Holiday Mayhem

A worker at Wal-Mart is trampled to death by a crowd of bargain-thirsty shoppers, hell bent on getting the best Black Friday bargain.

How pathetic.

It's not the first time someone has been injured or even killed during this annual shopping ritual, and yet, the practice continues on year after year.

Isn't it time to put this tradition to rest?!

There must be a tremendous boost to the bottom line as the holiday rush kicks into full gear or Corporate America would have given Black Friday the boot years ago.

No discount or savings is worth a person's life.

My wife and I argued over this fatality, trying to assign some blame to the tragedy.

I wanted justice in the form of charges filed against the people involved in the stampede.

I'm not talking about murder or involuntary charges, but reckless endangerment for everyone seen running over the man and not stopping to help.

Others who grabbed what they needed and raced to the checkout line while the man was being given emergency medical attention.

And especially for those who griped and complained when informed by the store employees that they were closing the doors because of the death.

My wife Lori was targeting her animosity at the big box retailer.

No savings is worth a person's dignity and compassion.

The Black Friday bargains and sales bring out the worst in people and the businesses know it.

But it doesn't matter.

Wipe up the blood while preparing for tomorrow's business day.

The animal-like atmosphere is somewhat contagious, infecting everyone who attends this ritual.

Yes, I said everyone.

Not some people or most people, nope, I'm going with everyone who got up in the wee hours and waited outside for the doors to open.

Everyone who surged forward with the crowd as the doors were being opened and felt that adrenaline rush.

It's a disease and we need to administer a vaccine.

Black Friday did nothing for this year's early holiday shopping season.

Instead of a kick start, Corporate America got a kick in the ass.