Pardon me while I rant incessantly: Black Friday

Unless you’ve been away from all forms of media for the past several days, you’ve most likely heard or read something about the infamous woman with pepper spray incident at the Walmart in Porter Ranch, California.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the unidentified woman turned herself into at a LAPD station on Saturday, but declined to answer questions about the incident. She was not taken into custody and the investigation is continuing. The article also spoke to a defense attorney about the incident:

Defense attorney Dmirty Gorin said the key question is whether the woman used the spray to intentionally cause harm or if she believed she was using it to defend herself.

“Witness interviews regarding the circumstances surrounding the use of the pepper spray hold the key to whether this woman’s actions were criminal or legally justified,” Gorin said. “In a riot-type atmosphere at midnight on Black Friday, there may have been a literal frenzy among the shoppers. The woman in question had the right to use pepper spray if she reasonably intended to prevent serious injuries to herself or other shoppers.”

Here’s video of the store in the aftermath of the incident I found on YouTube:

People are understandably outraged about what happened, and I suppose this woman is an easy target for such outrage. At least 20 people sustained minor injuries. But honestly? What do you expect when people act like animals?  All in the name of half price electronics and other Black Friday deals?

Alejandra Seminario, 24, said she was waiting in line to grab some toys at the store around 9:55 p.m. when people in the next aisle started shouting and ripping at the plastic wrap encasing gaming consoles. The store was supposed to open at 10.

“People started screaming, pulling and pushing each other, and then the whole area filled up with pepper spray,” the Sylmar resident said. “I guess what triggered it was people started pulling the plastic off the pallets and then shoving and bombarding the display of games. It started with people pushing and screaming because they were getting shoved onto the boxes.”

Whatever happened to peace on earth and good will toward men?

Or perhaps the better question would be,

What is the price of your dignity and self respect?

You can keep your half-priced X-boxes and 50% off flat screen televisions.

I’ll keep my dignity intact and settle for less life-endangering Christmas presents.

Gift cards, perhaps…

“Presents are the best way to show someone how much you care. It is like this tangible thing that you can point to and say ‘Hey man, I love you this many dollars worth.’” – Michael Scott, The Office