Making your Dash Count

Wal-Mart and the Raping of America April 11, 2009

I find the Wal-Marting of America unsettling. Standing in a line at a Kerry rally in 2004, an unemployed tire worker praised the bargains at Wal-Mart. In questioning how he could ethically shop at Wal-Mart, being the stalwart union guy he was, he responded “It’s the only place I can afford.” At what cost?

Recently, a sustainability expert at the Ohio State University held Wal-Mart up as a beacon of resiliency. Not only are they squashing the competition in a tough economy, but in “greening” their stores, operations and supply lines they are uncommonly profitable.

What the fine professors did not mention as part of their resiliency strategy are their pay inequities, resistance to hiring health insurance eligible workers and the way they bully and control their supply chain. Their predatory pricing strategies have ravaged community businesses.

Just last week, in Columbus, Ohio, Walmart announced that 650 jobs in their local optical lab were moving to Mexico, reneging on a $1.8 million job-creation tax credit. In today’s failing economy the one “beacon of profitability” chooses not to employ their customer base and instead shafts their community. People are rightfully angry. Recently the police department of Exeter, PA insisted on metal detectors because of altercation concerns at a city council meeting that was going to decide on a new Wal-Mart in their community.

I do not condone violence, but I do support boycott. I can not understand why Americans continue to patronize their stores. Yes they have good deals; don’t go in there and be tempted.

As Americans it’s time to stop shopping at Wal-Mart; although they advertise their greening of America, management has no corporate conscience nor concern for the people of America. They woo their customers and then rape their jobs. Yes, customers get more for their dollar at their stores, but at what ultimate cost?