Directions:
1 – Highlight areas which confuse you and about which you want clarification.
2 – Demonstrate evidence of a close reading, by providing reactions, questions, and mini-summaries
Injuries, arrests as America's 'Black Friday' shopping tradition spreads to UK
By Bryony Jones, CNN
updated 8:28 AM EST, Fri November 28, 2014
Customers fighting over discounted large television sets in the Black Friday sales at Asda's Wembley Superstore, London, Britain on 28 Nov 2014.
Police and medics have issued pleas for calm after the U.S. tradition of "Black Friday" bargain-hunting hit the UK, with angry scuffles breaking out in superstores up and down the country.
y@gmpolice: At least two people
arrested at #BlackFriday sales events
already thismorning. Keep calm people!
Shoppers waited in line for hours to get their hands on special one-day-only offers, but frayed tempers combined with huge crowds led to arguments and fights in branches of ASDA (owned by U.S. shopping giant Wal-Mart) and Tesco.
@DaveYeldham: Just an average midnight in Thetford..... #blackFriday @martintsmith http://pbs.twimg.com/media/B3hVHdZIUAETxgv.jpg
@TVRav: Extraordinary scenes at Asda Wembley as the
doors open for #blackfriday. PICTURES COPYRIGHT ITV
@GMB https://t.co/DcYleftpJi
One woman suffered head injuries after she was hit by a falling television during a scuffle at a Tesco superstore in Stretford, northern England.
@NWAmbulance: Called out to Chester Road,
Stretford this morning. Female with head injury after
being hit with a television. Stay safe! #BlackFriday
The Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, one of Britain’s biggest police forces, condemned retailers for failing to anticipate trouble, after his officers were called to seven supermarkets in the region to deal with fights and large crowds crushing in to stores to grab bargains.
Sir Peter Fahy said: "The events of last night were totally predictable and I am disappointed that stores did not have sufficient security staff on duty… It does not help that this was in the early hours when police resources are already stretched.”
Fahy later tweeted:
@gmpfahy: Very disappointing that major stores did not learn lessons from last year - our officers have enough to do already
Some took to social media to condemn the rampant consumerism of Black Friday, and bemoan the fact it has moved beyond the U.S.
@AndyMillward:_Watching the carnage of people fighting over televisions on the news for #BlackFriday! Seriously UK! GET A GRIP OF YOURSELVES, IT'S A TV!!!
@alexhibbert: Sometimes it takes natural disasters or a war for people to revert to animal instinct. In the UK it takes £20 off a crap TV. #BlackFriday :(
Sustainable fashion campaigner Livia Firth -- wife of actor Colin Firth -- issued a warning to shoppers not to fall for the marketing spin around Black Friday:
@liviafirth: Today is #BlackFriday the day where fast fashion retailers will urge u to buy tons of crap u don't need #BEAWARE
One local councillor in Scotland called on those upset by the idea of Black Friday to react against it by doing something positive:
@Cllr_McEleny: How's about we call next Friday White Friday and all flood our local foodbanks and charities with donations? #whitefriday
And others said they would be supporting charities which run food banks for those struggling to make ends meet, rather than spending on things they didn't need:
@aegidian: I just donated £20 to @TrussellTrust because some folks' #blackfriday is darker and colder than it should be. trusselltrust.org/donate
While others called for a long-term solution to help solve Britain's economic worries, rather than quick fixes to boost companies' figures in the short term:
@richsimcox: Would it be terribly obvious to point out it might be better if our economic system produced affordable goods...all year round? #BlackFriday
But the situation was also ripe for parody, and jokers amused at some of the "undignified" scenes on display up and down the country didn't lose any time poking fun at the situation:
@AngryBritain: The real cost of #BlackFriday http://t.co/PCKOJmAtBG
@BritishLogic: Just got back from @Tesco, it's unbelievable how angry everyone is #BlackFriday http://t.co/sSzKEtSJMV
Directions for reflections: Write three one-paragraph reflections, each one placing the issue in a different context. Label each paragraph according to its context. Choose from among the list of contexts: Cultural, Health & Safety, Academic, Historical, Political, Gender, Generational, Religious, Moral, Legal, Social, Economic, Environmental, Medical , and Self-expression