Last of the free market

Did you survive Black Friday? Were you out in the Black Friday shopping? Did you venture out on Thanksgiving to begin your holiday shopping? If you did, you were not alone, if you did not, you were not alone either. Black Friday originally got its name from retailers, marking when they began moving into the black, or began making a profit. It also marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Retailers soon began that they could capitalize on the people willing to save a few dollars. As the popularity grew, sales became greater, slashing prices and the crowds continued to grow. Once the crowds starting growing, the retailers responded by opening earlier and earlier until now, some are opening on Thanksgiving to start the holiday shopping season. Somehow, a debate has sprung up about stores opening on Thanksgiving. Where the debate came from, I have not figured out, I cannot even figure out why there is a debate. If a private company wants to open their doors on a holiday, they have that right. If someone wants to shop on a holiday, they also have that right. That is what is so great about a free market, if there is a demand for something, the market will produce a supply. I hear everyone weigh in on the issue and it seems like a bunch of people are against it, for two reasons. The first is the horror of making a person work during a holiday and the second is the greed of the people shopping, just to save a few dollars. Making someone work on a holiday, really? That’s an argument against it? How many other holidays are retail stores open? Last time I checked, I could shop on Valentine’s Day, that’s a day to be with loved ones. Not good enough, how about Nevada Day? I could shop on that day too. Even Memorial Day, I could go to the store and find a deal and Memorial Day is a day to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice so we have the right to shop on any day we want. Let me look at this a different way. What other employees have to work on Thanksgiving? Fire, police, ambulance and hospital workers have to work on Thanksgiving, I will grant you that they are emergency personal and we need those services. What about restaurant workers, you can find lots of restaurants that are open and serving all day and night. Why is there no outcry about them having to work? What about convenience stores and gas stations? I’ve been able to get gas on Thanksgiving, but no outcry for them or the fast food workers that have to work on Thanksgiving. Living in Las Vegas, should our casinos and hotels give all of their employees Thanksgiving off? We could just shut down the Strip for a day. The other reason why stores should be closed is because of the greedy consumer wanting to buy everything at a discount. Why should a consumer be restricted? If I want to buy something, I am sure that someone would be willing to accommodate me. What if I do not celebrate Thanksgiving, or do not have anyone to celebrate with on Thanksgiving? Who are you to judge me if I want to brave the crazy mobs and save a few dollars? I will say that it has gotten crazy out there with a worker being killed in 2008 and this year a lady being zapped with a stun gun, but that’s Black Friday, not Turkey Thursday. This should not even be a debate, the only people that should have this debate are the owners, whether they want to be open or not; or the consumers, whether they want to battle through the crowds of sale happy people. I am either at home or doing something with my family. I do not go shopping, but I am not against people who do, or the stores that open to satisfy the demands of the market. I actually like that where there is a demand, it is being met by the market. I am just waiting for the government to step in and take away more of our liberty. For links and references please click here.