Mall Threat of Violence a Sign of the Times

By Douglas V. Gibbs

The liberal left establishment through the news media, entertainment industry, education system, and political rhetoric, has created a monster.  We live in an angry America, and the first response to being offended, or not treated with perfect niceties, is violence.  Perhaps the mall situation I am getting ready to tell you about didn't erupt into a city-wide riot, but it is a symptom of what our society and culture has become, largely due to the urging assurances of liberal left politics.

My wife works in the retail industry at the local mall.  She has been there since 2010, working hard to move up from a measly $8.30 per hour to a whopping $10.45 per hour.  Now that the State of California has raised the minimum wage to $10.00 per hour, she is training new people that only make 45 cents an hour less than her, with no raise in sight for her own pocketbook.  And, thanks to an over-saturated system full of folks with Bachelor's Degrees, thanks largely to government subsidies and government funded student loans, her Bachelor's Degree, and four Associates Degrees, can't land her a better job - even with her being a bilingual Spanish speaker, to boot.  In fact, she is now being told that if she wants to even have a chance of landing a job in her field, she needs a Master's.

As a veteran on the floor at the retail establishment she works for, she is often called upon to act as a supervisor.  In all manner of speaking, aside from the lack of a title, she is.  The huge responsibilities for the small pay is incredible, and now that the minimum wage has gone up, plans to reduce the number of employees, and increase the workload on those that remain, is in the works.  The company also revealed plans that they will be closing a number of stores in California.

So, for all of those of you that were complaining that you deserved a higher minimum wage, and were excited when you heard you had achieved your goal: Here you go. . . welcome to the unemployment line.  Don't worry, after a year you won't be unemployed anymore, on paper.  The government is trying to keep that unemployment rate looking like it is low, you know, to protect their whiner-in-chief.  So, though you won't have a job, after you drop off the unemployment rolls, you will not longer be listed as unemployed from an official statistical standpoint.

The instance at her job happened earlier this week, my wife told me.  A customer was upset because she had ordered an item online, but when she received it by mail, the security device was still attached.  Whoever, at the store, who packed it, failed to remove the device.

Yes, at this company, online orders are handled by the stores, and are found, folded, packed and shipped by floor employees.

The woman was pointing her finger at the poor junior sales associate behind the counter, threatening to jump the counter to "claw her eyes out."  By her actions, she looked like she was ready to spring.

Security escorted the woman out, as she struggled in their grip.

My wife has told me about a number of cases where upset customers, because they didn't like the way they were being talked to, struck employees, or threw merchandise at employees.  These customers are often the same people who drop merchandise on the floor, and then complain that their shopping experience has caused them mental issues because the store is messy.

Understand, this is not at some low-end retail outlet.  It is at a place known for its high-end merchandise.  (I won't name who it is for the sake of protecting my wife's job).

The problem is we have an oversensitive population who was told as children they are special, they can't do any wrong, they deserve participation trophies despite their level of participation or talent, and were treated with careful, non-confrontational, gloves as they were promised a sweet life with lots of money if only they went to college, and obeyed the liberal left agenda.  Then, they grow up, and find out life sucks. Self-reliance is a difficult thing.  Being a responsible adult takes work.  And then, once they realize all this, they start throwing temper-tantrums.  The liberal left progressive political establishment coddles them, tells them they will make the mean people pay or go away, and then fills the poor oppressed over-sized babies full of the desire to demand that the world must become a politically correct, namby-pamby version of itself while it kisses their butts.  After all, love has nothing to do with what is right or wrong, and everything to do with how you feel, and if people are willing to coddle you, or not.

To all of those that are easily angered, and offended by others, I simply have one question.  "Why do you allow other people to have that kind of control over your emotions?"

I don't get offended.  If you don't like what I say, how I look, or who I am, TOUGH.  I am not going to lash out at you, or beat you down, or try to take away your rights (or call your a phobe) because you have a disagreement with my way of believing, or doing things.  I am simply going to go elsewhere, where my point of view is appreciated.  I don't have time to try and coddle or convince of the truth people who have been so damaged by the liberal left that they are hopeless cases, and can't seem to be at least a little bit reasonable.

Or, as my Dad used to say, "You can't reason with the unreasonable."

My advice?  Suck it up, grow a pair, and stand up straight.  Life is hard, life isn't fair, and you get what you make out of it.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary