What has happened to us?

Read Jack Cafferty's commentary and better yet read the feedback from his listeners. Read Ken from California, I think he is spot on, it distresses me to say.


November 29, 2010
Black Friday stampedes, arrests and fights; what's happened to us?
Posted: 05:00 PM ET



FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:

The holiday season is upon us - and by the looks of things, we ought to be ashamed of ourselves.

Some of the behavior on display as Americans hit the stores for Black Friday deals was downright disgusting, including stampedes, arrests and fights. And it’s all in the name of buying holiday gifts for our loved ones.

Here are some reports from what happened at stores around the country:

In Georgia, a Marine reservist was stabbed when he tried to help stop a suspected shoplifter. The Marine was one of four servicemen stationed outside a Best Buy collecting Toys for Tots.
In Los Angeles, California, the Sheriff's Department had to temporarily put part of one shopping mall on lockdown after a fight in the food court.
An Indiana woman was arrested after fighting with other shoppers at a Walmart checkout. Police say customers were fighting about a person accused of cutting in line.
Another woman was arrested in Wisconsin. Police say she threatened other shoppers while waiting in line at a Toys R Us store. They say she tried to cut pass several hundred shoppers waiting in line. When she was confronted, the woman threatened to get a gun and shoot the other shoppers.
At yet another Wisconsin Toys R Us, thousands of people waiting in line rushed the doors when they opened. The store's employees had to lock the doors and call police. Customers waiting for hours reportedly chanted "end of line" to those just showing up.
Merry Christmas!

Here’s my question to you: In light of stampedes, arrests, and fights on Black Friday, what has happened to us?

Interested to know which ones made it on air?


Ken in California writes:
The great experiment called the United States seems to be failing. We are not the American family capable of tolerating our neighbors' race, religion, language and, culture. The fact is, Jack: we don't like each other, starting with the halls of Congress whose members are from Blue states and Red states. There is a foreboding of disaster, a sinking feeling about our nation as those who represent us drive wedges between us. If we can't fix our government, let the chaos begin. It is already showing up in it the stores.

Will in Mississippi writes:
Department stores are jam-packed with people willing to wait hours just to purchase that very special gift for a family member or loved one. But if another shopper intrudes in any way, it's time to pull out the boxing gloves and exhibit the Christmas spirit.

Ken in New Jersey writes:
Welcome to America. We are rude, obnoxious, and violent. Just ask the countries we bully and attack every day. Shoppers are no different than our elected officials. WikiLeaks proves that.

Rahn in Minnesota writes:
What has happened is that our country has gone from "the greatest generation" to the "worst generation" in my lifetime. I have a feeling that if my grandparents' generation had an idea what has become of the country they sacrificed so hard for, they just MIGHT have NOT made those sacrifices in the first place. And our world would have been that much worse of for it.

Jerry in Silver Spring, Maryland writes:
Whatever it is it applies to only a small segment of the U.S. population. Contrary to what the media claim, the majority of Americans avoided stores last Friday.

Al in New Jersey writes:
We did better than last year; nobody was killed. That's movement in the right direction.

Ralph in Corpus Christi, Texas writes:
Sounds more like a Black and Blue Friday.

Filed under: Holidays •Spending