And I'm Proud to be an American!

[Bearsy]

Well at least I know I'm free! Worker dies at Long Island Wal-Mart after being trampled in Black Friday stampede BY JOE GOULD DAILY NEWS WRITER Updated Friday, November 28th 2008, 2:26 PM Police tape surrounds a Wal-Mart that was the scene of a deadly stampede. Augustine for News This photo was taken moments before the Wal-Mart store opened. A Wal-Mart worker died after being trampled when hundreds of shoppers smashed through the doors of a Long Island store Friday morning, police and witnesses said. The 34-year-old employee, a temporary maintenance worker, tried to hold back the unruly crowds just after the Valley Stream store opened at 5 a.m. Witnesses said the surging throngs of shoppers knocked the man down. He fell and was stepped on. As he gasped for air, shoppers ran over and around him. "He was bum-rushed by 200 people," said Jimmy Overby, 43, a co-worker. "They took the doors off the hinges. He was trampled and killed in front of me. They took me down too...I literally had to fight people off my back." The unidentified victim was rushed to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 6:03 a.m., police said. The cause of death wasn't immediately available pending results of an autopsy. A 28-year-old pregnant woman was knocked to the floor during the mad rush. She was hospitalized for observation, police said. Early witness accounts that the woman suffered a miscarriage were unfounded, police said. Three other shoppers suffered minor injuries, cops said. Wal-Mart spokesman Dave Tovar called the incident a "tragic situation." "The safety and security of our customers and associates is our top priority," Tovar said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their families at this difficult time." Before police shut down the store, eager shoppers streamed past emergency crews as they worked furiously to save the store clerk's life. "They were working on him, but you could see he was dead, said Halcyon Alexander, 29. "People were still coming through." Only a few stopped. "They're savages," said shopper Kimberly Cribbs, 27. "It's sad. It's terrible." What the FUCK is wrong with people?! Fucking consumerism is disgusting.

[Bearsy]

What could be more American? This martyr gave his life in the service of the one true American religion, Consumerism, in the entrance to Wal-Mart, our most holy of temples. Of course the shoppers did not stop. To do so would have been a sacrilege. What is one human life weighed against all those bargains! Such devoted shoppers. This is the kind of story that makes me proud to be an American.

[John11]

Reminds me of the stampede they had at Wal-Mart to get one of the most recent generation consoles on its release date (I can't recall which one). They had everyone line up and run to the doors to get one and someone got injured (who came up with that bright idea?). That's really messed up though. How did people care so little as to just trample over this guy?

[Grod]

One of us are never as terrible as all of us. Anyway, I'm fucking glad I wasn't born in Long Island.

[Volcon]

How does a few people flipping out and trampling a guy make us a product of a material religion and somehow cause all americans to be bad? Yeah, that's pretty messed up, our local mall is too small for people to do this.

[arby]

God damn.... If I was there I would probably hope to save him but sadly enough that would probably just result in a third fatality =/

[tkdyo]

I read about this and I really cant believe it myself...its pretty sad that people can be so crazy. Idk how people can not notice someone falling down. anyways, I agree with Volcon, how is this consumerism's fault? This is people being greedy and stupid, plain and simple, people can be made to do that in any economy.

[Snowy Egypt]

I was very sad when I heard this on the news. This is a prime example that Idiots live in this country (yes, with a capital "I"), and that very few people actually have the heart to stop and help someone in need. The fact that I share a country with people like that makes me sick.

[Half/Dreaming]

To sum this thread up: soccer moms < Nazis

[Jorge]

It's fuckin stupid! I don't understand how someone could actually step on a person, if I saw somebody on the floor like that, I'd help them up!

[ClassyElf]

I lol'd when I heard this on the news.

[Original Poster]

I agree with Elis D, this feels like a sacrifice to the God of Consumerism.

[Bearsy]

anyways, I agree with Volcon, how is this consumerism's fault? This is people being greedy and stupid, plain and simple, people can be made to do that in any economy. How is it NOT consumerism's fault?! These people wouldn't be greedy and stupid if they weren't bombarded day in and day out with BUY! BUY! BUY! BUY! WANT! WANT! WANT! BUY! BUY! CONSUME! SPEND! BUY! BUY! CHEAP! HAVE! BUY! BUY! BUY! BILLY HAS MORE TOYS THAN YOU! BUY! BUY! SPEND! CONSUME! BUY! WHO'S BILLY? BUY! BUY! BUY! I DON'T KNOW BUT HE HAS MORE TOYS THAN YOU! SPEND! SPEND! BUY! BUY! BUY! It's disgusting. I lol'd when I heard this on the news. Fuck. You.

[StonedApe]

Wow. One more reason not to shop at wal mart. And I was just thinkning that we should set up trap doors on black friday, that way we could capture all the people who are that fucked up on saving money, then send them to some kind of rehab. Honestly, how fucking broke are these people? No sane person is going to bust down the fucking doors on a place in order to save money. These people obviously have a fucking problem. I wonder how much further super capitalism can go before it completely falls apart? From the looks of things we'll find out in a few years. Is there any video of this? It'd be pretty interesting to watch people acting like this.

[NeoSioType]

I'm having trouble understanding how these people at this wall-mart represent an entire country based off consumerism...

[Volcon]

How is it NOT consumerism's fault?! These people wouldn't be greedy and stupid if they weren't bombarded day in and day out with BUY! BUY! BUY! BUY! WANT! WANT! WANT! BUY! BUY! CONSUME! SPEND! BUY! BUY! CHEAP! HAVE! BUY! BUY! BUY! BILLY HAS MORE TOYS THAN YOU! BUY! BUY! SPEND! CONSUME! BUY! WHO'S BILLY? BUY! BUY! BUY! I DON'T KNOW BUT HE HAS MORE TOYS THAN YOU! SPEND! SPEND! BUY! BUY! BUY! It's disgusting. Fuck. You. I imagine you bought the computer that you typed this on, and that was at some point advertised as a good deal to buy, so is that not contributing to the "problem"?. All in all i think this is being blown out of proportion and people are looking for a way to bend this to "OMG AMERICA SUX". In my opinion, yes this sucks, but it's not because we are bombarded - it's because i imagine a few people waiting outside the store got themselves worked up for various reasons, which ended up getting others worked up into a frenzy also and then with mob mentality and such they burst through the doors. I'm hit with TV commercials on a daily basis, as are most people i know, none of us have ever been in a frenzy like that; nor have i heard of a problem like this before now. If it's not a widespread, or even slightly common, problem then don't treat it like a pandemic.

[♥Mark]

Reminds me of the stampede they had at Wal-Mart to get one of the most recent generation consoles on its release date (I can't recall which one). They had everyone line up and run to the doors to get one and someone got injured (who came up with that bright idea?). Now that is sick - making all those fat gamers run after having stayed up for a week to hold their spot having only eaten Twix and uncooked Hot Pockets (as compared to their usual more well-rounded diet with also includes Dr. Pepper and Mr. Noodles).

[Black_Eagle]

Now that is sick - making all those fat gamers run after having stayed up for a week to hold their spot having only eaten Twix and uncooked Hot Pockets (as compared to their usual more well-rounded diet with also includes Dr. Pepper and Mr. Noodles). Sad but true. I remember when the PS3 was released. They had some guy on the news who directly stated "Playstation is my life." He had been waiting around 1-2 at best buy for it...

[tkdyo]

How is it NOT consumerism's fault?! These people wouldn't be greedy and stupid if they weren't bombarded day in and day out with BUY! BUY! BUY! BUY! WANT! WANT! WANT! BUY! BUY! CONSUME! SPEND! BUY! BUY! CHEAP! HAVE! BUY! BUY! BUY! BILLY HAS MORE TOYS THAN YOU! BUY! BUY! SPEND! CONSUME! BUY! WHO'S BILLY? BUY! BUY! BUY! I DON'T KNOW BUT HE HAS MORE TOYS THAN YOU! SPEND! SPEND! BUY! BUY! BUY! It's disgusting. so you are saying people are not responsible for their own actions? Commercials and sales in fact ARE NOT meant to make people kill each other. It is a cop out to blame it on consumerism instead of people who SHOULD know how to control themselves. This includes being able to limit their tv time as well, not just their greed.

[Never]

instead of people who SHOULD know how to control themselves. I agree. Though I hate this extreme consumerism we all live in, it is true that commercials and advertisements are only there to take advantage of our own unwillingness to improve ourselves. People of integrity will keep their integrity. I blame society, but not necessarily one particular element of it.

[Jorge]

I lol'd when I heard this on the news. Shut the fuck up you piece of shit elf looking classy motherfucker

[Kushna Mufeed]

So, let me get this straight: -Religious people do bad things. The people are bad AND religion is bad. -Consumers do bad things. The people are bad BUT consumerism is just fine. Yup, makes sense to me.

[tkdyo]

So, let me get this straight: -Religious people do bad things. The people are bad AND religion is bad. -Consumers do bad things. The people are bad BUT consumerism is just fine. Yup, makes sense to me. Since when did I say religion is bad? I think it is just as stupid to say that religion is bad because of association with some bad people. People are responsible for themselves, or at least they should be.

[Emi Chan]

This is truely terrible.

[Kushna Mufeed]

I was commenting on the general view DV seems to have.