How did we get to this point??

I had planned to post a commentary on the silliness of Black Friday rituals; particularly, one in which my sister annually takes part in. However, the trampling death of a WalMart employee casts a heavy shadow over the Post-Thanksgiving shopping traditions.

For those that have not heard yet, a WalMart employee in New York was trampled to death when a crowd broke down the door to gain first shot at the super deals offered for the official start of the holiday season. They broke the door frame, pushed their way into the store, took the door off the hinges and trampled Jdimytai Damour of Queens to death. Other employees were also trampled and injured trying to save their co-worker. When the store announced they would be closing due to the tragedy - the tramplers complained about the length of time they waited for the store to open and continued to shop - knowing and not really giving a crap that they had just trampled a man to death.

Earlier this year in Hartford, Connecticut a surveillance camera caught a pedestrian being hit by a car, the driver and a second car tailing the first both driving away while bystanders walked by, drivers continued to drive around the man's body and others took pictures with a cell phone. The police arrived shortly afterwards indicating someone called police - but the video shows they did little else. No one even attempted to stop traffic.

GREED and SELFISHNESS killed this man. Greed of the iniquitous shoppers, desperate for bragging rights of the best deal on a TV; the GREED of the retailers that created this escalating ritual of insane shopping behavior - if they did not see this coming as they watched year after year the fights and escalating violence and insanity that accompanied their super sales, they deliberately turned a blind eye. The insanity began in the early
80's with the fights breaking out over Cabbage Patch Kids - this was inevitable and preventable, but no one intervened.

The sanctity of life holds an obviously low priority these days and extends beyond political pro-life/pro-choice positions. When people trample other people - human beings - to death in an effort to save a few dollars in a so-called civilized country, well.... I am so incredibly appalled that I really do not know what can be said about this kind of depravity. I do know that this is not what Christmas is supposed to be about.

Christmas is supposed to be a celebration of the birth of a Savior; a response to God who sent his son to save the world from their own sins. In light of this, it is clear that we are DESPERATELY in need of that Savior. I thank God that he has come and is coming again. My heartfelt prayers go out the family and friends of Jdimytai Damour; may God comfort them in this time of tragedy.