Massive Walmart Scuffle Over Cell Phones is Just Plain Stupid

I don't mind the madness that is Black Friday, I really don't. You won't catch me camping out in front of Best Buy or any other store for hours or days on end, but you might spot me walking the aisles after the doors open, in part because the spectacle is a sight to behold. Last night, for example, I took my 16-year-old stepdaughter shopping at the mall. She had never experienced Black Friday and wanted to see the commotion first-hand. Feeling good from the butt-kicking the Patriots put on the Jets, I thought, 'What the hell, let's do this.' And so we did. She snagged some good deals too, stocking up on clothes at anywhere from 50-60 percent off, depending on the store. It was a success.

I'd argue that Black Friday itself isn't evil, though it does expose human greed in its ugliest form. Deeply discounted electronics items are in short supply, and because some of the deals are so stellar -- several stores were selling 40-inch LCD TVs for less than $200, for example -- there's always a mad dash to snatch up those items first.


At what looks like a Walmart store somewhere in the U.S., Black Friday shoppers fought over low priced cell phones. The ensuing scuffle, caught on video and uploaded to YouTube, is sad, stupid, silly, disheartening, and a whole bunch of other adjectives. Check it out (note that there is some faintly heard rough language later in the video):


I don't know where this took place, only that it happened last night. Throughout the video, there's lots of pushing, yelling, grabbing, and generally shoppers making fools of themselves.

Though the hottest items are likely sold out by now, there are still many deals to be had throughout the day and over the course of the weekend. If, like me, you plan on venturing out into the wild this weekend, stay safe out there.