In spite of all our differences, the one thing that binds all living creatures is that we each have an expiration date. This finality to our existence is what makes life special, something to be cherished and protected. But occasionally things can go terribly wrong…
Black Friday lived up to its name when a shopper stampede killed a Wal-Mart worker in New York. Jdimytai Damour, a 34-year-old temporary worker for Wal-Mart, was trampled underfoot by 2,000 shoppers who surged into the store at Friday’s 5 a.m. opening.
Other workers who tried to rescue Damour were simply knocked to the ground in the rush. At least four other people including a pregnant woman were taken to hospitals for minor injuries. The store closed for several hours but reopened Friday afternoon.
Police are reviewing surveillance tapes to identify individual shoppers who may be responsible for Damour’s death, but they admit it could be difficult to bring criminal charges. “We are reviewing film of all places from individual cell phones, from cameras that are in place in the store, trying to identify, if in fact we can identify, people that are culpable in this,” said Police Commissioner Lawrence Mulvey. “And it is difficult because a lot of people in the front of the line were pushed forward, and it’s difficult for us to decipher who is more responsible in all of this.”
This is capitalism and greed at its worst. Well, except for the $700 billion bailout of Wall Street.
