Happy Buy Nothing Day!

Is it just me, or has Black Friday become a pox on society? This is a day that was once a cheerful, albeit busy shopping holiday for Americans the day after Thanksgiving. Stores opened at 8am, then 6am. Last year, Wal-Mart opened its doors at midnight and Target opened at 4am. This year, however, in a bid to outdo other retailers, Wal-Mart opened at 10pm on Thanksgiving night, while Target opened two hours later at midnight. And people flocked to the stores in the hopes of getting so-called "door buster" deals.

Today so far, we've heard of people pepper spraying other customers in what can only be called a territorial tactic, an older gentleman was tackled by police for putting a game in his waistband so he could carry his grandson (cops thought he was stealing), two women were injured after a fight broke out between other customers and they were caught in the middle.

In North Carolina, off-duty police officers used pepper spray on the crowds lining up to shop because they thought the crowds were fighting. A retired cop told WNCT News that there was no fight and that one officer was doing it wrong. Gordon Jackson, the retired officer, took his granddaughter with him, when one of the off-duty cops "was raining it over the whole crowd, so it will rain down on their heads." Some of that pepper spray, he said, hit his granddaughter, who is asthmatic. She ended up in the emergency room as a result of the officer's overreaction, and Jackson ended up arrested over a fight that he says never even occurred.

In South Carolina, a shooting was reported, likely the result of an attempted robbery. The majority of these incidents happened in or near Wal-Mart. What does that tell you? Does it tell you Wal-Mart shouldn't be opening at 10pm on Thanksgiving night? Does it tell you that Wal-Mart shoppers willing to brave the crowds are certifiable?

At what point did Thanksgiving become a shopping holiday, rather than a day of giving thanks? At what point do retail stores open at 5pm on Thanksgiving Day just to have another edge on the competition? In a lousy economy like this, you'd better believe there will be people willing to sacrifice time with their family to work that day. It's bad enough that gas station and convenience stores have to be open. Someone has to sell you gas and toilet paper when you run out unexpectedly, but retail stores have no reason to be open at such ungodly hours other than to get as many sales as possible.

It's tragic. Do you remember the Wal-Mart employee who was killed in the stampede in New York state during the Black Friday madness in 2008? That year, a total of three people died in the post Thanksgiving Day rush to get the latest deals. In that same Long Island store, an 8-month pregnant woman miscarried due to the violence that erupted during the 5am opening.

Do people never learn? How is it that, year after year, folks are lured by the promise of incredible deals to shop on the most dangerous day of the year? It's madness, nothing more. Until more people boycott it, nothing will change.

Here's a link of the 13 most brutal Black Friday incidents to remind you why you should stay very far away from the madness. This comes in handy whenever I dare to think about venturing out of the house other than to buy toilet paper or milk. 

And for your viewing pleasure, here's some retro Christmas music: WHAM!