Wal-Mart

[thessalian]

I'm sorry, Americans. I really, really am. But for the love of Deity, shut up about the Wal-Mart shoplifter death, okay?

Okay, it bites that this man was held against pavement for 10-20 minutes before someone realised he was having respiratory distress. It sucks that they didn't listen to his initial screams of "You're killing me!" (like no pinned criminal has ever tried that one before). And yes, it sucks that he died. Yes. I know.

However, keep it in perspective for the rest of the world. War's tearing a fair few countries apart, our police blow the heads off innocents just because the innocent in question lives in the same building as suspected terrorists and, if you want closer-to-home examples, look at how you treat the people at Guantanamo Bay. And then you get all shocked and horrified because a bunch of Wal-Mart employees made a mistake. Because of course, everyone knows their security has police-level training and can tell the difference between "I'm lying to weasel my way out of this" and "I'm really hurting here and might be about to die". Because, yeah, Wal-Mart would pay for that. And wild monkeys might fly out of my butt.

So shut up, okay? Just. Shut. Up. It was an accident. They didn't know. Maybe Wal-Mart should re-evaluate their policy about shoplifters, or at least lecture their employees about the have-a-go hero thing. That's a company policy decision, not something to get up in arms about for the general public. Let the family take the Wal-Mart corporation for a few million dollars in damages and leave it alone. Save all that ranting at the stupid and injust for things that merit it.

Comments

[pknight.livejournal.com]

...I find it amusing that this is the first time I've even heard of this. But that might be because I haven't been by Fortean Times in a few days...

What a stupid thing to have happen. People are dumb.

[randomflashbang.livejournal.com]

and the freaky part is that you post is the first I've heard about it. though I see your point. I mean people get all worked up over the most trivial things then completely ignore everything else.

and it must be so Ironic for me to say this being completely oblivioius gto everything outside my immediate situation

[fearmeforiampink]

I'd actually at least somewhat disagree. I think that what happened does deserve a certain amount of ranting. Yes, there are more "worthy" causes, but this cause still has worth.

A man died, and it is due to people taking actions that shouldn't have been done that way. The "company policy" about very much pursuing shoplifters, and the amount of force to be used when detaining them was a major factor in that death, which takes it out of "company policy" and puts it in the public and legal arena.

Yes, there's probably a certain amount of over-ranting on it, but I still think it is entirely appropriate for people to be angry/up in arms about this.