Buy Nothing Day: Remember Jdimytai Damour
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.29.08
Crowds wait behind closed doors shortly before the opening of Wal-Mart in Valley Stream. When the doors opened the crowd rushed into the store, a number of people were knocked down including a Wal-Mart worker who subsequently died. (Nakea Augustine / November 28, 2008), from Newsday
Today is Buy Nothing Day in the world outside the USA that didn't have a Thanksgiving holiday. Whereas yesterday I expressed some ambivalence about the holiday, concerned for those who worked in shops and those who sell ethical products, today I believe that we need a day of retail silence in memory of Jdimytai Damour, a Wal-Mart temp who was trampled to death in Valley Stream, NY by crazed shoppers.
That "shopping" has come to this:
"He was bum-rushed by 200 people," co-worker Jimmy Overby, 43, told the Daily News. "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." (AP)
Shoppers rush inside of Wal-Mart in Valley Stream. This is inside the store moments after opening. The man in the yellow is trying to help people who fell down, the woman under the man's arm was knocked down and is getting up .When the doors opened the crowd rushed into the store, a number of people were knocked down including a Wal-Mart worker who subsequently died. (Nakea Augustine, Newsday / November 28, 2008) from Newsday
Kalle Lasn of Adbusters, founders of Buy Nothing Day, described the point of Buy Nothing Day in a press release prior to this tragedy:
“If you dig a little past the surface you’ll see that this financial meltdown is not about liquidity, toxic derivatives or unregulated markets, it’s really about culture,” says the co-founder of Adbusters Media Foundation, Kalle Lasn. “It’s our culture of excess and meaningless consumption — the glorified spending and borrowing of the past decade that’s at the root of the crisis we now find ourselves in.”
"our culture of excess and meaningless consumption"- who knew that it could lead to people lining up all night and trampling someone to death, just to save a few bucks on some junk at Wal-Mart. We do need a Buy-Nothing Day, if for no other reason than to honour the memory of Jdimytai Damour.
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This situation is desgusting at the very least and the only reason I'm sort of optimistic in regard to the 50-year old consumerist obsession is the fact that things only get this bad just before they change drastically.
Please digg this. The link is right below the title.
What a pathetic situation. Earth to Wal-Mart execs, anyone home? Maybe you bums can now offer your employees some basic health insurance.
This was so sad and disgusting. I'm involved with marketing for a living and incidents like these really drive home the point that my industry needs to take a good hard look at itself.
Anyone who was part of that crowd that jostled, pushed and shoved for poll position - shame on you; may your Xmas truly suck.
To Wal-mart; this death wasn’t the first time a fatality has happened at Black Friday sales. You should know the risks and have taken appropriate precautions. You suck too. I hope this costs you an absolute bucketload in compensation to the family of the worker.
To the marketers who helped whip up such a frenzy - behold the fruits of your labor.
This retailer could have done a better job like other retailers do with providing first come first serve bracelets or providing a system with a proper queue.
I would like to send the family a card and maybe have others send cards to his family. how can I get info on where to send cards?
Greed .
Since when do People trample each others like animals to get a sale price.
Selfishness, and Greed.
when right is wrong.
Pray for yourselves.
and watch the Sky.
i love the ad 'buy nothing'. people are totally blinded by attractive prices, they don't even want those goods, but they still rush to shops.
I've been reflecting on this incident since it happened. It was easy to be horrified by the actions of this crowd and the recklessness of the store owners and I am truly sorry for the lost this family has suffered.
Deeper reflection about the whole system brought me to horror of my own culpability. By seeking low prices and not looking any further how many others have suffered? From the minimum wage sales person, to the trucker working long hours, to the factory worker working for pennies and living in crushing poverty. How has the earth suffered from the extraction of materials, the energy for their transformation, and the final disposal of this useless crap?
In the end how many people and other beings have I trampled with my own consumption? Not an easy thought to live with and surely an anathema to the spirit of the holidays.
Tip of the iceberg how good is their supply chain? How about the 25,000 fatalities from pesticides?
On a more positive note how about reclaiming Sundays as buy nothing days? Also buy nothing after X pm so people can start reclaiming their evenings with family.