Nationwide Black Friday Mayhem

In observing all that surrounded Black Friday and Thanksgiving sales this year, one must come to grips with the extent to which our society is in decline.

Not only is the lust for bargains and profit further encroaching on a day once considered sacred, but many of the bargain-crazed shoppers show that they will stop at nothing to come away with what they "must" have.

Again this year there are reports of shootings (one fool pulled out a gun at a Florida Walmart and began firing over a parking space dispute), fights, and customers almost literally engaging in "door-busting" after being lined up to be among the first to walk away with a prized television or some other material item.(Hundreds of screeching, wailing teenage girls were outside the store in advance of the opening of a Victoria's Secret outlet at a Kansas mall in their quest for bargain priced lingerie.)

There is no reason that sales could not be conducted both online and within reasonable hours on Friday to tamp down the level of madness in which many engage, but stores seem to prefer stoking it by offering special deals that are available in limited quantities with no rainchecks.  I know of at least one chain which offered gift cards to the first hundred individuals through the door, another wonderful way to foment a riot.

The actions of some shoppers/thugs are incongruous with the reason that Christmas is celebrated, to mark and celebrate the birth of the man known as "The Prince of Peace".  Peace was in short supply at many stores in which wide-eyed shoppers made their mark.  I hope they are proud of themselves and they enjoy their hard-fought treasures.  Merry Christmas!