Walmart is the US institution that best represents the commodification and monetization -- to an extreme degree -- of US society. Just look at this:
It's probably not surprising, then, that two Walmart employees and a Walmart-contracted private security guard would apparently employ abusive (read: deadly) force to stop a man from stealing a couple of DVD players:
It's a sad, simple story. An unidentified man allegedly stole two DVD players from the electronics department and left the store through the front door. Two Walmart employees and a contracted security guard chased him into the parking lot. A "physical altercation" took place, and apparently, the security guard put the man in a choke hold. Police arrived soon thereafter to find the three workers on top of the suspected shoplifter who was unresponsive and bleeding from his nose and mouth. The man was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Of course, Walmart was quick to pledge an investigation:
"No amount of merchandise is worth someone's life," said Walmart spokesperson Dianna Gee in a statement. "Associates are trained to disengage from situations that would put themselves or others at risk." She added, "That being said, this is still an active investigation and we're working with police to provide any assistance." Walmart put the two employees on paid leave and fired the security guard.
In a sense, I have tremendous sympathy for the Walmart employees. I have a strong suspicion that any company that
pays its employees so little that they are unable to feed their children also promotes a culture in which employees are encouraged to reduce 'loss' (i.e. stealing) at all costs.
Of course, Walmart was also the store at which an employee was trampled to death in 2008.
For a company whose CEO, Michael Duke, was honored with the title 'Christian Business Leader', there seems to be very little respect for life and human dignity indeed.