LJ69's Blog

I plunked my membership fee down on the counter ... I was only a few minutes away from being a member.... step up to the line sir .... click ...and presto ... a neat little membership card was printed ... complete with my picture. I grabbed my cart and my wife and I was soon sailing up and down the isles. A dvd player caught my eye ... wow, this can upgrade our regular dvd's to near HD quality .... I explained to my wife how we really needed this ... I looked  below the display and sure enough, there was a skid stacked with them. Hmmm ... looks like the stock people kicked and tossed these on the pallet instead of placing them ... so I rooted through the dented and torn boxes and found me a pristine factory sealed one ... yipee!  We continued our shopping and eventually ended up in line to pay for our merchandise.  The clerk scanned the various items we choose and placed them in a cart ... then it was my dvd players turn to be scanned ... but wait ... instead of scanning.... the clerk reached next to the register and pulled out a box cutter .... with one expert swipe of his wrist ... he cut the factory seal, pryed my package open and began to root ... he pulled out the manual ... stuck his hand deeper into the box and fished around ....  Finally, the curiosity could no longer be contained in me ... and I pleasantly exclaimed ....WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?.  Just checking to make sure all the parts was in there for you sir.  I said, the box was factory sealed .... the parts are there .... yes, so they are ... and he took some tape and hastily re taped my package.  My pristine package now looked like i picked it out of some dumpster.  DON'T SCAN THAT I instructed ... and sent my wife to go get another pristine, factory sealed package. I'm going to have to check that box too sir ....he informed me ....THE HELL YOU ARE ... I'LL TAKE MY CHANCES THAT ALL THE PARTS ARE THERE ... and suppose i wanted to give this as a gift??? I assure you sir, we're not singling you out ... we check all boxes... and he pointed to the cashier next to him who was in the process of opening another customer's package ....   then he pointed to another clerk, doing the same thing ... see sir?  It's company policy .... and to my amazement ... not one customer said a word ...  they watched as their merchandise was opened,  ravaged through and re taped .... NO ONE OBJECTED!  Don't these people know they have civil rights .... that your merchandise just can't be opened and searched?   I insisted he wasn't opening this package ... he didn't argue ... he just turned on the light above his register ... and soon a manager appeared.   What's the problem  sir?  I said the problem is, my merchandise, which is factory sealed, is being opened and ravaged through.     Well technically sir, it isn't your merchandise till you pay for it .... we open the boxes before you pay ....  I SAID , WHEN I PUT THE PACAGE IN MY CART THE INTENT TO PURCHASE IS THERE, AND REMAINS THERE UNTIL I EITHER TAKE IT OUT OF MY CART AND PUT IT DOWN OR PAY FOR IT ... Not quite sir .... OK, i said, then according to your way of thinking if another custormer picks up an item and puts it in their cart and it's the last item,.. and I also want that Item, I  can take it out of their cart and run to the register with it ?... after all it don't belong to them until it's paid for.  Don't be silly sir, she had first dibbs on the item ... I could see i was getting no where and couldn't make this kid understand the store was violating peoples civil rights.  I am not a stupid person, i understand that people steal and take things .... and i have no problem with a store checking merchadise where the packaging can be compromised.   a ladies purse for instance ... or a box that isn't sealed and can be opened. but a factory sealed box?  that has Sony written all over the tape?  I once again insisted he wasn't opening this box ..told him to call the cops ... make them make me open it ... and when nothing out of the ordinary is in there, I"m going to sue you. Well, they did call the cops .... i explained to the officer the problem and he told the manager, you really can't open peoples packages and root through them... even if you have a video of them stealing something ... you should call us ... and it's OUR job to investigate.   The kid still didn't get it ...   this is a private club officer and we can do what we want here.... the cop looked at me and said ... I wouldn't shop here .... they wouldn't be opening MY packages.... but I can't force him NOT to open it ... you technically didn't pay for it yet ... your option is not to buy here.  You can sign a civil complaint against them if you wish.  I was so infuriated ... mostly because all of the customers who said NOTHING....just let them open their merchandise ....and I thought of all our troops who gave their lives so we can enjoy the liberties and freedoms this country has to offer, and these idiots just give it away .... Needless to say, I went to customer service, cancelled my membership and vowed never to shop sam's club again.  Maybe i am over sensitive, but it just makes my blood boil.

I have a problem whenever my constitutional rights seemed threatened. I personally don't own a gun ... I don't hunt ... do target practice ... collect them ... or feel the need to protect myself with one. I do however, find solace knowing that if any of those circumstances change in my life I have the right to obtain one.  We already have laws prohibiting convicted felons from owning firearms. ...such people don't obtain weapons the traditional way. We don't need to treat the symtom, but the source ...  we need tougher penalties for crimes committed with a firearm .... special laws when such weapons are used against our police force ... only when the punishment is so severe that the thug will think twice before using a firearm will you see a drop in crime in this area.   True, there are exceptions to every rule but overall, i have no doubt that if the punishment for committing a crime with a firearm was severe ... the crime level would drop dramatically.  If we can stop the majority of people from parking in handicap spots because the fines are so severe, we can certainly figure out some punishment to deter the use of guns. It's been said many times before ... guns don't kill people, people kill people ... lots of truth in that sentence ... deal with the people.