignored the warning. Two other poeple were injured that day-not badly. My wife went to the emergency room with a concussion. Walmart was negligent three years ago, and they are negligent in this case. They know people have gotten hurt in other years and will probably lose in court. I hope the employees family gets lots of money-Walmart knowingly risked this employees life. They should have known better.
Yes that is so. I’m sorry your wife was injured but that has nothing to do with the demographics of Valley Stream, where this incident occurred.
Here are some random comments about people who posted reviews of the green acres mall in valley stream, adjacent to the walmart in question:
When I was younger this mall was so nice and fancy. Now you pretty much should have to walk through a metal detector to get through. The surrounding area isn’t very nice either.
You’e better off driving to Roosevelt mall, it’s much nicer, cleaner and fresher.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
diana m.
Brooklyn, NY
3 star rating08/27/2008
Yes the area surrounding the mall isn’t too safe but if you come here during daylight hours and park close to the stores you should be pretty good. As far as malls go this probably falls somewhere in the middle. I think this place is better than the dreaded Kings Plaza just because it has more stores. Roosevelt Mall is a better mall but for me is a longer drive.
Elite ‘08
242
869
Andy H.
Brooklyn, NY
1 star rating06/13/2008
If you like to shop all day and then have it all stolen from you as you walk to your car then this is the place for you!!!!
This mall has been an eye sore since the 80s and does not seem to be getting better...it actually gets worse each time I visit or drive by it. Speaking of drive by, be careful not to shop after dark because they have constant shootings and robberies in the area. Just drive a few miles to Roosevelt Field and enjoy your day of shopping in peace.
Like i said, it is odumbo land, patronized by acorn-types.
My wife was injured in Woodstock GA... a small town. Walmart acted in an irresponsible manner which lead to the death of this person. This is not the first time which is why they will settle our of court.
Also, Walmart knew about their customers then why not hire security?
So the case will settle. BFD, i get it. move on. Thats why they have insurance, so that when people act like animals and want to blame inadequate security, there is insurance to compensate for their injuries.
People like you seem to thrive on promoting litigation. Figures.
It has happened before many times; no one was killed before. Thus Walmart knew the dangers. This is the issue. They are both culpable. Individuals should be criminally prosecuted. Walmart needs to be sued and perhaps face fines by New York state.
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